Next Door

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They both took a deep breath when they heard the footsteps approaching the door and they smiled timidly when it opened to reveal Joyce. She smiled at them both but her attention was completely stolen by the baby in Buffy’s arms.
“oh my.” she gasped her face breaking into a huge smile when the little boy turned his head to face her and grinned.
“Hey mom…meet Dylan.”

“You know I would like to hold him at some point Joyce.” Giles grumbled giving her a pointed look. Spike and Buffy had arrived almost half an hour ago and he still hadn’t got his hands on him.
“I know I know…its just he’s so beautiful.” Joyce grinned.
“yes he is indeed.” Giles chuckled.
“He looks so much like you William.” Joyce said bravely looking at Spike.
He grinned and raised an eyebrow.
“You calling me beautiful Joyce? Cos I gotta warn you Buffy don’t like other women complimenting me.”
Trust it to be Spike who, with one single sentence could effectively shatter the ice. The bit of tension that had still been in the room disappeared and Buffy smiled at Spike gratefully squeezing his hand while Joyce rolled her eyes and laughed.

“So your starting right away?” Joyce asked happy to know that her daughter was going to college.
“Yep as soon as possible.” Buffy grinned through a mouthful of mash.
“Honey have I told you how attractive you are when you smile with your mouth oozing of potatoes?” Spike asked sarcastically giving Buffy an amused look. She shot him a dirty look and swallowed the mash only to snort when Spike filled his mouth to the brim with mash and grinned at her trying to prove his point.
Joyce shook her head at the both of them not getting where their minds came from and scolded herself for ever being such an idiot. They were so obviously in love it was idiotic of her to think otherwise and she couldn’t even use the “He’s older” card on the cause he sure as hell didn’t act older.
“So….your engaged?” Joyce stated wanting more information. She had missed so much she didn’t want to miss more.
“Yes…long engagement planned.” Spike shrugged taking a sip of his wine. He knew her insults were probably on the tip of her tongue and he waited tensely for her to give her honest opinion on them getting married.
“Good…longer time to think of a wedding present.” Joyce smirked when she saw Spike cough on his drink.
“What? that’s all your gunna say? You don’t mind?” Spike asked in surprise as he gawked at the older woman.
“Not a bit…not that you need it or want it even but…you have my blessing…one look and you can see how perfect you are…I was blind not to see it before really.” She sighed leaving the room with the dirty plates leaving a disbelieving Spike and Buffy and a gurgling baby behind.

“Well….that went better than i expected.” Buffy smiled as she cuddled Dylan closer in his blanket. He had fallen asleep awhile ago and she didn’t want to wake him. Spike remained silent until they got to the car and it wasn’t until she had Dylan in his car seat and strapped in that she realised Spike was just standing there grinning.
“What’s up with you?” She asked curiously.
“don’t you see? This is it! Our happily ever after.” He grinned swooping her up in a long romantic kiss knowing that these were the only lips he ever wanted to feel.

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Epilouge:
Ten years later…

“Well that was bloody exhausting!” Spike sighed, closing his eyes in tiredness.
“You can say that again!” Cordelia huffed.
“Come on it wasn’t that bad!” Angel chuckled kissing Cordelias forhead.
“Yes it was.” She grumbled back.
Angel rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything. He knew better than to upset a pregnant woman as he had learnt from Spike and Buffy. It had taken ten years but at 28 Cordelia had finally given in and agreed to have a baby and he was determined not to upset her for the entire nine months so maybe she’d agree to it again someday.
“They’ve all finally tired themselves out.” Buffy grimaced as her back crackled.
As soon as Buffy walked into the room Spike was out of his chair and leading her over to his empty seat much to the amusement of everyone in the room. Five pregnancy’s and he was exactly the same every time although they had to admit with how huge Buffy was they didn’t blame him for being overprotective.
“You sure it isn’t twins this time?” Willow teased eyeing her friends giant bump.
“Yes im sure. If it was Spike would be hanging from his balls somewhere.” She grumbled giving her husband a withering glare only to melt when he kissed her cheek affectionately.
This was the fifth time she was pregnant and sure she loved the five kids she already had but this was thankfully only rounding them up to six and not seven. When she had found out she was pregnant just a year after she graduated college she had been ecstatic and walking down the aisle with her baby bump didn’t make her feel fat like she had thought, she was actually happy about it and when a few weeks later she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl she had been so proud.

Dylan had been more than happy to meet his baby sister and the five year old had been so protective over her it had everyone awwwing and ahhhing all over the place. A few months after giving birth to Katie, Buffy had started feeling ill again and after going to the doctors she had almost fainted when he told her she was pregnant again already. It turned out her pill wasn’t working on her anymore and despite it being completely a surprise she had of course been over the moon until she had found out it was twins! Four kids under the age of six and all before her 25th birthday!

It was enough to scare anyone and it had taken a couple of weeks before she had calmed down enough to let it sink in. She was worried about how hard it would be looking after a 6 year old, a one year old and two new born babies but when Tyler and Aiden , two gorgeous boys had been placed in her arms after 13 hours of labour all her fears simply vanished and she had instantly doted on them. She had planned that to be her last pregnancy. Four kids seemed perfect in her eyes but just after the twins first birthday Spike had started hinting about how Katie might end up lonely being the only girl. Buffy had instantly fallen for it and agreed that they could try for another girl which had caused Spike to beam continuously for days. It didn’t take long for her to fall pregnant once again and nine months later Emma was born.

Five…
Four pregnancy and five beautiful perfect kids. Sure Dylan was a ten year old know it all, Katie was a five year old tomboy, the twins who were four and looked absolutely angelic were an absolute nightmare and Emma was the only three year old who knew how to manipulate people but despite all that they were absolutely perfect and Spike and Buffy absolutely cherished their kids…but they sure as hell weren’t expecting the bug Buffy had thought she had to turn out to be another pregnancy, but it had and here they were waiting for the birth of their sixth child.
“Thanks again Buffy for letting us have it here…you guys just have such a nice, huge house.” Willow smiled thanking them yet again for hosting her and Oz’s daughter’s five year birthday party.
Oz and Willow had eloped just a year after starting college much to everyone’s surprise and they had been happily married ever since with two beautiful girls.
“No problem…its all my mom and Jenny anyway. They are the ones who cooked and everything.” Buffy sighed waving to Jenny and Joyce who were sitting at the coffee table with their cups of coffee.
“So Buff how’s work?” Angel asked.
Buffy was ever grateful for having a profession that didn’t require you to leave the house. Being a painter would have been the last of her career choices. Sure she loved it but she never believed she could really do anything with it but Spike had been determined and had put his complete faith in her and here she was one of the most sought after artist in America! She had sold countless paintings one of which to a rich British politician who had asked for her personally to do a portrait of his family. The most one of her paintings had sold for was $1.1 million and the day that check had come she really did faint.
“Its going good.”

“Night!!!” Buffy yelled after Angel and Cordelia’s retreating backs before collapsing against Spike’s chest.
“You tired luv?” he whispered in her ear wrapping his arms around her waist.
“Shattered.” She yawned.
“Hmmm come on the bed for you.” He smiled lifting her and carrying her upstairs. She was asleep before he even opened the bedroom door and he laid her down with a smile pushing a strand of hair behind her ear as he really took the time to study her.
Eleven years and her beauty hadn’t faded a bit. If anything she looked even better and he couldn’t help the smile that appeared when he thought about how she was his. No one else could touch her and the feeling that brought was incredible.
He thought back to all those years ago and snorted when he remembered himself saying this is our happily ever after…how wrong he was. Happy was no where near enough to describe it…this was their ecstatically ever after.
He got into bed and pulled her close to him kissing her softly before pulling away to watch her eyes peep open slowly revealing her beautiful green orbs.
“G’night luv.” he whispered.
“Goodnight Spike.”
“Buffy…I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Forever?”
“Always.” She smiled

The End x x x x