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SUMMARY: Buffy is forced into a prophecy involving Spike. Can they both survive it?
DIST/ARCHIVE: Ask first
DISCLAIMER: Buffy, Spike, and co. don't belong to me, they belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This version has been toned down from it's original NC-17 version for the purpose of posting it on this site. However, it still uses bad language and mature subjects and so is rated PG-15, please read at your own discretion.
The pain hit as soon as she left the bathroom. Gasping and doubling over, Buffy clutched her stomach and tried to hurry to her friend's side. When they saw her, they jumped to their feet in concern.
"Buffy, what is it?" Willow asked immediately.
"Spike..."
"Xander, call Giles. We are going to need his car," Willow instructed. Xander hurried off. "Faith, get outside and look for him. He's got to be a couple of blocks away, due to the amount of pain Buffy's in." Faith nodded and took off, as well. "Buffy, come on. Let's head to the door and wait for Giles."
Buffy hobbled next to the hacker and out into the fresh air. Xander soon joined them, announcing that Giles was on the way. The Slayer leaned back against the wall of the club and sank to the ground, folding in on herself in pain. A man detached himself from the shadows and ran to her side.
"Buffy," Angel said, crouching to her side. He looked up at the two friends, questions in his eyes.
"Spike's gone," Willow explained. "I told Faith to start looking."
He nodded and brushed Buffy's hair from her face. "I'll find him," he whispered, then stood and jogged off, disappearing into the night.
Giles pulled up a few minutes later, breaking speed records from his house to the Bronze. The three friends piled in, with Buffy in the front seat, and he started to drive in a random direction, knowing that as the vampire and his Slayer got closer together, the pain would lessen.
"Here," Buffy suddenly said. They were in front of ShadyHill Cemetery, with its large trees and ancient gravesites. She jumped out of the car before it stopped moving, running half hunched into the cemetery. Giles got out the extra slaying equipment and loaded Xander and Willow up before they followed her.
They found a furious Buffy battling against at least ten vampires. Angel and Faith were both there as well, fighting even more of their undead brethren. The trio did not hesitate in joining the fight, shooting bolts and streams of holy water at the nearest foe. Between the six of them, they managed to dust most of the vamps. The remaining few took off running into the darkness.
But the Slayer wasn't appeased. She began to look frantically for Spike, knowing he had to be nearby, but not in sight. She finally found him unconscious behind a large mausoleum, wondering why the others didn't stake him when they had the chance.
"Spike, wake up," Buffy said, taking his head into her lap.
"She's got it bad," Faith commented to Willow and Xander as they observed the bonded pair.
"Slayer? That you?" Spike said, with a moan. He put a hand to his sore head. "What'd I bloody do this time?"
"Got yourself kidnapped," Buffy supplied. "And don't ask me why, because I have no clue."
"Those were some of Trick's goons," Angel said as Buffy helped Spike to his feet.
"But why did they kidnap him?" Willow asked. "Why not just stake him on sight?"
"I don't know," Angel replied. "I'll ask around, see what I can find out." He looked down at the blond supporting the vampire. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah. Thanks for the help," Buffy said. Angel nodded then disappeared back into the shadows. "Giles, can you give us a lift home?"
"Certainly, Buffy," Giles answered. "Faith, may I offer a ride to you, as well?"
"Nah, I'll walk," Faith said. "Maybe get some information of my own."
"Alright, be careful," Giles said. She nodded and walked off, bounce in her step. He returned his attention to the others. "Shall we?"
*****
"Anything?"
"I'm afraid not," Giles told Buffy a month later. He had been doing his own research as to the attacks on Spike. Two more attempts had been made to kidnap the vampire, but both were unsuccessful. Angel and Faith both came up empty handed, but continued to try to ferret out information.
Over the past four weeks, the new lovers shared a bed and each other as often as possible. As their relationship changed emotionally, Buffy began to change physically. She was nauseous, dizzy and weaker than normal, and she had finally been persuaded to go to the doctor's that afternoon. If she didn't know better, she'd think she was pregnant.
"Hello, luv," Spike said, entering the library after a trip to the principal's office. When the vampire became too hyper, he really mouthed off. "Ready to go?"
Buffy nodded and said good-bye, and the bonded couple left the school hand in hand. The walk to the doctor's office was uneventful, filled with a comfortable silence as they both enjoyed the sunny spring day. After a short wait, the Slayer was escorted into an examining room, poked, prodded and tested before being asked the indignity of urinating in a cup. After an hour passed, Spike snuck back to the rooms to join her to relieve the time pain before it drove him crazy.
The Slayer was sitting on the examining table in a gown, swinging her feet and waiting for the doctor to return when Spike came in. "Hey, I was wondering when you'd show up back here."
"Yeah, well, the bond was driving me batty," Spike said, sitting in a chair after moving her purse and clothes. "What's taking so long?"
"He wanted to run a test," she answered. "He said it would only take a few minutes, then I'd be done."
"That gown is very fetching," Spike teased, gesturing to her yellow and white attire.
"Watch it," Buffy warned. "Or I'll have him give you a physical while we're here."
"I doubt that, pet," he said.
"Try me," she replied with a evil smile. The doctor entered before they could get into it further. He gave Spike a puzzled glance before turning his attention to Buffy. "Just ignore him," she said. "I do."
Spike scowled at her, then turned his attention on going through her purse.
"Ms. Summers," the doctor began, standing in front of the girl. "I have the results of the test and I will need to further examine you. You might wish to ask your friend to step outside."
"Is it bad?" Buffy asked, worry evident in her voice. "'Cuz if it's bad, I'd rather Spike stay here."
"No, it's not bad," the doctor told her. "Just personal."
She nodded. "Spike, would you mind waiting outside?"
"Sure, pet," he said, standing and putting her stuff back on the chair. Now that they had been within five feet of each other, they could split up for another hour. But instead of going back to the waiting room, Spike leaned against the wall right outside the door so he could listen to what the doctor had to say.
"Ok, what's wrong with me?" Buffy asked after Spike had left the room.
"Just a slight case of pregnancy, Ms. Summers," the doctor replied, happy at his own joke.
Buffy's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. "What? But, that can't be! I mean, vamp...they can't have children!"
"Why don't you lie back and we'll see how far along you are," he said. Buffy did as told and he gave her a quick pelvic exam. "I'd estimate about four months. I'm surprised you didn't suspect when you stopped having your period."
"But...but...but, I can't be pregnant! It's impossible!" Buffy complained. "Are you sure it's not a mistake?"
"Quite certain, Ms. Summers," the doctor confirmed. "I shall set you up with some prenatal care information and note that you should schedule an appointment for a checkup next month."
Buffy nodded, dumbfounded as the doctor left the room. She stood slowly and began to dress on automation. She didn't hear or see Spike enter behind her.
"Slayer?"
She turned her wide, glazed eyes to him. "I'm pregnant."
"So I heard," Spike answered. He grasped her arms as she was about to fall over. "Do you know who's it is?" he asked quietly, pain in his voice.
"It's yours," she whispered, her eyes luminous. "There's been no one but you since my seventeenth birthday."
Spike's own eyes began to mirror Buffy's. "You're bloody serious." She nodded. "But, I don't get it. We've only been together for four weeks, not four months!"
She sagged in his arms, realization dawning. "The prophecy."
*****
"Giles, we know when the child is coming," Buffy said depressingly and without preamble. They had come directly from the doctor's to the library to inform the Watcher. "I'm pregnant, and if Spike's correct, I'll have the baby in five to six weeks."
Giles could only stare at his Slayer as what she told him sunk in. "Are you certain?"
"I knocked her up but good," Spike told him. Buffy flushed at his crude language.
"I...I see," Giles said, removing his glasses and setting them on the table. "Well, this is a-a-a bit of discerning news."
"Will you tell the others?" Buffy asked. "I'm going to go home and cry myself to sleep."
"Of-of course," Giles answered. Buffy nodded and slowly walked out the library doors, defeated.
"Watcher, find something, anything, to save her," Spike said, pain in his voice. Then he, too, turned and left.
*****
Buffy broke the news to her mom, then went up to the bedroom and locked the door. She needed to be alone for awhile, to be away from the vampire she was bonded to, the vampire with which she had fallen in love.
Spike nervously smoked outside the house, staring up at the fading sunlight. He couldn't believe that it had only been a little over four months since he tried to kill the Slayer, four months since the bond formed between them, four months to fall in love with her. And now, a baby...
He dug into the pocket of his jeans for the well-worn copy of the prophecy, which he carried with him at all, times. It served as a reminder of all he had to gain. And to lose.
"One of the darkness, one of the light, brought together by force one night. An instant in time, a bond created, causing pain when separated. If one does take a final breath, the other shall follow into death. Strengths will be given, weakness taken away, allowing the darkness into the day. Together they shall bring a child of power, but one will die in the final hour. But with this death, the bond broken away, the entire world the child will save."
