The Taken Care Of Series

A Final Goodbye

Taken Care Of – Part Sixteen.

Title: Taken Care Of Series– A Final Goodbye

Author: Bek Allen

Chapter: 16/16

Feedback: Yes please. However, Flames will be given to my neurotic cat to play with as she sees fit.

Notes: It's taken a while to get this far. But it's been fun… and sad. And, I'm really not quite sure how I started writing this fan-fiction. At the time, I had no idea what it would be like, all I knew was I wanted something sweet and a little fluffy and a little smutty. So, I hope you've enjoyed this as much as I have. But, like the show itself it's time to finish up. To my own, personal nag – Jen, I hope this meets with your approval. And, who knows… Maybe we'll see a bit of a follow up in future fics… (That is *not* set in concrete… yet. ;)) Huge mega thank you to BookGirl for Beta-ing this chapter for me. You've made it so much more read-able. LoL.

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“Breathe, Buffy.” Giles instructed her as he ran a damp cloth across her forehead. He chanced a look down at the midwife as she turned to one of the nurses, missing the glare Buffy shot in his direction, a glare that would have put his own ‘hairy eyeball' to shame.

“You wanna do this?” She ground out between clenched teeth as another pain shot through her lower back. She gripped the guardrails on the side of the hospital bed as she bore down, not noticing the way the metal contorted underneath her hands. Giles moved his hands to her shoulders, helping her as best he could. By mutual consent, they'd both decided he wouldn't be holding her hands while she gave birth.

“You're almost there Buffy, you just need one more push.” The nurse on the other side of the bed coached softly. If either the midwife or the nurse thought it strange that the couple wasn't holding hands, they didn't mention it.

“You've been saying that for the last seven hours.” Buffy grunted as she fell back against the hospital pillows, trying to catch her breath. She wondered for a moment if Anya had gone through this three weeks ago when baby Joyce had been born, although, according to Xander, it had been a ‘blink and you'll miss it' moment.

Giles chuckled and wiped Buffy's forehead again before rubbing an ice-cube across her lips. “It's only been five hours Love, our baby will be here soon enough. You're almost done.” This time, Buffy's glare did not go unnoticed and Giles audibly gulped.

“Rupert Giles… The next time…” She was cut off by a scream as another bolt of pain when straight through her abdomen. She felt like she was being split in two. “You can push the watermelon out of something the size of a lemon okay?” She grit her teeth as her hands tightened around the railings once again and she pushed.

“Oh Buffy,” Giles smiled softly, kissing her damp forehead, “I would if it were possible.”

“Almost there Buffy, just one more really big push. You're doing great.” The midwife smiled up at the couple before looking back to the task at hand.

“I will find a way to make it possible.” Buffy grunted, wishing for a moment that they hadn't decided to forego any broken bones on Giles' behalf.

The look in her eyes was determined and he knew that she'd more then likely feel differently once she held their baby in her arms. But if she didn't… they would indeed be a single child family. That determined look of Buffy's was dangerous at the best of times.

Buffy took a deep breath and squeezed the metal railing hard as she was hit with another contraction. Giles and the nurse had stopped their coaching to watch as the metal gave way under her strength, the entire railing was now a twisted piece of scrap metal. Bearing down, Buffy screamed, her voice was hoarse, she grit her teeth as she pushed, cursing Giles. No doubt, the baby had a big head because he'd inherited it from his father. Finally, when she couldn't hold it anymore, she flopped back against the bed and the sound of tiny screams filled the room.

“Buffy, Rupert, you have a son.” The midwife beamed up at the couple.

Giles was instantly at Buffy's side, covering her face in soft kisses and brushing her hair back from her sweat-slicked brow.

“Rupert?” The midwife passed the squalling bundle of arms and legs to Buffy, “Would you like to do the honors?” She held up a pair of surgical scissors, and pointed to the umbilical cord.

Giles' eyes lit up and he nodded so hard he thought his head would bounce off. He took the scissors, his heart pounding in his chest, he looked at Buffy, her eyes were closed but she held firmly onto their son. “Just here?” He asked the midwife, pointing to the place between the two clamps.

“Right there,” she nodded, smiling. In all her years as a midwife, she'd never seen a more devoted couple, or more ‘abnormal' couple for that matter.

Giles' hands shook as he moved the scissors to the organ that had helped give his son life for the last nine months and fifteen days. He grinned as, with a final ‘snip' of the scissors, the cord that tied mother and son was severed, he stepped back as the nurse moved in swiftly and lifted the little boy from Buffy's chest to get him cleaned up. Removing the mangled railing, Giles perched on the bed beside the love of his life, whispering soothing words to her.

Buffy smiled and opened her eyes, “He's so beautiful… did you see?” She asked, looking up into tearful green eyes.

“I saw.” He cupped her cheek with one of his large hands. The last nine months had been trying for both of them, and around her fifth month, Buffy had had to stop her Slaying duties, the others had picked up where they could, but in the end, Giles had to use his connections with the Council to get Faith out of prison to pick up the slack. He had made her promise that as soon as Buffy could, she'd return to England and continue a rehabilitation program there, with a coven he had ties to outside the Council. Add to that, during both Buffy and Anya's seventh month, they'd been able to move into the house on Crawford Street, both women had been… moody, during the move. So much so that Xander had begun to wonder if it had been such a good idea to renovate certain areas of the house. Including the training room in the attic. Even though Giles and Spike had both reassured Xander that Buffy wouldn't be up to walking the four flights of stairs to get up there.

The nurse beamed as she approached the couple, handing the now clean baby over to his parents, swathed in a pale green blanket. “He's a healthy seven pounds and twelve ounces and sixteen inches long.” She stepped back as Buffy peered down at the tiny bundle in her arms.

“Looks just like his daddy.” She turned her head and smiled at Giles, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. Turning back to her son, Buffy lowered her head and pressed a feather light kiss to his forehead before promptly bursting into tears. Her life was now as normal as it would ever be; the only thing missing was her mother.

“Shhhh, darling it's okay.” Giles whispered as he looked down into the brightest pair of blue eyes he'd ever seen. He pressed his lips to the top of Buffy's head as he reached out a tentative finger to trail down his son's cheek. “I'm so proud of you.” He grinned up at the nurse. “Thank you.”

The nurse smiled, “It's all part of my job. Have you decided on a name?” She looked from Giles and Buffy, to the tiny bundle that had them captivated.

“Nicholas,” Buffy looked up, her thousand-watt smile lighting up the room. “Nicholas Alexander.” She turned to face Giles; they had been tossing names around for the last three months and had never settled on anything.

“Perfect.” He breathed, moving to take the baby from Buffy's arms.

“It sounds lovely.” The nurse pulled out a Polaroid camera, “Now, if the new parents could just smile for a moment…” She held up the camera as both Buffy and Giles looked up at her, wide grins on their faces. Giles tilted Nicholas just so, as the flash of the camera brightened the room for all of a second. As the photo came through, the nurse watched the small family with no small amount of surprise. “He's going to be an angel. Most babies see the bright light and start to cry.” She walked over and held out the photo for Buffy. “Congratulations.” Turning, she left them to get even more acquainted to their newest addition.

When she reached the waiting area, she didn't even bother to go through with the normal rigmarole of telling the large group that it was family members only. She smiled at the familiar faces that, when Mrs. Harris had had her own child, had made it quite clear that they were family. Blood ties or not, she smiled as the young dark haired girl stood up, the worry for her sister etched clearly on her face. “Buffy's fine. So is Rupert. You can go in to see them in five minutes.” She stepped back out of the room before the cheers began.

“Thank God,” Xander slumped back against the sofa; his daughter nestled against his chest. They'd all been worried when it became apparent that Buffy couldn't slay any longer, at least until after she'd had the baby. Their worry had increased ten-fold when, against Giles and Buffy's wishes, Spike, Tara, Anya and Xander had all gotten Willow to break into the Council records to see if any other Slayers had been able to carry a child to term, only to find nothing.

Dawn bounced in her seat beside Spike, her gaze trained on the clock in the waiting room. As soon as it turned to quarter past six, she was up out of her chair like a shot. As she rushed down the corridor to Buffy's room, she didn't even have to look over her shoulder to know that five other pairs of feet were hurrying after her.

“D-Dawn, slow down. They aren't g-going anywhere.” Tara smiled as she called out after the younger Summers woman.

Dawn came to a halt just outside the door, her head poking around the corner to make sure it was safe for her to go in. No way did she want an education where all of ‘Buffy's Bits' – as she had started to call them – were on display. No matter how much of a miracle childbirth was. “Buffy?” She stepped inside the room as Giles motioned her over to them, her eyes wide at the stillness of the picture her sister and the baby presented. “Buffy?” Her voice was tentative and she looked at Giles, her eyes wide with fear. What if the nurse had been lying? What if something had gone wrong?

“It's alright Dawn,” Giles' voice was soft, “She's just resting a moment.” He stood up and moved away, motioning for her to take his place. “I'm afraid, [no comma needed] Anya's stories about child birth were… not falsehoods exactly, but I imagine each woman has a different experience.” He lifted his head at the tiny commotion coming from the doorway, offering each of his family a gentle, albeit, tired smile.

“Well don't just stand there.” Giles nearly jumped out of his skin at the weary voice coming from the bed. “Come in and say hello.” Buffy opened her eyes and laughed as Dawn nearly fell off the edge of the bed. Turning her head, she looked at Giles and nodded her head for him to come join them on the bed. “Everyone,” she smiled as her friends, her family, filed into the room and took up places around the bed, “We'd like you to meet, Nicholas Alexander Giles.” She shifted the tiny bundle in her arms and moved the blanket away from his face.

“Oh Buffy,” Willow's eyes were bright with tears as she looked from Buffy to Xander, she could tell by the way Giles looked directly to Xander after the small announcement that the name served as a tribute to her friend. She could also see that Xander was doing everything he could not to burst into tears.

“Well I'll be a…” Spike folded his arms over his chest, trying his best to remain as ‘manly' as possible. “I've now got two snack packs to choose from.” He grinned at Buffy, before a resounding ‘thwack' followed by a surprised ‘Oye!' was heard through the room as Anya reached up and slapped the vampire in the back of the head.

“They are not ‘snack packs' Spike.” The former vengeance demon informed him with an exasperated sigh, “They are very small, very fragile and very expensive humans.” She turned to face Buffy, a happy smile on her face, “Congratulations.” She reached into the large brown bag she had set by the foot of the bed when they had all come in. “We weren't sure…” She smiled apologetically at the new mother and father, “But we all chipped in and, well, ta-da!” She lifted up a lime green monkey about the size of Noël, “What do you think?” She looked from Buffy to Giles expectantly.

Giles could tell from the way Xander, Willow and Tara turned a nice shade of red and the way Spike scowled and tried to look away that the only person to okay the monstrosity was Anya. “He's very…” He fumbled for the right words.

“He's perfect, thank you guys.” Buffy beamed and reached for the monkey, holding him up so tiny, dark blue eyes could see it.

“Can I hold him?” Dawn piped up beside Buffy, trying to move the toy out of the way.

Giles looked down to Buffy who trying to juggle both the monkey, and their son, nodded. “I don't see why not.” He looked to Dawn and grinned, “Just let me move this.” He gently pried the monkey away from Buffy and set it on the end of the bed.

“Careful.” Buffy instructed her younger sister as she shifted Nicholas from her arms, to Dawn's. “Watch his head.”

Dawn rolled her eyes, “I do know how to do this Buffy, remember I have held Joyce on more then one occasion.” She cradled the small bundle in her arms as if he were the most precious of treasures. “Well hey there squirt.” She moved the blanket from his face, “I'm your Aunt Dawn, and, in hind sight, I guess I'm only a little bit older then you, even though I look sixteen, I'm really only two. But that still makes me older and it still makes me the boss. So,” she had to fight back tears as a tiny hand reached out to grab her finger, “Don't you forget it.”

Buffy smirked at the exchange between her sister and son, nudging Giles slightly. She was sitting close enough to be able to see the tears glisten in her little sister's eyes. “You think you can handle two babies under the one roof?” She asked Dawn, her tone teasing.

“Please,” Dawn looked at her sister, “They can't be any worse then you, besides, Xander sound proofed my bedroom before we moved in.”

Willow and Tara bit back giggles at the look on Giles' face, “Y-you think I-I could have a hold?” Tara asked softly, saving Giles from any further kind of embarrassment.

“Sure,” Buffy smiled, “Dawn…” She eyed the dark haired girl with no amount of suspicion, as she hurriedly swiped at her eyes and moved to pass on the tiny bundle. When she'd moved back to sit beside Buffy, the blond wrapped her arms around her shoulders, “You okay?” She asked softly enough for only Dawn to hear.

“Yeah, just… That's my nephew and mom isn't here to see him.” Dawn gave her a bleary smile before hugging her tightly, “She'd be so proud Buffy.”

Buffy nodded and released the younger Summers, “I know.” She turned her head to look at Giles, her face breaking out in a smile she reserved only for him, her hand reaching out for his. Together they watched as their new son was passed around to each of the gang, biting back giggles as Xander tried to juggle not only Nicholas, but baby Joyce as well until Anya swept in to take her daughter.

“Isn't this just perfect.” The former demon smiled as she held up Joyce to see Nicholas, “Now, when you get older, you'll have someone to give you…” She was silenced as Xander practically tossed the baby to Spike and covered his wife's mouth with his hand.

“An, we've talked about this…” He looked apologetically at Buffy and Giles, who had turned a pale white at what Anya had been about to say.

“But, it's the truth Xander, when Joyce gets older, she and Nicholas can be friends, and then progress from friends, to partners, to lovers.” Her green eyes looked up at him, wondering where she'd gone wrong.

“I… I'm sure, as they g-get older Anya, that both Joyce and Nicholas will be able to make their own d-decisions regarding whom they'd like to… to be friends with.” Giles' glasses were dangling in his hand as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Buffy smiled at the thought of Joyce and Nicholas growing up together and turned to face Anya, “It's a… a sweet thought Anya, but we should let them wait until they're older before thinking about things like that.” Nestling back into the hospital pillows, Buffy smiled as Nicholas was handed back to Giles. “I guess the First Slayer was wrong.” She muttered as the tiny bundle was returned to her arms.

“Hmmm?” Giles looked up from the small face that held him so utterly captivated. “How doe you suppose that is?” His brow furrowed as he tried to figure out what Buffy meant.

She smiled, “Last year, when we went out to the desert. The First Slayer told me that Death was my gift.” Her gaze wandered to Nicholas, “She was wrong. Just look around us,” Buffy lifted the babe and pressed his lips against his downy head, “Our friends, our family… Our son.” She lifted her face to Giles', “This town, people get to live everyday because of the work I do, the work we do. I kill monsters and demons every day so people get to live. My gift isn't death, it's life.”

Giles' confusion turned into an ear-to-ear grin as he realized what Buffy was talking about, taking his son in one arm; he wrapped the other around Buffy. “Quite right.”

The others watched the exchange silently; even Anya refrained from saying anything as Buffy and Giles spoke. Tara was the first to notice the droop of Buffy's head and the yawn Giles was trying to suppress. Nudging Spike, she nodded her head towards the trio and pointed to the door, already pulling Willow gently by the elbow towards the hallway.

“Right, we'll be off then.” The blond vampire smirked when Buffy didn't even crack an eyelid. “Tell the Slayer we'll be by sometime tomorrow.”

“Yes.” Giles looked at his family standing at the end of the bed. “Tell Faith we'll see her tomorrow as well.” He returned to gazing down at his son.

“Will do.” Spike nodded, already herding the rest of the gang out the door. “Oh, and Rupes, best you put the tiny bit back into his tank. Wouldn't do to have him dropped and end up with a skull like yours.” Snickering when all he got in response was a ‘hmm, yes.' Spike left the room, hurrying to catch up with the others.

As Buffy dozed beside him, Giles moved as quietly as he could and placed the now sleeping bundle back into the plexi-glass crib on the other side of the room, and making sure the small wooden crucifix was still stuck firmly to the top of the cot. Silently, so as not to disturb either son or love, he moved back to the bed to lay beside Buffy. It was only a matter of minutes after the lights were out that he was asleep as well.

She waited in the far corner of the room until light snoring filled the room before moving to stare down at the newest edition to her family. A wave of pride washed over her as through the darkness, a set of startling blue eyes looked up at her. Her hand reached out slowly and smoothed over the soft hair already gracing his head. He was going to grow up and be a contradiction of sorts, his Father's bright green eyes and soft smile, his mother's narrow nose and chin, his father's love for knowledge and his mother's heart, with a stubborn streak that would put the pair of them to shame. She froze as a tiny noise came from the hospital bed, waiting a moment for the shifting of bedclothes to stop, she smiled as the room was silent once again – save for the sounds of light snoring.

Reaching out, she lifted the tiny babe into her arms and moved to sit in one of the hospital-grade plastic chairs. Holding him close, but far enough away to look into his eyes, she fell in love with her grandson. “Hello Nicholas,” her voice was barely a whisper as she lifted him and pressed her lips to his forehead. As he began to stir, she moved him back to her arms, holding him close. Rocking him, she began to hum softly, the same lullaby she'd sung to both Buffy and Dawn when they were little.

Joyce sat there, cradling the tiny bundle until the first rays of sunshine began to peek over the horizon. She had been worried a few times during the night when either Buffy or Giles would stir, but they would soon roll over and drift back into dreamland, and now, it was time for her to go. Standing up, the tiny bundle clutched tightly to her chest; she moved back to place him in his crib. Pressing another kiss to his forehead, she stepped back, “Good-bye my sweet little boy.” She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes as he stared back at her, her fingers reaching out to stroke his cheek one last time.

Turning away, she moved over to where her daughter lay, curled against Giles' side. The tears sliding down her cheek as she leant over and pressed a tiny kiss to Buffy's cheek, stroking back a strand of blond hair. She flashed a smile at the man who'd bought her daughter so much happiness and touched his shoulder. She would forever be indebted to Rupert Giles, her daughter - who only twelve months ago was as lost and confused as she had ever been - was now happy and loved, all because of him. It was something she'd never be able to thank him for.

Looking out the hospital window, Joyce watched as the sun poked its head over the horizon, pushing the demons and vampires back to their crypts and caves for another day. She smiled down at the sleeping couple as sunlight washed in through the window, “Goodbye Buffy.” Her voice barely a whisper, before she faded into nothing.

Rolling onto her back and blinking back tears, Buffy looked to the spot where her mother had stood only moments ago. “ Goodbye Mom.” Her voice broke on the last syllable before she could get a hold of herself. Taking a deep breath, she brushed away her tears and sat up, prying Giles' arm from around her waist and moving over to her son. She grinned as she was met with a happy gurgle. Lifting him into her arms, she held him to her chest, chuckling softly as he squinted at the sunlight and started to make a fuss. “Guess you met your Grandmother after all huh?” She asked softly, before covering his tiny face with kisses. “Okay, c'mon Nicky. Let's go wake up daddy.”