Disclaimer: The characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. If they belonged to me, the show would still be on the air…
 
Curse you reviewers for inspiring me to ignore housework and write! (No really, thank you ever so much!)
 
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Chapter 12
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“Do you realize that Christmas is in two weeks?” Dawn asked the next morning at breakfast.
 
Buffy turned from where she had been finishing the scrambled eggs she was making. “True. With the wedding and the…” She stopped abruptly as she realized that she had almost blurted out their secret without thinking. “A…all the other stuff going on, I nearly forgot.” Thanksgiving had been a rather rushed and cursory affair with just the three of them, since they were in the middle of wedding preparations at the time, and Christmas hadn’t really been considered yet.
 
“Are we going to have a tree and all that?” Dawn wondered, not noticing Buffy’s hesitation.
 
“Of course!” Buffy said. “Anything you really want for Christmas?”
 
“Something in the clothes family is always appreciated,” Dawn said with a cheesy grin.
 
“Does that mean you might actually stop raiding my closet constantly?” Buffy asked pointedly. Dawn affected an innocent air and went back to her breakfast. Buffy turned off the stove and joined her. The nausea had settled down somewhat, and she found she could stomach eggs this morning. She was grateful – another day of toast was going to put her over the edge.
 
Buffy wondered what she should get her husband for Christmas. What do you get for someone who’s 130 years old? She would have to think about that. Dawn broke in on her thoughts by wondering, “Does Spike celebrate Christmas? I mean, do vampires even pay attention to it since it’s sort of a religious thing?”
 
“Only if we get to nibble on Santa Claus,” said Spike as he entered the kitchen. “Morning, ladies.” He came over to kiss Buffy before going to get his usual blood and coffee.
 
“But seriously, Spike, do you celebrate Christmas?”
 
Spike hit the buttons on the microwave and leaned against the counter. “Different vamps have different opinions about all that. Me, I always liked a few Christmas carols, some eggnog, and someone to eat under the mistletoe.” The microwave beeped and Spike grabbed his mug and went to sit down.
 
“What religion were you when you were alive?” Dawn asked curiously.
 
“Church of England,” Spike responded between sips. “Wasn’t a whole lot of choice among my social group. Think something like Catholic, but with no pope.”
 
“We’ve never really had any sort of religion in particular,” Dawn went on. “Kinda weird that the only person in the house with any sort of religious background is the demon.”
 
“One of life’s little ironies,” Spike agreed.
 
Buffy had been watching the easy banter between Dawn and Spike with pleasure. Dawn had never had much of a father figure, even in her implanted memories. Spike just seemed to naturally know how to deal with the sometimes moody teen, and Buffy was grateful for it. You’re going to be an awesome father, she told him silently.
 
Spike smiled at her. Thanks love.
 
Buffy looked at her sister, who had gotten up to clear her place. I think we should tell her, she decided suddenly. She should know before anyone else does.
 
Spike’s eyebrows went up. Do you mean right now?
 
No time like the present. I need to get over the whole secrecy thing anyhow. Aloud she said, “Dawn, can you come back here for a moment? We’ve got something to tell you.”
 
Dawn noted the nervous expression on her sister’s face as she sat down and said, “What is it?”
 
“Nothing bad,” Buffy reassured her. “Just sorta unexpected. We… well…” Buffy took a deep breath and tried again. “I’m pregnant. Spike and I are going to be parents.”
 
Dawn’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. “No way!” she said. “When did this happen?”
 
“I’m two and a half months along, due next July or thereabouts.”
 
“Sort of why I felt the need to make an honest woman out of her,” Spike put in, reaching out to clasp Buffy’s hand.
 
“But, how can vampires, you know…” Dawn sputtered.
 
“That’s one mystery we haven’t solved yet,” Buffy admitted.
 
“I mean, is it going to have your eyes and his fangs?” Dawn asked.
 
Spike shook his head bemusedly. “Don’t know yet, Nibblet, but it seems human so far.”
 
“Wow. A baby.” Dawn tried to get her brain around that. “I’m going to be an aunt. That’s going to be so weird.”
 
“Dawn,” Buffy said, growing serious. “We think someone might be after us and after the baby. We’ve been having dreams, and there’s been some demon following me. We are really trying to keep this quiet until we know more. We told Giles so he can help us research, but please, please don’t mention it to anyone. Not Tara, not Anya, not anyone. We’ll let them know when and if they need to know, but we really don’t want this information to spread.”
 
Dawn looked worried. “Are you in danger?”
 
Spike spoke up. “She might be, Bit. That’s why we need you to keep mum about all this. But we thought you should know what’s going on.”
 
“I won’t even tell my diary,” Dawn promised. Then she got up and pulled the others into a group hug. “Congrats, you guys.”
 
“Thanks, Dawnie,” said Buffy. She met Spike’s eyes and thought I guess that wasn’t so terrible.
 
You did fine, he assured her. They broke up the hug and got up to continue their day.
 
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The doorbell rang that evening near dinnertime. Buffy went to answer it, finding her watcher standing on the front step. “Come in, Giles. Dinner is almost ready,” she said, stepping back to let him by. After breaking the news to Dawn that morning they had decided that Giles should know about the Kratash demon, and so had invited him to dinner. Buffy and Giles regarded each other awkwardly for a moment.
 
“Why don’t you come into the dining room,” Buffy said at last.
 
“Thank you for having me,” Giles said. He was still reeling from the string of new developments – the claim, the wedding, the pregnancy, and now some hint of trouble. He followed Buffy into the dining room where Dawn was setting the table. “Good evening, Dawn.”
 
“Hey, Giles,” said the teen. She came over and gave him a hug. “Glad to have you back again.”
 
Giles returned the hug gratefully. “It’s good to be back.”
 
Spike came in bearing a tray of lasagna that he and Buffy had put together. “Evening, Rupert,” he said, putting down the hot pan. He pulled off the oven mitts he had been wearing and held out his hand. Giles hesitated, then shook it firmly. Steady now, he told himself. Remember to keep an open mind.
 
Buffy had disappeared into the kitchen and emerged with a salad while Spike poured wine for himself and the Watcher. Dawn served herself and Buffy sodas, and they all sat down to enjoy the meal.
 
“So, Buffy told you about the baby?” Dawn said after a few minutes.
 
Giles spluttered and choked. Spike slapped him on the back and said, “Easy does it there, old man. Buffy knows I told you, and we filled Dawn in this morning.”
 
Taking a drink to calm his choking fit, Giles finally managed to say, “Well, I’m glad we’re all on the same page with all this.”
 
Buffy asked, “Have you found out anything yet?”
 
Giles paused while he finished his mouthful. “My preliminary searches have unfortunately been as unsuccessful as yours have been. I have arranged to have more of my books sent over from England. They should be arriving in a few days.” He had another bite and added, “You sounded like you had something to report when you called me.”
 
Buffy looked at Dawn. Should we be talking about this in front of her?
 
Better for her to have the whole story, pet. Half truths are just going to get her in trouble.
 
“Agh! You’re doing it again!” Dawn groaned. She turned to Giles. “They do this all the time. They have these side conversations that only they can hear and it’s annoying!”
 
“Sorry,” chorused Buffy and Spike. Then Spike addressed Giles’ question. “A couple nights ago I thought something was following us, but I didn’t see anything. Then last night I caught a Kratash demon stalking Buffy.”
 
Giles frowned. “A Kratash demon? I vaguely recall hearing that name, but I can’t recall any details.”
 
“Shape shifters. Spies. The one I caught said that he was sent to find a pregnant woman, mated to a demon of some sort, living near a Hellmouth. He didn’t know why someone wanted to find her. He was only told what to look for, not who the client was.”
 
“Are these Kratash demons dangerous?” Giles asked.
 
Spike shook his head. “Physically, Dawn could probably take one out. But like I said, they shape-shift. This one looked like a human male. They sometimes have odd looking eyes – black and swirling sort of. But otherwise, unless you have a demon nose, you could be standing right next to one and never know it.” Buffy shuddered at the thought.
 
“So if they’re so wimpy, why worry about them?” Dawn puzzled.
 
“These guys are highly sought after for spy work, and they charge a bloody fortune. If someone went to the trouble of hiring the Kratash, you can be damn sure they are not going to stop until they get what they want.”
 
“Where is this Kratash creature now?” Giles wondered.
 
“Dead,” Spike said bluntly. “It’s fairly easy to make them talk – they’ve got no tolerance for pain. This one had reported a lead to its superiors, but so far, he was the only one of his kind in Sunnydale. But you can be sure more will be on the way to follow up.”
 
“So what do we do?” Dawn asked in a worried tone.
 
Giles thought for a moment. “I’ll have to do some research on these Kratash demons. And perhaps with the additional information we can narrow the search for those other creatures you’ve been dreaming about. It seems safe to assume that the demons in your nightmares hired the Kratash.”
 
Buffy spoke up then. “For right now, they won’t have much to report. I mean, they’re looking for a pregnant woman, and they won’t be able to tell I’m pregnant yet.”
 
“That’s not going to last for much longer, love,” Spike said.
 
“Is there some way we could, I don’t know, mask the pregnancy?” Buffy asked.
 
“Hmm,” Giles thought. “Perhaps some sort of spell could do it.”
 
“I’ll not have someone experimenting with magic on my pregnant wife, thank you very much,” Spike growled.
 
Buffy laid a hand on his arm. “I’m not too keen on the magic either, hon. But I was thinking of something like the ward spell we have on the house. Is there something like that that could keep these things from knowing I’m expecting?”
 
“It is possible,” Giles said. “I’ll have to read up on that.” Giles hesitated for a moment before adding, “I hate to say it, but it is something Willow could probably help with.”
 
Buffy toyed with her food for a moment. “You’re probably right. But the last couple spells she did on me didn’t work out so hot. I really don’t want her trying anything without thinking it all the way through.”
 
“Perhaps I could talk with her and Tara,” Giles began.
 
“Before you do,” Buffy interrupted, “I want to talk to Tara alone and let her know what’s going on. She’s been a real help through all this, and she might be able to talk Willow around.”
 
“Alright,” Giles said. “You talk to Tara. I’ll try to get more information on these demons and narrow down the search.”
 
“One more thing,” Spike added. “Any clues yet about how this all could have come about? I still can’t figure that one.”
 
Giles shook his head. “I haven’t gotten very far on that, but a preliminary look didn’t turn up any curses or spells that would make such a thing happen. I’ll keep looking, of course.” They went back to finishing up their meal. After it was over and the table was cleared, Dawn gave Giles a hug and went upstairs to do some last minute studying for a test the next day. Buffy went to show Giles out. “Thank you for the meal. It was delicious,” he said.
 
“You’re welcome,” Buffy replied. They paused awkwardly again in the front hall. “Giles?”
 
“Yes?”
 
“Are you… how long will you stay, this time?” Buffy bit her lip and looked up at him. She desperately wanted his help in all this, but didn’t want to rely on him only to have him bail out on her again.
 
Giles saw the vulnerability in her eyes and it broke his heart. He gathered her into his arms and said, “I will see this through with you. I promise. I never should have left before. Please forgive me for that.”
 
“Thank you, Giles,” Buffy whispered into his chest. They straightened up and Giles took his leave, as Buffy waved goodbye with a hopeful smile.
 
A pair of strong arms came around her from behind as she closed the door. “That went well, don’t you think?” Spike said as he drew her close.
 
“I think so,” Buffy said, turning to kiss him. “It does look like we’re going to have to bring in some of the others though.”
 
“We’ll work on them one at a time,” Spike proposed.
 
“I really don’t want to think about them right now,” Buffy said, kissing him further. The kiss grew deeper and hotter, until with a gasp she broke away and said, “Bed. Now.”
 
“Yes, ma’am!” Spike grinned and followed her up the stairs, chasing her happily into the bedroom.
 
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“What have you to report, Kratash?”
 
The Kratash agent stood once more in front of the Ruler of the Dwak Dlam. He did his best to appear fearless, but there was no denying that these enormous creatures terrified him. Nevertheless he bowed low and said, “We have investigated one Hellmouth in the human realm. No couples were found to fit your description. We have sent one advance operative to a second Hellmouth. He has reported that there is a Slayer in that town who seems to live with a Master vampire. The operative has not yet determined if the woman is pregnant, but so far they are our best lead.”
 
The Ruler pondered this information. “A Slayer and a vampire,” she mused. The Seer had mentioned a Champion of the Powers and a creature of darkness. “This is the couple you should track. This and no other. They must be the ones of the prophecy,” she stated with authority.
 
“As you wish, Ruler,” said the Kratash. “I am waiting for another report as we speak. After I have heard more information, I will send further agents to determine all there is to know about them.”
 
“Do so,” said the Ruler. “You must be thorough. A Slayer is a powerful enemy, and one who is in league with a master vampire is not to be trifled with. Do not fail me.”
 
The Kratash bowed and scurried once more from the throne room.
 
TBC