The Slayer ran her hand over Dawn's forehead as she felt tears welling in her eyes and her throat tightening. Now that it was finally over, Buffy felt the stress of the past couple of days come crashing down around her. It had been different from any of the other dangers she'd faced since she'd been Called, and even now, it all had a sort of surreal feel to it.
But it had been real. She'd almost lost Dawn.
She'd almost lost Spike.
She felt his hand on her shoulder and jumped before she realized who it was. "Come on, luv. The nibblet's out for now, and there's nothing else you can do for her."
"But what if she wakes up. I want to…"
"No, it's time for you to take care of yourself a little, too. You and the sprout you've got inside of you." Spike lifted Buffy up, ignoring her protests. "Come on. I've drawn you a bath."
"Is that your way of telling me I'm stinky?" Buffy asked, letting Spike carry her back over to the room they'd been sharing as she relented at the thought of soaking in warm water.
"You do have a bit of that apocalypse ripeness," Spike teased with a wink.
Buffy slapped his chest. "Ass."
Spike chuckled as they reached the bath and he set her on her feet, helping her remove her clothes. She winced as a bit of fabric snagged a cut, and Spike gently peeled it the rest of the way from her skin.
When she was nude, Spike gently patted her bottom. "All right. Into the water with you now."
Buffy looked over at the bath, watching as the warm water bubbled. It was large, more like a marble Jacuzzi, really, and her aching muscles longed for it. She glanced over at Spike. "You are going to join me, aren't you?"
"Do you want me to?"
"Honestly, honey? I think you could use it." Her nose crinkled. "You've got a bit of that apocalypse ripeness going on yourself."
Spike shot her a look, but he slipped off his own clothes, then took her hand and led her over to the bath. Buffy sighed in contentment as she sunk down into the water, letting it wash over her, taking away all the grime from their journey and soothing her aches.
Spike moved behind her, massaging her shoulders for a moment before he said, "Dip back and get your hair wet, and I'll wash it for you, yeah?" Buffy turned to give him a grateful smile before she leaned backwards, getting her hair thoroughly wet before she came back up. Spike picked up a glass bottle from the side of the bath, pouring some into his hands and working it into a lather.
Buffy moaned under Spike's touch, relishing the feel of his fingers working her scalp. Long past the sort of reaction she'd had the first time he called her "Goldilocks," Buffy had discovered there were definite perks to Spike's obsession with her hair.
This was one was at the top of her list.
"Wash it out now, pet," Spike said once he'd gotten her hair soaped up enough. Buffy did, washing the suds out of her hair, then moving back to rest against his chest.
Spike wrapped his arms around her, and Buffy closed her eyes, a small smile on her lips. Her body felt tired, drained, but at the same time, she felt a sense of relief.
Another apocalypse averted. Somehow, she'd managed to beat the odds and pull it off again.
One of Spike's hands drifted down, resting over Buffy's belly. "Baby's okay, too," Buffy said, placing her hand over his. "I can feel it."
"I know. I just think about it sometimes, how a life we created is growing inside you, and I…" He stopped for a moment, then said, "It's a little overwhelming."
"It is." Buffy craned her neck so she could look back at him. "Do you really think it's a girl?"
Spike's hand began to caress her abdomen. "I do."
"I was thinking, earlier, about names. And I know it's kind of early, and we have lots of time to decide on one, but I thought, maybe Anne?"
Spike's hand stilled. "Anne was my mother's name."
"I know. You said it once, back in Sunnydale, and I remembered because it's my middle name, too." When Spike didn't respond, Buffy cleared her throat. "But I know what happened there, so maybe it was a bad idea, and I shouldn't have…"
"No, it's not a bad idea," Spike said quickly, putting an end to Buffy's rambling. "I just hadn't thought…" He stopped, his hand moving across her belly again, this time with a light tremble. "Anne. I think… I think that would've made her happy."
"So maybe Baby's an Anne," Buffy said sleepily, her eyes closing again. She nuzzled against Spike's chest, the events of the past few days catching up with her as she quickly dozed off.
Spike held her for a while, relaxing with the woman he loved in his arms before he finally lifted her out of the tub, wrapped her in a towel, and carried her to bed.
Emma whimpered, the pain shooting through her making her fight against regaining consciousness.
"Shh, mimlai. Sleep now."
Emma sighed, not fighting against Aiden's words. He pulled her closer to his bare chest as he kept a steady, yet low flow of healing energy into her body,
He could give her more this way. It would not work as quickly as possible, but he could aid her healing for longer.
The heartache he'd felt when he'd thought she'd given her life to defeat Chalchicomehuel was more than Aiden had felt in centuries.
And then the joy he'd felt when he'd touched her and realized she was still alive…
Aiden had never planned to give his heart to any woman. His life, which had been set out for him even before his birth, was a solitary one, and while he was allowed the occasional sojourn out of the Temple, for the most part, he was alone.
The Temple would be no place for someone like Emma. She was wild, untamed. She deserved a place where she could know freedom.
She never would here.
She was beautiful, strikingly so, yet it was more than Emma's physical appearance that had drawn Aiden to her from the start. Even when he'd first approached them in the desert, he'd felt a spark when he'd seen Emma, something from her tugging at his very soul. She had a fire in her, one which called to him, made him long to experience true freedom right along beside her.
Yet he could not. He was forever bound to his duties, forever cursed to solitude.
Knowing he would soon have to say good bye, Aiden held on to Emma tightly.
When Buffy awoke, warmth and comfort was warring in her mind with worry and concern.
Drowsily, she let warmth and comfort win out and nuzzled against Spike, smiling to herself.
"You awake, luv?" Spike asked, his voice rumbling through Buffy's body.
"Can I say no?"
He chuckled. "You can try, but I think you just gave yourself away."
Buffy stretched, then looked up and gave him a pout. "You and your logic are mean."
"Sorry, kitten," Spike replied with a kiss to her forehead.
"I guess we should get up, go check on the others," Buffy said, stretching again. She couldn't help but notice Spike's erection as her leg brushed against it, and she swallowed, her body temperature suddenly seeming to rise.
"They're resting, luv," Spike said, dipping his head to nip at her collarbone.
"But…we...responsibility and…"
"Post apocalyptic sex now. Responsibility later," Spike said as he rolled her over, his body covering hers.
Spike's fingers delved into her folds, stroking her until she was panting beneath him, writhing in pleasure and desire. He lifted his hand, his mouth closing over his fingers as he moaned at the taste of her.
It made Buffy tremble.
He slid inside with a sure, steady stroke, and Buffy wrapped her legs around his hips, guiding him in deeper.
Spike thrust in and out wordlessly, the only sounds coming from him harsh pants and groans. Buffy was used to the sound of his voice, used to him both "whispering nasties" and professing his love.
Sometimes in the same breath…
But now he was silent, steady, holding her close as he pushed in as deep as he could.
It was then that Buffy realized how afraid he'd been these past few days.
Afraid for her…
Afraid of losing her…
She wrapped her arms around his back and pulled him closer, his head going down to the crook of her neck. "I'm here, baby," she said soothingly, moving one hand up to stroke his hair. "You didn't lose me this time. I'm here. Right here."
Buffy felt him trembling, felt his hips pitch forward hard, his movements suddenly jerky. She held him closer, tighter, and whispered one phrase over and over in his ear.
"I love you…"
He came with a strangled gasp of her name, stilling above her, locking her in place. She moaned, her own body following him over and shaking in release.
Spike collapsed against her chest, and she held him there as she felt him drift off into a much-needed sleep. He was still nestled inside of her, and she smiled and kissed him softly on the top of his head.
His breaths were even in his sleep, warm as they stirred her hair. She could feel his heart beat against her breast, and her own heart swelled as she relaxed in the calm after the storm.
They'd done it. Somehow, they'd managed to see yet another apocalypse through to the other side.
It amazed her sometimes, how quickly the final battle could turn. A decision made in the blink of an eye was often all it took to affect the fate of everything.
Three years before, that decision had come in the form of a swan dive from a tower.
This time, it had been the sacrifice of another Slayer.
She worried about Emma now, worried that the energy she'd given had been too much for her to make it. But the girl was strong, and Aiden had said she was still fighting, not wanting to let go. The corner of Buffy's lip twitched up.
And who was it who had said all Slayers had a death wish?
He'd been right that night, at least in her case. She had had a death wish, and hearing him call her on her darkest secret had frightened her more than any demon ever could.
Somehow, Spike had always known what she didn't want to admit to even herself. He'd been able to tear through everything she built to hide behind and call her out on what she'd thought no one would ever know.
He'd even been able to do it when they were mortal enemies.
She didn't understand it then, yet she did now. Spike knew her because he was a part of her.
She wouldn't be able to feel this peace in his arms now if he weren't.
Spike shifted slightly against her, sighing in his sleep, and a warmth spread through her.
The world was safe. Her family was safe.
And she was in the arms of the love of her life.
With a smile on her lips, Buffy joined him in sleep.
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