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Spike opened the car door, getting out. �I�m fine, really,� he said, �but my fianc�e is hurt.� He moved to go around the car, but the cop grabbed him arm. �Just wait for the paramedics, sir,� he said firmly. �Don�t try to move her. You don�t want to do anything to hurt her.� Spike looked at the car, a twisted pile of metal. �I can�t believe this is happening.� ************************************ �I�m fine,� said Buffy, as they walked out of the emergency room. �I�m sorry I scared you.� He looked down at her. �It was horrible, seeing you like that, unable to help you.� He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly and rocking her in his arms. �I was afraid that I�d lost you again.� She pulled his face down to hers. They kissed, a long loving embrace that reassured and soothed. She took his hands in hers, looking intently into his face. �I want to marry you,� she said softly. He kissed her nose gently. �Good thing we�re planning a wedding then,� he replied with a grin. She put her hands on his shoulders and gazed into his eyes. �I want to get married now. I want to elope,� she said seriously. He tilted his head and looked at her searchingly. �But we�re making all these plans for the wedding in June. The music, and the food, and �� She rested her finger against his lips. �None of that matters. I just want you. I want to take you and my sister and my best friends to Las Vegas, and just do it.� �That doesn�t sound like the perfect day you wanted, love,� said Spike. �It�s not about romance or some fairy tale,� said Buffy fervently. �It�s about real life. I want to marry you, and start a family with you, and be with you until I die. I don�t know how long we have. I don�t want to waste any time.� He kissed her gently, and he ran his hands down her front. She stopped his hand and held it over her abdomen. �I want you to drink the potion. I want to have our child,� she said. He looked at her, shocked. �We�re not even married yet, love. There�s no hurry. You need to be sure that this is what you want,� he said. She looked up at him, uncertainty clouding her features. �Have you changed your mind?� He ran his hand through her hair, smiling at her. �How could you even think that? Just take a week to think this over. You�ve just been through a stressful situation. Be sure you�re thinking clearly. Creating a child is a huge decision.� �Fine. But we are planning the Vegas trip starting now,� she said. He handed her into a taxi, cuddling her close as they drove home. ************************************************** A hand came down on Buffy�s shoulder. She whirled. �So, little lady,� said the man, giving her a close up view of his dentures, �what can I do you for?� She smiled at the salesman. �We�re looking for a nice, safe family car. It has to seat four comfortably. �She leafed through a folder in her hand. �I want something with side airbags and tethers for car seats.� She looked around for Spike. �Hold on a second.� She spotted him and walked over to him. Spike sat behind the wheel of a minivan on the showroom floor. He adjusted the drivers� seat while he flipped through the user manual. �I think that we should get one of these,� he said to Buffy. �We could take it on the trip to Vegas, pile everyone in here and go together. And it�s safe, and it can hold a lot of gear.� The salesman trotted over. �This one�s a real beauty,� he said. �They�re hard to come by. We can order you one, but it will take three months to come in. We do have one used one on the lot. It�s from this model year, has less than three thousand miles on it.� Spike looked at Buffy, and she nodded. �Okay, we�ll take a look,� said Spike. They walked outside and around the lot with the salesman. Spike and Buffy held hands. The salesman stopped in front of a minivan. �You must be joking,� said Spike. The minivan was painted a metallic purple. The window glass and windshield were tinted black. Chrome hubcaps shone from all four wheels. �I know that�s it�s a little..loud,� said the salesman nervously. �But it�s fully loaded, with aftermarket leather seats, built in refrigerator, video and family entertainment center with DVD.� Spike walked around the back of the van. He stopped and tilted his head, looking amused. �Why don�t you go get the key and we�ll take a look,� suggested Spike. The salesman went off. �I have to get this, honey,� said Spike. �It is so�me.� �God, I hope not,� said Buffy as she strolled over to him. He put his arm around her shoulder. She saw what he was looking at. Blazoned across the black glass of the rear window in large white letters was �Big Bad Daddy.� *************************************************** Buffy and Spike sat cross-legged on their bed, staring at the bottle that held their hope of having a child. Spike looked at her uncertainly. She smiled and nodded reassuringly. He cracked the wax that sealed it shut and uncorked the bottle, pouring the foaming green liquid into a cup. Corking the bottle, he set it carefully down on the floor. Buffy peered into the cup. �It smells like my herbal shampoo,� she said. �Well, there are a great many herbs in it,� he replied. �Do you know exactly what is in there?� she asked. �Yes, I do,� `he said seriously. �And it�s safe? Nothing weird will happen?� she asked, looking at him. �I may wax a little poetic while I�m under the spell. Just ignore it. I�ll be back to myself when it wears off.� He smiled at her uncertainly. He stared at her as he drank the elixir. His eyes rolled back in his head. She grabbed him by the arms. |
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