Chapter One

Spike and Dawn sat down on one side each of Buffy. Spike took her hand in his, and mumbled to her, "Come back to me, Buffy."

Dawn thought it felt unreal. It reminded her of the last time her sister had been in the hospital, but then she had been awake. She knew that back then, Buffy had only been unconscious when Spike brought her in, but that she woke up fairly soon.

Now she did not look like she was about to wake up at all.

"She's gonna wake up, Nibblet," Spike told her as though he had read her mind.

"Yeah," Dawn said, trying to sound hopeful. "She will."

Silence fell over the room, and only the soft beeping of the pulse machine was heard.

Several hours had passed, but time in the small hospital room seemed to stand still. Spike watched Buffy's chest rise and fall slightly with every breath she took. In his arms, he held a small bundle. The little baby Buffy had delivered to the world, just before she fell into the coma.

The little girl was sleeping contently in her father's arms at the moment, with no clue of the commotion she had brought on, or the danger her mother was still in. Her eyes were closed and she had a finger in her mouth, sucking on it happily in her sleep. She had thin, blonde hair, a teeny nose and ten tiny toes. Spike thought she was nothing but a small wonder.

"You see her, pet?" he asked quietly to not wake the other sleeping girl in the room – Dawn. The Nibblet had fallen asleep an hour earlier, exhausted. But she had refused to leave the room, and finally a nurse had brought an armchair into the room and she was now sleeping in that.

"She is so beautiful, the Nibblet agrees with me, you know." He changed position in the chair slightly, and the baby made a sound but continued to sleep.

"You need to come back and see for yourself, Slayer," Spike told her.

Suddenly, Buffy stirred. It was not much, but it was enough for his enhanced senses to feel it, and he took her hand with his free one.

He felt her squeeze it.

"Buffy, come on, you can do it. Come on, wake up, pet. Come back to me," he urged her. The baby in his arms woke up, but she did not scream. In some way, it felt like she knew something important was happening, and she just watched as Spike urged her mother to wake up.

Buffy's eyelids fluttered, and opened half way.

"S-Spike…?" she mumbled quietly, disoriented.

"I'm here, pet, I'm here. Shush, don't talk, don't do anything, you're okay, love." He touched her face with his free hand, but when he bent over to do so, the baby in his arms made a sound.

"Look, love, there is someone else here who's happy to see you."

It was a happy afternoon in the hospital. Once Dawn had sprinted to the phone and called everyone about Buffy waking up, the gang returned. Spike had been in the room the whole time, holding his daughter and sitting by his fiancé. He refused to leave either.

Buffy herself was feeling better by the minute, and only minutes after she had first woken up, she had said, "I want to hold her… Can I, please?"

"Yeah, you can hold her," Spike had told her. He placed the precious cargo gently in Buffy's arms, though he still held her. He was not sure she had enough strength. The baby laid still in her arms, seeming to know that this was her mother.

"Hey little one," Buffy had said gently, her voice revealing she was still tired. "Guess if I'm happy to see you."

Dawn had come back from phoning the Scooby Gang, and she had told Buffy, "I know this is gonna sound cheesy, but she looks just like you. Same eyes."

When the gang arrived at the hospital, the baby had fallen asleep again. She was once more in Spike's arms, Buffy too having drifted off once more.

Willow and Tara both 'oohed' and 'aahed' at the little girl and Anya told Xander, "I want one of those too." Giles just watched his Slayer and her child proudly. She truly did feel like a daughter to him. The best daughter he could have ever wished for.

A day later, Buffy was allowed to leave, though with orders on lots of resting. Buffy promised, though she knew it was a lie. Between the still upcoming wedding and her baby, she would not get much rest.

The baby did not prove to be too much trouble though. She slept most of the time, cried only a little when she was hungry or when she needed to get changed. Also, both Spike and Dawn quickly learned how to change on her, though it was a task neither did willingly.

It was five days before the wedding and their daughter was three days old when Spike and Buffy were both on their bed in their room. Buffy had the baby in her arms; she was feeding. It was an odd sensation, she still thought about feeding her child from her breast. But good odd.

"We still haven't decided on a name for her," Buffy said, after a few minutes of silence.

Spike looked down at her. He was sitting behind her, his arm around his fiancé and wife. "No pet, we haven't," he said.

"I know we were discussing those normal names. You know, Caitlin, Anna, Mariah… It's just that I've been thinking more about it. And…" Her voice trailed off.

"And what, love?"

"Well, not to run you and any of your suggestions over –" Buffy looked slightly guilty "–but I want a name that means something to me. A reminder of how close we were of losing her."

"You have any name or meaning in particular in mind?" Spike smiled gently down at his daughter.

After hesitating for a second, Buffy said, "I want her name to mean light. Because it was light that saved her. And I've been looking on the internet to find a name I like and I did find one."

When she paused again, Spike asked, "What name, pet?"

"Eleanor. It means light."

Spike thought for a second, then decided. "It's a nice name. I like it."

"I still think we should run it by Dawn – not that she should decide, but I would like it if she liked it too," Buffy babbled nervously, not really hearing what Spike had just said.

"Pet," Spike interrupted, "I said I like it. And I'm sure the Niblet will too."

Buffy smiled at him happily. "You think so? I mean you really think you want that name for our baby?"

"Yeah. I really think I do."

Buffy leaned over and kissed him. Eleanor protested slightly when her mother moved, and Buffy smiled at her daughter.

"There is something else, Spike." She looked up at him. "Something I've been meaning to tell you."

"What, pet?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to explain, a-and I'm not sure you'll believe it."

"Try me, love, I think that as a former vampire, I can take quite a lot."

Buffy gave him a small smile. "Actually, it's about that. Among other things." She paused, and Spike let her collect herself. "When I was in a coma, I was… taken somewhere. It was a very calm place, that is all I really remember about it…" She looked thoughtful for a second, but then remembered what she was supposed to tell Spike about.

"I met someone there. And she… she told me about a lot of things. About Eleanor, and about us. Why you became human again." By Spike's surprised look, she could tell she had his attention. "This girl, she said that they had sent Uriels, Love Angels, here that same night that when we first… made love." She wondered if it was the correct term, if it had been spell induced. Maybe it should just have been 'had sex'. She decided not to ponder it. She wanted to believe Eleanor was made out of pure love.

"And she said that the demons you killed earlier that night – Geary Demons – were the demons of change. T-they are what brought on the whole back-to-human-thingy. That and I think my blood had to do with it too."

"Buffy, love, who was this girl? Geary Demons… I haven't heard of those in a bloody century, they are very rare, and always called by the Powers."

Buffy looked down at her daughter. "That's just it, Spike. The girl I met was the Powers."

They had been talking into the morning hours. Buffy had told Spike every word the girl had told her, and to her surprise, Spike had believed her. She had told him about Eleanor being the Child of Light, and how he was the "evil turning good" and that she was "good influenced by darkness".

"It's because you are the Slayer, love. Though you fight for the good side, your powers are rooted in darkness, and it is darkness you fight. Nothing to be scared of, just fact."

She was thankful she had such and understanding boyfriend, and for the first time, she also appreciated the knowledge he had from being over a hundred years old.

The next morning, Spike left for work and Buffy was left with Dawn and Eleanor. The baby was screaming her lungs out, and Buffy found herself wondering where the quiet, sweet child of the night before had gone.

Dawn came walking down the stairs. Buffy had called her in sick from school, so she could come with Buffy and try on her bridesmaids dress and come with Buffy to a new fitting for her wedding dress, which would now have to be redone since she had already had her baby.

Also, Buffy wanted to spend some time with her little sister.

"Good morning," Buffy greeted over the noise of the screaming baby.

"Morning," Dawn muttered. "Can you get her to stop doing that?" Dawn's fascination with Eleanor had gone down quickly after she found out her lung capacities.

Buffy ignored her comment. "There is cereal and I think Spike made pancakes before he left for you. I'll join you in… a second," she finished with a sigh. When Dawn had disappeared into the kitchen, she sat down and pulled her shirt up. "Fine, eat then, little one," she told the baby. Eleanor did not need to be told twice; she sucked the milk greedily. Buffy was happy to have the baby quiet, and wondered why she had not begun eating the last time she had offered it.

When Eleanor had finished feeding, she promptly fell asleep. Buffy put her in the crib in her room, and then joined her younger sister in the kitchen.

"Ready to go soon?" she asked as she entered.

"Give me half an hour, okay?" her sister replied. Buffy nodded, taking out a bowl for herself and filling it with cereal.

"Spike and I discussed names for the baby yesterday," Buffy told Dawn after a few moments of silence.

"Come up with anything good?"

"We decided on her first name, actually. Her name is Eleanor." Buffy looked up nervously at her sister, hoping she would like it as much as Buffy did.

Dawn seemed to think for a second, deciding if she wanted her niece to be named Eleanor or not.

"Okay," she said finally. "I like it. May I ask why?"

"Well, Eleanor means light. And I wanted a name that reminded us how close we were of losing her, and of what saved her. So we chose her name to mean light."

"It's a pretty name. Any second names?"

"We thought she'd get to have one, yeah. You are the one who gets to decide what that name is."

"I get to decide? That's so cool." Dawn said excitedly. "Can I think about it?"

"Yeah, you can," Buffy told her, finishing her cereal and walking out of the kitchen. "You have another couple of days. Now, finish your breakfast and get ready to go."

Eleanor had been surprisingly quiet in the shop. Dawn had guarded her carriage while Buffy got her dress fitted for the last time, and the baby had slept through the whole deal. Then it was Dawn's turn to get her brides maid's dress corrected, and the baby girl slept through that too.

"You look gorgeous, Dawnie," Buffy told her sister.

The brides maid's dresses Buffy had chosen for Willow and Dawn were light blue, down to the floor with a straight cut neckline and no arms. Both Willow and Dawn were in love with the dresses, which made Buffy happy.

Her own dress was a little more detailed and bridal looking. It was creamy white, with the same kind of neck cut as Willow and Dawn's. It went down to the floor, some of it was going to be flowing on the floor behind her. She had small gloves, a veil falling softy in front of her face and behind her, and on top, a tiny little crown with stones in it.

"You didn't look too bad either," Dawn said and twirled around in her dress. "Have I told you how much I like this?"

The sisters smiled at each other, both glad the other one was happy.

A while later, they were done in the bridal shop. After another couple of errands, Buffy decided that the three should eat lunch. They sat down in a small café. Buffy fed Eleanor before her and Dawn's food came, and the baby had fallen asleep again by the time the two grownups began eating.

"This is nice," Buffy commented. "Sitting here, with my sister, eating lunch. Very normal."

"Don't forget your daughter," Dawn smiled.

"Well, I still haven't decided on whether she goes into the 'normal' category, you know. Not saying that I don't love her with all my heart, but I'm not used to having her around yet."

"I know," Dawn admitted. "It's weird for me too. I mean, yeah you've been pregnant for like forever, and I've had time to get used to it, but still – it's a baby. You're a mom. Still on the unreal side."

Buffy was quiet for a moment, watching her sister. "Do you think I'll be a good mom?" she asked.

Dawn looked up, not ready for that kind of question, yet knowing the answer to it. "Yeah, B, you will. Just look at me. You've taken care of me for over a year now, and I'm still intact, aren't I?"

Buffy smiled and looked down in her food as Dawn continued.

"You're gonna be great. Elle –" Dawn had already decided on the baby's nickname "– is gonna have the best parents around here, cause she has you and Spike. You love her, both of you, and you love each other. And I'm thinking you are going to continue to do that for quite a while, you know what I mean?"

Dawn watched her sister, who looked like she was going to cry. "Now, now," Dawn said, "None of that. I didn't say all that to make you cry."

"Sorry," Buffy smiled. "It's just… thank you."

"You're welcome."

Buffy sat silent for a second, then she said, "Now, Spike told me something about you and Richie and the night I was gone…"

The reception was to be held in a small chapel fairly close to Buffy's house. On the day of the wedding, it was filled with people.

"I didn't know we knew this many people," Willow said to Dawn as they were walking around in the lobby.

"Me neither," Dawn said. "Let's see… Those are some of Spike's friends –" she pointed at some demons talking in the corner "– those are a couple of Buffy's friends from school."

"Yeah, I recognize one or two of them from my classes," Willow said. "And let me guess that those are some of your friends?" She pointed at a group of young teen girls standing by the table with the presents.

"Yeah, Buffy told me to invite a grand total of five," Dawn smiled.

"Well, it is her wedding." The two continued to walk, heading for the changing rooms where Buffy was holding up. Spike was on the other side of the building, in another room with Xander, getting himself ready.

"Is your dad coming?" Willow asked.

Dawn looked down at the floor before meeting Willow's eyes. "No. We sent him an invitation, but he hasn't replied. I think we're gonna stop trying now. He didn't come for mom's funeral, he doesn't want to see his grand child and he doesn't want to see his daughter get married. What a dad, huh?"

Willow smiled sadly at the teen. "I'm sorry, Dawnie."

"What do you have to be sorry for? It's no one's fault but his. Besides, I've stopped caring."

Something in the teen's voice told Willow that that was not the truth, but did not press the subject any further. They reached Buffy's room and knocked. "Come in if you are Willow or Dawn, if not, go out and mingle," they heard Buffy's voice.

"It's us," Dawn said, walking inside. There was Buffy, clad in her wedding gown, looking more beautiful than either of the girls had ever seen her.

"Buffy… Wow… You look so good!" Dawn exclaimed.

The petite Slayer blushed, and checked herself in the mirror. She had a small amount of make-up on – some eye shadow and mascara, light pink lip-gloss and a hint of pink on her cheeks. Though Dawn did not know if the latter was just embarrassment from Dawn's comment.

"Thank you," Buffy said finally.

"So, are you ready to get married?" Willow asked, at the same time bending down and straightening Buffy's dress out.

Buffy was silent for a second, seeming to ponder the question. "You know what," she said, "I think I am."

The three girls smiled and the room was quiet for a moment.

"Elle is out with Tara, just so you know," Dawn told her sister. "When the ceremony starts, I will have her so she's close to you if she gets… unhappy."

The redhead, the brunette and the bride were all now ready to go. Tara was going to come by when the people had taken their seats, and Spike had entered. So for now, it was just a small wait.

Somewhere between five and ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Buffy's thoughts, which had been on the vows she was about to give, were interrupted by Tara's voice.

"It's a-all ready. Spike's entering in a second, so y-you should get going too," she said, handing Eleanor over to Dawn. The baby was asleep, and with any luck, she would stay that way throughout the ceremony.

Buffy took her daughter from Dawn. She placed a gentle kiss on Eleanor's forehead, and whispered her, "Now mommy's gonna get married, sweetheart."

The music began playing, and Spike felt nervous. It was a feeling he had not felt in a long time, but right now, that was the only way to describe it. He changed his weight from one foot to the other. He locked eyes with Xander, who was standing a few feet away, acting as his best man. The younger man looked almost as fidgety as Spike himself. Then Spike felt the people's gaze wander from him to the back of the room when footsteps were heard.

Willow entered first. She was holding a little bouquet of flowers, similar to the one Buffy had, but smaller. The light blue gown swayed gently as she walked down the isle.

After her came Dawn, clad in the same sort of light blue dress, but instead of a bouquet of flowers, she held her niece in her arms.

When the bridesmaids had entered and sat down, the bride came.

Buffy looked as though she was floating down the isle, a huge smile on her face. Several 'oohs' were heard from the audience.

"You look…" Spike whispered to her as she reached him. He did not finish the sentence – he could not find a word that was appropriate.

"Thank you," she whispered back.

The minister began talking, but Buffy could not hear. She was standing here, in a chapel, with all the people she loved – and some more – around her, and she was getting married to the one she loved the most. He looked gorgeous. He had a dark blue tuxedo on, a white shirt underneath. His hair held gel, but only a little. It was gently tousled into small curls.

She began listening again when the minister said; "William Walthrop, do you take Buffy Anne Summers to be your lawfully wedded wife, to honor and to hold, in sickness and in health until death do you part?"

The look in his eyes when he met her gaze had never been more honest, nor had it held more love, when he replied, "I do."

Xander stepped forward and gave the small gold ring to Spike, whom placed it on Buffy's finger.

"And do you, Buffy Anne Summers, take thee William Walthrop, to be your lawfully wedded husband, and to honor and hold him, in sickness and in health until death do you part?"

She looked up at him, met his eye with a smile, and the words formed easily on her tongue.

"I do."

Willow handed her the ring, and she placed it on her love's finger. He grinned happily at her.

"And so I now pronounce you husband and wife," the minister said, "You may now kiss the bride."

Spike placed a gentle finger on her face and lifted Buffy's chin up. He bent down and was about to kiss her, when a scream was heard.

Buffy looked up, and met her sister's eye. A second later, Dawn came rushing forward with the angry baby in her arms.

"I'm sorry," Dawn said to her sister, "She just woke up."

"It's okay Dawn…" Buffy smiled. "She just wanted in on the action."

The little girl had settled in her mother's arms, and Buffy turned to Spike. "Now, where were we? I think you were about to kiss me in public without anyone interrupting."

"Oh yes, I think I bloody well was…"

He bent down, and with their daughter in between the two of them, they kissed.

"I think I'm gonna turn in," Dawn admitted with a yawn.

It was three in the morning, and the gang were all the Summer's house. Tara and Willow were sitting on the floor, the redhead leaning against the blonde. Xander and Anya were not sitting together – they occupied a chair each – though Dawn thought that if they were indeed sitting together, they would not be aware of much else than each other in the room.

Giles had left earlier in the evening with the rest of the people in his age. He had given the newly wedded his blessings, and told his Slayer that he was proud of her for following her heart. At that, Buffy had cried and hugged her Watcher.

The couple in question was occupying the couch together, with Eleanor in Buffy's arms. The baby was sleeping, but her parents were still awake.

"Okay Dawnie," Buffy said with a smile at her sister. "We'll see you tomorrow. Thank you for a wonderful day."

Dawn went ahead to the couch and hugged her older sister. "I'm glad you had a good day, B. And you too, Spike," she added.

"Thanks bit."

Buffy and Spike had decided not to go on a honeymoon right away after the wedding. They were going to wait for at least a couple of months – until Eleanor was big enough to be left behind. Dawn had had to promise she would baby-sit for a week when they went away.

Dawn fished up the camera she had had hanging around her neck all afternoon and night, and she quickly snapped some pictures of the couples in the room. Then, after another set of good nights, she walked up the stairs in her room.

She closed the door after her, and went over to her drawer. From it she took a small box, and with the box in her hands, she sat down on the bed.

"Look mom," she said as she opened the box. "I got them developed now. I don't have the ones from the wedding just yet, but I think they'll be great."

She took out two pictures from the box. "These are my favorites, but you already know that."

The first one showed the pregnant Buffy, lying in Spike's arms, both fast asleep on the couch that night when they were supposed to watch a movie.

"It was so typical," Dawn continued to talk for herself. "You know mom, she's just like you, I should expect it. You fell asleep during movies, then of course she does. But Spike? He doesn't usually."

Dawn put the picture aside and took her favorite out.

"I wish you were here, mom. I know you'd be so happy to see Elle. She's got a very loud scream, but you'd love her. Definitely. And you'd love to see Buffy so happy…"

She trailed off, lost in thought. Then she seemed to hear a question in the air. "If I'm happy?" she asked quietly. "I don't know. But, Spike makes me happy, and Buffy makes me happy, and they are both happy, so I'm surrounded by the happy really."

She sat quiet again. "Everything would be different if you were here. I don't know if-if I would be happier, but… Actually, you know what, I am happy. Buffy is happy. Spike is happy. They love me, I love them, I love Elle, and yeah, for the first time in a-a very long time, I am happy."

She put the picture down on the bed.

"We're family now, you know. Hopefully you'll always watch over us, but now, we are family."

She turned the light above her bed off. On her nightstand, the picture taken just a couple of hours earlier – before the wedding – was lying. It showed a smiling quartet. The former vampire Spike, the Slayer named Buffy, the Child of Light named Eleanor and the key turned human who was Dawn. For the first time in many long months, the picture showed the truth – it showed happy people.

Maybe it was not the normal family, but it was a family none the less.

Not normal.

Odd.

But nice.

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Chapters

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Challenge: This was the answer to Challenge no 23 on Death Marked Love. Here's the challenge:

1) Buffy and Spike spend the night together (if you know what I mean).
2) Buffy becomes pregnant and has to tell Spike its his and Spike turns human.
3) Spike asks her to marry him and they get married and the kid is born (can you please name it Celeste? But you don't have to).

Optional: Buffy can have a miscarriage before the wedding but gets pregnant again.

Include three or more of the following:
The color orange
The song Reflection by Christina Aguilera
A golf club
A kitten
Buffy dancing and Spike watching(she catches him staring)
Dawn getting engaged(AU)
Spike in a candy store
The video game Zelda
A can of Sprite
Simpsons the tv show
Spike wearing a pink shirt and Buffy laughing at him