Gift of the Gods: Chapters 6 & 7
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Chapter 6


“S-Super-human strength? How do you know?” Buffy turned to look at Giles; they’d just pulled up outside her house.

“Part of a prophecy – I don’t know anything else, there’s a chance it could mean your baby – given that you are a slayer – and Spike has enhanced strength too, being a vampire. I shouldn’t worry about it too much, it could be something and nothing”

Buffy nodded, and looked at the house. She could see the window open upstairs, and the sound of the radio.

“Where did you find this information, it might be worth checking to see if there’s more”

“That’s just it, I don’t know…this info – it came from, well, Wesley told me”

“Wesley?”

“Actually Buffy, it came from Angel”

“Angel – what the hell has it got to do with him – I just wish he’d keep his nose OUT!” Buffy swiftly got out of the car and slammed the door. Giles winced

“Buffy…Buffy, wait!” Giles followed her down the path, Buffy didn’t stop, she just opened the front door, and left it open for Giles to follow.

She went straight upstairs.

In the bedroom, between them, Willow and Spike had rigged up a drape of dark fabric to shield Spike from the daylight, he was busy painting planets and a comet on to a dark blue painted wall.

“Hey babe – you okay?” Spike grinned at her and kissed her.

“Wow………oh gods, it’s BEAUTIFUL!”

“And Xander’s going to do this slightly dropped ceiling effect, he’s going to put up a board, with hundreds of tiny holes drilled into it, and we can put little fairy lights through them, it’ll look like hundreds of twinkling stars”

Buffy grinned and cuddled up to Spike

“Hey…looking good!” Giles leant against the doorjamb

“Hold on…Spike, coming round the curtain, take cover!” Willow’s disembodied voice said, and Spike ducked behind the closet door while she shifted the curtain to come and talk to her friend.

“’Kay Red, I’m covered”

“Oh, hi Giles…so, Buffy – what do you think?” Willow began to wipe her hands on a rag.

“It looks brilliant – I can’t wait to see it all hooked up with the fairy lights!”

Giles declined the offer of tea, and left.

After Willow had gone, Spike made tea and they both sat on the sofa. Buffy lay against Spike’s chest, he’d got both arms around her.

“Saw Faith today”

“Did you Pet? – Did she say anything to you?”

“Not much – she looked a bit, well embarrassed at first – couldn’t leave fast enough – got a Remalak demon, she wanted the location for it”

“Really – Oh, Clem might have mentioned something about it – I tend not to take much notice these days”

“You know, she never said sorry to me for that body-swap thing she did……… still – as long as she just keeps away from us, I don’t care…” Buffy absently played with Spike’s fingers.

“Giles told me something…it could – okay, OW, OW OW!”

Spike immediately loosened his arms and looked over Buffy’s shoulder wondrously at her belly, which was moving!

“Can you see that? Little devil’s playing soccer with those grapes I ate!” Buffy grinned. Every so often her tummy would stick out at odd little points.

“That’s his elbow…OW and that’s his knee, I think!”

Spike moved and put his head on her tummy.

“Hey, Billy-Boy………go easy on your lovely mum, huh? I know we can both pack a kick and a punch, but there’s no need for you to join in as well!”

Buffy smiled and stroked Spike’s head as he spoke softly to the baby. It worked too – the baby settled down!

“You’re daft, you are!” Buffy said, and Spike leaned up and gave her a soft kiss.

“Yup, that’s me alright, Daft over you two, I know that!”

She decided not to say anything to Spike about what Giles had told her, she was comfy, and relaxed, and knew that the mere mention of Angel’s name would get Spike all agitated. Suddenly her eye’s popped open.

“Er, Spike – Billy-Boy?”

“What, hmm? What about him, is he-“ He went to shift but Buffy held his head to her, twirling his soft curls around her finger – Spike loved this, it always relaxed him

“No, he’s okay, I mean the name!”

“Oh – don’t you like it?” Spike looked worriedly up at her

“Actually…I love it! William, after his lovely daddy!” They grinned at each other.

“Cept we’ll call him Billy, yeah? I can just picture the little slugger, running around – we’ll have to get some proper shutters for the downstairs rooms – don’t want to come down to find Billy and a big old pile of dust, now do we?”

“Certainly don’t………Xander will help I’m sure”

“Yeah – Oh, guess what – according to Red, he’s going to ask the girl who works on-site at the show-house out it’ll do him good, he hasn’t bothered since Anya has he?”

“No…baby – anyway, never mind about him, lets go have a bath, and an early night, hmm?”

“Early night – it’s only 6.20pm now!”

“I know…early, early night then…want you to make love to me”

Grinning Spike stood and scooped her up and carried his love upstairs.



***************



Spike made love to her gently, she longed for a little athleticism that she was more used to, but they didn’t want to jiggle the baby too much.

Lying wrapped in each other’s arms, sleep came quickly to them both.

While they slept, a ‘presence’ filled the room – a beautiful woman looked over the sleeping pair, and smiled. She raised an arm, a fine mist descended on them both, and then as suddenly as she arrived, she and the mist disappeared.


Buffy woke, got out of bed and went to the bathroom. She got back into bed, and Spike turned on his side and put his arm around her.

“You okay babe?”

“Fine…I had a strange dream”

“Me too – it was about Billy”

“Mine too! There was this voice, talking, telling me things” Spike sat up, and Buffy did too.

“Same here…she was saying how the baby was very special – well we KNOW that – but something about him having great humanity, love for his fellow man.
He will be stronger than a mortal, and certain powers, to be revealed when necessary!”

“He was born for the good, but he will not be sacrificed!” Buffy said, and Spike eagerly nodded

“Yes – Buffy, we had the same dream! Did you see the woman – she looked Greek or something, wearing one of those floaty sleeveless dresses and her hair all done up in plaits…she was very beautiful”

“I only saw her at the end – she was smiling – she told me not to worry, that I’d see my son grow up - Spike…I think it was The Powers That Be…telling us about Billy”

“You think?”

Buffy nodded and said,

“I’m certain…why else would we BOTH have the same dream?”

Spike slowly nodded

“Come on, concentrate, can you think of anything more?” They both sat silent for a few moments…and then Spike said,

“No, I think that’s it…he won’t be sacrificed – and you will see him grow up - thank the gods, I was worried about something like that”

“Were you?” Buffy asked softly

“Are you telling me you weren’t? – Fate threw us a curved ball babe – and then we get this miracle – us having a baby…………I didn’t want to worry you by saying anything, but I kept on wondering what was going to happen to, well spoil things – I was so scared that something would-“

Buffy put her finger on his lips, and nodded

“I know babe, me too………but now we know, everything is going to be alright, and Billy will be extra special – but he won’t have to die to save the world, and I will live to see him grow up – so I wonder where that leaves me as a slayer?”

“Who cares about that now? Gods – I am SO happy!” Spike could have whooped
with joy.

They made love until sun-up, and fell asleep exhausted! Buffy woke to the telephone ringing.

“Hello – Buffy – you and Spike must come to the shop, there is fantastic news!” Giles said

“Is it about Billy?”

“Billy? Who’s Billy?”

“The baby – that’s what we’re calling him – well is it?”

“Yes, we don’t know where it’s come from, but there’s a scroll, like the first prophecy was written on – it says he will be stronger-“

“Yes, we know, Spike and I, well we had the same dream – it told us stuff how he’ll have great humanity, and powers to be revealed when necessary…and I’ll live, to see him grow up…I - I’ve got to go, I’ll see you later”

Buffy put the phone down, and took a deep breath – to have the knowledge that she’d live long enough to see her child grow up overwhelmed her and she wiped happy tears from her face.

Spike was still asleep and she bent and softly kissed his tousled curls and whispered,

“I Love you”

In his sleep, Spike smiled and cuddled up to her warmth, murmured,

“Love you both”

 



Chapter 7


Buffy sailed through the rest of her pregnancy, she took her vitamins, and did her exercises, and enjoyed it, knowing that it was her ‘one shot’ deal.

It was the 14th of September, and Buffy and Spike were sitting on the sofa watching TV, it was a little after lunchtime.

“Baby…would you make me one of those raspberry leaf teas Willow’s got me on, they’re delicious, and she said it’ll help with the birth”

Spike went into the kitchen, and made one for her. When he got back into the lounge, Buffy wasn’t there; she was half way up the stairs.

“You okay pet?”

“Yeah, need a pee, Billy’s lying on my bladder…” Spike went and sat down, only to jump up like something possessed when he heard Buffy call out.

“What is it Kitten?”

“My waters have broke………it’s started!”

“Right, I’ll phone the hospital – is your case ready downstairs?”

“Yes, don’t panic, there’s hours to go yet”


************


At twenty passed midnight, on September the 15th, baby William James was born. It had been a textbook delivery, everything went perfectly, and Spike cut the umbilical cord, and the midwife took the baby away to wash and weigh him.

Their foreheads touching, Spike whispered how much he loved her and how seeing his son being born was one of the most amazing things he’d ever seen.

“There you go, congratulations, daddy!” the nurse put Billy in his daddy’s arms, and then went to sort out Buffy.

Spike stared at his son in awe – he felt like crying it as so moving; he took him over to Buffy.

“Hello my son…I’m your daddy………let’s take you to see your mum, shall we, hmm? Here’s your beautiful mum…say hello to your beautiful mum…”

Buffy smiled and gently touched his hand and whispered,

“Hello baby…he’s beautiful!”

“Course he is – just like his mum!” Spike said, kissing Billy’s forehead.

Spike was able to hang around for an hour with them, and saw Buffy feed him, but it would be getting light before too long, and so he had to go. He kissed his sleeping son’s downy head, and then kissing Buffy, he left.

“Ring me in the morning, okay?”

“I’ll make it nearer lunchtime babe, you need your rest too!” Buffy said


********


Willow?”

“Spike – has she-?”

“Yes, couple of hours ago, 7lb 3oz – he’s beautiful!” Spike enthused

“I bet – oh, congratulations, Spike – when can I go see them?”

“Thanks Red…how about lunchtime – I obviously can’t go during the day”

“Great – what colour hair has he got?”

“He’s dark, got big blue eyes, little tiny, tiny nails…he’s just perfect!” Willow giggled and said she couldn’t wait to see him.

“Should I phone Xander now or shall I leave it until the morning?” Spike asked

“Oh, phone him now, he’ll be happy enough”


A sleepy voice said,

“Hello?”

“Xander – Billy arrived safely a couple of hours ago, 7lb 3oz, he and Buffy are perfect!”

“Oh Spike – Congratulations, so everything went okay?”

“Just perfect mate, I’ve phoned Willow, she’s going to see them lunchtime, if you want to go with her”

“I’ve got a lunchtime meeting, but I can go in the afternoon – visiting is all day isn’t it?”

“Yeah, that’ll be great, then I can go in the evening”

“What has Giles said?”

“I haven’t told him yet, you’re only the second person I’ve phoned”

“Oh, um thanks! Wow…Buffy a mom eh – and you a daddy – man…I bet you never thought this day would come!”

They both laughed, and Spike said he’d better go and phone Giles.

“Rupe’s me old mate………”

“Spike! I take it she’s had the baby?”

“Couple of hours ago, 7lb 3oz, they are both perfect – it was amazing – he’s so beautiful!”

“I’m really happy for you Spike………and you say Buffy’s okay?”

“She did everything by the book – I’ve told Willow and Xander, they are going to see them later, if you want to pop along”

“Okay Spike, will do, thanks for telling me”


**********


12.30pm lunchtime.

Spike groped for the phone.
“Hey baby!”

“Buffy, love everything alright, you and Billy?” Spike woke from a deep slumber, and sat up

“Were fine –guess what? – The doc said as I did everything I was supposed to, and as I didn’t have any drugs, I can come home this afternoon – Billy just has to have a vitamin shot – oh Willow’s just arrived – oh my god, what a huge teddy she’s got!”

“Really – fantastic – Ah – aahhhhhhhhhhhh – s’cuse me yawning! Okay then babe, Xander will be coming later”

“I’ll get him to bring me home then”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, see you later, love you”

“Love you babe…give Billy a kiss for me”

“I will – bye”

“Bye Kitten”

*************


“Come in – oh, hi Wesley…everything okay?” Wesley put his head around the door

“Yes thanks, Angel…I um, I just thought you’d like to know…Buffy’s had the baby”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, early hours of this morning, so Giles told me”

“I see. What hospital is she in, I could send some flowers”

“Actually – Giles said she was being allowed home, everything went so well – she opted for natural childbirth so they’re letting her come out”

“Right…well, thanks for telling me, Wes”

“You okay?”

“Me? (Angel let out a big sigh) I suppose so. You now, I hope Spike realises just how lucky he is………”


“Oh don’t you worry on that score – from what Giles tells me, Spike counts his blessings everyday”

“Really” Angel said flatly, getting up out of his office chair and looking out of the window.

Wesley came into the room and closed the door.

“Yes Angel, he really does – and luck didn’t really come into it, he earned what he got, don’t you think?”

Angel scoffed

“Earned – earned? – Don’t make me laugh…Spike’s never-“

“Angel – this ‘poor me’ act of yours is VERY tiresome, did you know that? I know you two have a history of bad blood between you, but I hardly think that the PTB go round giving away ‘gifts’ like that for no reason, do you?”

This was quite a shock to Angel – he’d only ever seen the Buffy/Spike relationship as just that, one of pure luck on Spike’s part.

“Spike’s gone against his very nature to get where he is today – he”

“SPARE me the details” Angel said, harshly at first, and then his tone softened.

“He’s done an awful lot of good Angel, you just refuse to see it”

“So have I – I’ve got a soul too!”

“Yes but…” Wesley bit his bottom lip.

Angel turned to face his co-worker

“But what, come on tell me, I’m dying to hear what you have to say”

“Well, okay. You were CURSED with your soul, Spike went out on his own volition to get his – he went through a terrible ordeal – ordeals to get it. No body asked him to he-“

“Did it for Buffy, yeah, you said………I’ve done good things – where’s my reward?”

“I don’t know Angel – maybe you get the swanky office and the fast sports car – anyway, have you ever thought about it the other way around, huh? – Ever thought that Buffy deserves a reward – the Chosen One, born to die young, not have a family or a normal life – ever thought it was her reward to have a family and a man she loves”

“Vampire” angel corrected him

“Vampire then – you’re just sore it isn’t you – I better be going. Don’t brood about this Angel, this was prophesied, written in tablets of stone if you like, nothing you could have done would have altered it. Now, I’m off, goodbye”

Moodily angel poured himself a very large brandy, and mumbled to himself,

“All I’m saying was, it could have been me…”

***************


“Er, did they have a bigger one in the shop?” Buffy surveyed the teddy bear almost as big as herself!

“I couldn’t resist it – So come on, where is he?” Willow couldn’t take the grin off her face.

“Come on Billy…say hello to your aunty Willow…” Buffy gently picked him up out of the cot and put him in Willow’s arms

“He’s awake – oh, can I………Oh Buffy – he’s SO beautiful! Hello! Hello there, oh goddess, look at you eh – whose got his daddy’s big blue eyes then………Buffy he’s gorgeous!” Buffy grinned

“I know – I can’t stop looking at him – I just…I wish that…mom was, oh!”

“Oh hey, um, look let me put Billy down and-“

“No, no it’s alright, I’m…just being silly – it’s the hormones, midwife said this would happen – you get teary…mom would have loved him” Buffy found a tissue and blew her nose and wiped her eyes.

Willow nodded, she too felt a little emotional, she cuddled Billy and he didn’t cry once.

*************


Later on that afternoon, Xander bought them home, he carried in Buffy’s suitcase while Buffy carried in the baby.

She kissed Spike and put the baby in his arms.
“There you go baby…go say hello to your daddy”

“I won’t be a sec – “ Xander said, and dashed back out to the car again, and took something from the trunk.

“Um, this is for Billy, I hope he - you like it”

Spike took the paper off to reveal a beautiful, intricately carved crib.

“Oh Xander! It’s lovely!” Buffy threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight.

“Wow, neat piece of work there mate – it’s great, thanks!”

“Well, I better be off – got the site manager coming round at five – I’ll see you in the week”

They all said their goodbyes, and Spike went to make tea.


For the first few nights, Spike just sat by the crib, watching his baby son sleep, he marvelled at the way Billy would hold onto his finger, or the way he nestled and fed. Buffy sat between Spike’s legs with her back to his chest when she fed Billy, and then Spike would reach round and rub the baby’s back to wind him.

Buffy woke to find Spike watching Billy fast asleep, and she smiled

“He’s not suddenly going to go ‘poof’ and disappear, you know!” Spike grinned at her and said softly,

“I know…he’s just amazing…look at those lashes, Willow said she’d kill for lashes like that! And those teeny tiny nails…I’m so lucky to have you both”

“I’m the lucky one. Come and give some fuss now, eh please?” Spike went to her and they both lay cuddled up until they slept.

In the deep mists of time, Aphrodite smiled down at the cosy domestic scene, she knew she’d made the right choice – there could have been another couple destined to have the ‘Wunderkind’ but she knew that Spike would never falter in his duty towards his family – that he loved them beyond words, and that for the goddess of love, was the MOST important thing of all……………

End of Part 2



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