Title: Conception

Name: Joy       

Email: [email protected]

A/N: This is a continuation of the Transformation and The Dream. I think I have given enough background on what I've written so far in the first several chapters for you not to be completely lost. Give it a chance as a stand-alone. If you want you can go back and read the others.

            A trip to LA did not turn out at all like Buffy thought it would. She sighed softly into the chest of her husband. 'Husband,' she turned the term over in her mind. Who'd have thought of Spike as a husband? Then again who'd have thought Spike would voluntarily get his soul back. William hovered under the surface of Spike's skin, arguing with him at moments. Spike chose to get William back when they discovered that he was part of a prophecy about the conception of a dhampire slayer. He felt that for his daughter's sanity and general well being a conscience was a good thing to have.

            Several things had changed in a short period of time. Buffy's prophecy dreams of a partner or mate for Dawn were fulfilled on this trip. Dawn who was still but fifteen years old found the missing part of her soul in a seventeen year-old wolf shape shifter who ironically was named Wolf. He too had been dreaming of Dawn and fell for her in seconds with the knowledge that she was his other half. He was orphaned the same night he met and claimed Dawn. The teens lay a few floors away on what should be their honeymoon as well. The concept was beyond all rational thought but then the lives of the Summers women were never rational.

            With his father dead, Wolf was to take over as Ulrich, the head of a Wolf clan. Having never been exposed to any such hierarchy, Wolf for all intensive purposes refused the position leaving his father's clan without a leader. The only leg they really had to stand on to get Wolf out of the position short of his death was the fact the Powers that Be turned him into a mythological beast called a Xex. In either human or wolf form he bore wings if he chose to. Together Dawn and Wolf could open portals and did restore Spike's soul as well as giving Angel his soul curse free.

The only member of his father's clan Wolf was at all familiar with was his priest, Father Gabriel who had married he and Dawn. Gabriel had plans of his own. He was present for a great deal of discussion of the dhampire slayer to be born. It was his hope to train the child in the arts that he as a wolf/vampire mix could teach. He laid before Angel and Spike the knowledge that not only was the dhampire slayer a prophecy that was known by others but that the Watcher's Council had been trying for years to prompt it to happen. This left Faith in danger as the current slayer since they couldn't control her. They would want a young slayer who would follow orders like taking the baby. The Council was not above killing their own slayer to gain control over the situation.

Buffy lay staring at the ceiling happy with the knowledge that she was indeed pregnant with a child she and Spike were calling Hope. This child made life very complicated but explained why Wolf was a necessity in their lives at the present moment. Wolf and Dawn together could decimate vampires, demons, and shape shifters easily. Wolf endured the transformation to become a Xex so he could help protect Hope while Buffy was pregnant and beyond. The Powers had let themselves be known by letting their heavenly messengers be seen in the transformation of Wolf and the conception of Hope. Now as Spike slept, Buffy marveled at the translucent hands that ran over the air above her body. Life would come crashing in again once they left that room, but for the moment she just basked in the love of her husband and the care of the Observers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Angel Investigations."

"Wesley? It's Xander," the Scooby said to the former watcher. "We made it back to Sunnydale unscathed. Can I talk to Willow?"

"Sure," Wesley said and went back to his study of a debunked watcher that had done a great deal of research on dhampires after his slayer became pregnant with one and was killed. In general he researched dhampires but later he worked specifically on the dhampire slayer.

"Xander?"

"Hi Will… Anya and I are back. We checked Buffy's house… No one was there but it looks like someone's been in Spike's crypt. It may have just been vamps. Spike has so few things there anyway."

"No one there to greet you?" Willow asked avoiding the word 'watcher.'

"No…I'm guessing if anyone was here they've already left… I think I'll visit Willy tonight to see if anything might…" Xander said by interrupted.

"I wouldn't do that without help."

"Then I guess we'll keep things pretty low key."

Willow sighed. "Guess that's best… We'll have to think of something else before…"

"I know… Later."

"Bye."

Willow growled. "How can we find out if the Magic Box and the house are bugged before we get there?" she said looking at Lorn. Her eyes flashed big, "You can hear almost any frequency. Could you scout it out for us?"

"Another trip to Sunnydale," the host said simply. "What would my payment be this time?"

"Spike singing again?" she offered. "He'd do anything to protect Hope."

"Why don't I see if there is someone with similar talents in your area already? I imagine most peaceful demons on the Hellmouth would want to help to keep the Council from getting their hands on Hope. Last thing many of us quiet types want is a dhampire slayer who is indiscriminate in her killing. I personally like my head and want it to stay attached to me," Lorn commented and went about his task.

Wesley and Tara worked tirelessly going over the former Watcher's diaries that had exposed the plot of the Council to create the dhampire slayer. Willow watched through the glass window. Angel's employee Gunn, a strong young demon hunter, was off attempting to verify Faith's routine at the jail and also inform her of the danger she was in. Angel and Fred, twiggy little genius of a girl, were with Father Gabriel attempting to convince the elders of Wolf's clan that a blending of the two peaceful wolf clans in the area was the best option at this point since Wolf would be needed to protect the Hellmouth and Buffy in the coming months.

            Cordelia and Willow just stood for a moment in silence as the lack of sleep set in. Too many things had happened in one night and part of a day for them not to be on their toes. Connor began to cry having woken up hungry. "What do you think I should give him this time? Milk or blood?" Cordy asked putting the baby on her shoulder.

            "Give him half and half," Willow offered.

            "That is just gross," the prom queen snapped.

            "I don't know Cordy…You're the mommy, not me."

            "The mommy that didn't even get to have the fun of playing with the daddy to get the baby," she grumbled.

            Willow chuckled, "But now we've made it that you can have all the fun in the world with the daddy. Just have to steer through a few more obstacles before we can leave this glorious city and you can play with all the toys in Angel's truck that you want."

            "She told you!" Cordelia said frustrated that Buffy would mention 'the trunk.'

            "Oh please… Angel went to get something out of it before he left. I was in the office when I heard him muttering about Spike better have the good sense to clean it before giving it back or he would seriously damage the boy. I took a peak… He must have quite an imagination. You're a lucky woman," Willow smirked.

            "I'll feed him blood," Cordy said and escaped to the kitchen. Willow just laughed.

            Gunn came through the front doors. "Okay… Met the Faith chick. Hot mama… not as hot as Fred but…"

            "What did you find out?" Wesley rubbed his eyes.

            "She didn't seem all that surprised that the Council would be coming for her… She said she'd request to be in the yard tonight. Between her strength and skill and our plan we should have her out in short order."

            "All right…Good…" Wesley muttered. "Now we just have to hope that Druscilla won't cause any problems in the next twenty four hours and we might pull this off."

            "She's already attacked Buffy today… She will probably attack by a different method next time. Did Spike say where she was when his mind touched hers?" Willow asked.

            "No… That's something else we should try to nail down," Wesley answered.

"This all reminds me of when Connor was born…With the running around and being freaked about who was going to come to take him and who they would kill to do it," Cordy said returning to the discussion as she fed the baby boy in her arms.  The infant started flashing his eyes yellow at Cordelia. "Spike better get up soon. His nephew wants to play."

            "Bite size wants me?" said a newly showered and quite chipper Spike. "Where are the kids?"

            "Dawn and Wolf?" Willow asked. Spike nodded. "Probably having sex."

            Buffy scrunched up her face, "Isn't that an Anya line?" Buffy was glowing, literally.

            "Buffy? Are you aware that you are glowing more then most pregnant women do?" her best friend asked.

            "Little visit from our friendly Observers. I guess they made sure Hope was conceived. They also made sure I'm radiating," she shrugged.

            Spike crossed to Connor taking the small dhampire in his arms. Spike blew on the baby's belly causing him to laugh. Connor flashed his eyes at Spike and Spike flashed his right back. The baby laughed again. "You can play this with Nibblet…Her eyes glow purple though," Spike informed his small nephew. "Let me feed him," he begged Cordy.

            "Fine by me… Watching him drink blood creeps me out."

            "Better get over that if you and Peaches are going to play house together," Spike informed Queen C. "Both men in your life will be drinking this stuff for eternity."

            "Doesn't mean I have to like it," Cordy sulked.

            "You get used to it. Just make Angel responsible for cleaning anything that has blood in it and you'll be set," Buffy added.

            Buffy looked around, "Where is everybody? Where are Xander and Anya? And please don't say having sex?"

            Willow smirked, "Sorry. Tired. They went back to SunnyD. You've been up there a while. They're already home."

"We need to talk about what Gabriel told you," Wesley commented. "We've found records of the Councils influence over the conception of the dhampire slayer."

Buffy looked annoyed, "Her name is Hope."

"Buffy…I mean in theory," Wesley stated plainly. "Apparently not only had they attempted to get slayers pregnant by vampires… They may have sent slayers into Spike's path on purpose."

"What?" Spike said shocked.

Tara came to her friends. "It looks like the former watcher wrote that Spike's life has been…rigged." Spike looked puzzled. "The legend you mentioned about your family… It's a curse. All the first-born males in the seventh generation were turned. The Council found that specific prophecy about you being the father of the dhampire slayer and waited until you were vamped. They still tried to get other slayers pregnant but they followed you. That's why you faced two other slayers. They sent the first to you, not the other way around. In fact it looks like the slayer before the one you killed in the Boxer Rebellion was murdered rather then died in battle. Most likely she died at the hands of the Council so they could put a pretty, young slayer to face you in China."

"We're guessing the second slayer was moved to New York to find you," Willow commented. "We don't know that for sure since we don't want to arouse suspicion from the Council by searching through other Watcher diaries that we don't have and would have to find."

"But Angel…" Spike sputtered.

"The Powers sent him to help Buffy. The mob in Prague was instigated by members of the Council so that Druscilla would be injured enough to get you to Angel, who was already in Sunnydale near Buffy," Wesley deduced.

"These humans have been screwing with my entire undead existence?" Spike said coldly. Wesley sighed. "How do I fight humans?" he asked. "How do you fight humans?" he asked Buffy.

Tara swallowed and said, "We get the chip out… Your soul is in place. You aren't going to go on some rampage. You'll just protect your family."

The room was silent. Buffy looked at Spike then said, "How?"

"There's a doctor that specializes in demon surgery," Wesley commented.

"That will have to wait until after we get Faith out," Spike said quickly.

"Already covered. She knows what's coming. Truth is she could get out easily. She just chooses to stay for penance," Gunn said smoothly.

"Guess I'm going to see a man about a duck," Spike muttered.

"Huh?" Buffy looked at him queerly.

"Before your time luv," he said and kissed her head.

TBC…