FIC: Seraph (26/26)

[snick_backup]

Story begins here. All parts may be found here.

A/N: Here it is at last, folks: the final chapter.

I didn't know what I was getting into when I posted that first chapter back in January; I had no notion what a project this fic would turn out to be or how long it'd take me to finish it. I'm not certain I ever would have if it weren't for all the encouraging comments. So, to everyone who's dropped in even once to leave some nice words: thank you, thank you!

Thanks especially to the three lovely ladies that've read my broken drafts and helped me figure out how to fix them: hello_spikey, phoenixofborg, and penny_lane_42. This fic would be much less shiny without you.

~~~~~

The thrill of that explosion of dust had faded. Now Dawn huddled against the supply-room wall, and it felt like her bones had frozen and would never thaw. She didn’t think it was just a temperature problem. It wasn’t the killing part -- that, she was totally okay with. If every one of the vamps out in the parking lot got staked right this minute, then Go Team Buffy. It was the part before, with the eyes and the fangs and the certainty that he was going to eat her.

Except he hadn’t, because she had killed him dead -- or, okay, deader. She had killed him. Take that, vamps.

She had sort of thought, all those basement evenings with Spike, that if she could just slay one stupid vampire then she wouldn’t be afraid of them anymore. Not, it turned out. ‘Cause she thought about the way the vamp had snarled, just like the one she’d sort of almost knuckled in the chin, months ago, and she was still cold and shaken.

Spike didn’t look any better off than her. His ragged breath hadn’t evened out to normal, even his weird kind of normal, and he had one hand pressed against his stomach like he didn’t dare let it fall. As he lifted the other hand, bloodied, to his mouth, she saw tremors.

“You’re shaking.”

A pause, while he finished licking the first knuckle. “Yeah.”

“Does it hurt really bad?” Did what hurt, she wasn’t sure; she hadn’t thought the other vampire had done any real damage.

He sighed -- a deep, weary sort of sigh, almost a groan. “S’not that. Just did too much running about, is all. And I haven’t eaten anything in a while.”

“Oh.” She pushed to her feet. “Maybe we can find something in here.” She’d barely given a glance to the metal-gray rows of industrial shelving, but now she would. It was for Spike, and it was something different than fangs, and those were two very good reasons.

Another sigh. “Dawn...”

“They fix lots of vampires here, right?” she said. “They have to keep blood somewhere.” But not on this aisle, apparently. Boxes of latex gloves on one side and syringes on the other, not what she was looking for. Didn’t need the bags of cotton swabs on the next aisle, or the sealed rows of canvas tape.

She could hear Spike against the far wall, still gasping at every breath. She walked faster, scanning for... well, where did she think they kept the blood, in soup cans? At the far end she turned left and walked the perimeter, looking for a fridge. She came to Spike and passed him. When she’d circled the whole room and come to him again, she said, “Sorry. I guess it’s somewhere else.”

“I figured,” he said. He tapped his ear. “No appliances running in here.”

Shoot. Dawn slid to the floor next to him. All this medical stuff, and no blood?

Except...

Dawn thought about Spike slumped and shaking. Also about the baby, who maybe needed feeding sooner than Spike could manage just now. And about bruising fingers, and pinching, and fangs.

“I want to see it again.”

He slitted an eye open.

“Your face. The other one. I want--” didn’t want, really didn’t want, would rather forget all about, but if she was going to do this had “--to see it again.”

“Another time, pet,” he said, and the exhaustion in his voice was almost enough to make her shut up and let him be worn out in peace.

Almost. “Please?”

He regarded her a moment, silent, not quite still. Then he lifted his chin just a little, and his brow dropped thick and heavy. His nose thickened too, and under his nose was his mouth, and in one corner of his mouth was a glint of fang. But worst was how the familiar sharp blue of his eyes melted to yellow, which was way scarier than anything to do with forehead or fangs.

She swallowed, heaving thin shallow breaths. “I like the other one better,” she said.

“Is that right,” he said, and she thought he sounded amused. She hoped.

“You don’t have any eyebrows now,” she said. “I can’t tell what you’re thinking.”

He choked a laugh, grinning, which meant now she could see lots of fangs. He must have realized it; he sobered, and his mouth fell almost shut.

Yeah. Still a vampire. And still her friend.

“I have blood,” she said.

His head snapped up, yellow eyes already brighter and roving over her like she had a jar of it stuffed in her jeans pocket. Then he caught her meaning, and the hopeful light faded. “Yeah, and it’s going to keep on running merrily in your veins where it belongs.”

“People give blood all the time. It’s no big deal.”

“Look, even if I were even thinking about it -- which I’m not -- I couldn’t, anyway. Chip.”

“But what if I cut myself, just to get it started? You can suck blood, right? You just can’t bite.” She looked around for something sharp, but all she could think of were the syringes. “Does vampire saliva have germs?”

“I’m not going to eat my Niblet,” he said firmly. When had he started calling her that again? “I promised. And I’m especially not going to eat her when she’s scared.”

“I’m not scared!”

“Are too.”

“Am not!” Oh, right. Knives. She slipped the other one from her pocket and fumbled the strap open. Before she could think about it, she drew the point across her wrist -- crossways, of course, because everyone knew you only cut the other way if you wanted to get dead.

“Niblet!”

Fighting to keep her breath steady, she twisted and lifted her dripping arm up to his face. “See? Blood.”

“Get away from me,” he whispered. “A vamp’s only got so much chivalry...”

“Just take it already,” she said, letting the impatience in her voice shove out the other things. She thrust her wrist directly under his nose.

For a moment he stared past her arm, straight into her eyes. Then his gaze shifted, and the tilt of his head and the angle of his chin and all the reminders that this was Spike disappeared, leaving only demon. Really hungry demon.

Faster than she could see, he gripped her arm with both hands and put his mouth to her wrist. His fangs pressed into her skin, and his eyelids fell shut as he began to pull the blood out of her. She held her breath just to focus on something besides jerking away as fast as she could. Finally she let it go, gasping a little, but he only gripped her tighter. Every so often she could feel his cool damp tongue licking at the wound.

Just when she started to think about being light-headed and wondered if maybe, just maybe, he’d forgotten whose arm he had, he thrust her away so hard she had to scramble to keep her balance.

“Niblet,” he rasped, eyes closed, “if you ever do that again, I will drain you on principle.”

She opened her mouth, but all she could make was a squeak. She swallowed, tried again. “Do you feel better?”

A pause, an exploratory roll of the shoulders. “Yeah.”

“Then--” She lifted her chin, even though he couldn’t see it. “Then I’m not sorry.”

His eyes snapped open, blue again, and the look in them was so sharp that their color didn’t really make her feel any better. He gave her a long, thorough glare. “You cheeky little bint,” he said finally, and then she knew it was going to be all right. “C’mere, let’s get you bandaged up.” Just like that other time her arm had been hurt, he wrapped her in strips of t-shirt -- the one he was wearing, this time. “Now, saw a sink in here somewhere, yeah?”

She nodded.

“So go get some fluids in you.”

She rose on shaky legs. On a shelf she found a box of plastic cups and filled one at the big industrial sink. After two refills, she carefully walked back, a little dizzy still. But, she reflected, Spike didn’t look quite so miserable now that he’d eaten. He lifted an arm and she scooted under it.

Then she started shivering.

“Knew you were scared.”

Stupid body. “Maybe a little.” A pause, while she considered all the other things there were to be scared of. “Spike?”

“Mm.”

“D-do you think they’ll be all right?”

“ ‘Course they’ll be all right. Heroes and all.” He shifted a little. “Dunno what you’re worried about. It’s not even the end of the world.”

“And Xander?”

Just the briefest pause. “Boy’s made of rubber. Has to be, if he’s survived in the sidekick brigade this long. He’ll be fine.”

She couldn’t help it. She slipped her arms around him -- even though it took a little stretching to find a part of him that was thin enough -- and buried her face in his shoulder. From the burning in her eyes she figured she was probably crying.

He stroked her hair, and she thought maybe she could fall asleep this way. At least part of him was warm.

Something bumped under her arm, and she sniffled a giggle. “So there really is a baby in there.”

She could hear the grin in his voice. “It’s not just a baby. It’s my little girl. And I’m going to get her out.”

Somehow, that eased the rest of the fearful ache. She snuggled in closer. Her arm stung a little inside the t-shirt wrapping, and she thought there’d probably be a bruise tomorrow.

It was worth it, though.

She shut her eyes and matched his breaths, shuddering and irregular, with hers.

~*~*~

Banging. Metal and banging and voices, vaguely familiar. Spike swam up from some dark, bottomless dream. As he shifted, bright jabs of pain chased up and down his back. There was a weight on his shoulder: Dawn, asleep.

“Dawn? Spike?” The voice was muffled, but the sharpness was all the Slayer’s.

“Here,” he called, but the words stuck dry in his throat. He shook Dawn loose. With one hand to the wall and one to the floor, he managed to heave himself to his feet. God, he ached. Bloody tile.

At the door, he tried calling again. “Slayer?”

“Spike!” The doorknob rattled. “Are you guys okay? Can you get this door open?”

He regarded the cabinet, shoved against the door by adrenaline and terror. “Give us a minute.” It took some brute determination, but eventually he shifted it far enough away to give the Scoobies on the other side some leverage. The door scraped open and Buffy stormed through. “Are you guys all right? Where’s Dawn?”

“Asleep,” he said. “And we’ve been worse.” Although not much worse; all the good of Dawn’s hot-rich-fresh blood had long since been used up, it felt like. Now, upright, he was starting to feel light-headed. “What of the vamps on a mission?”

“Dust,” she said. “All of them.” Spike wondered at the vehemence in her tone.

Others filtered in: Willow and Tara, and then an orange, horned person with a stethoscope.

“And Xander?” He didn’t actually care, he didn’t, except... All right, so he did. It’s what came of fraternizing with the enemy; made you weak and let you get all attached.

“He’s getting fixed up right now,” Buffy said. “With enough bandages to be our own Sunnydale mummy.”

Damn. He’d have to be grateful to the boy now. Again.

“What about Spike-baby?” asked Buffy.

He lifted an eyebrow. “Still here.”

“Good.” She closed in and pressed a hand against his belly. A benediction, maybe. Or a promise. “Good.”

“Uh, Slayer,” he said, and then clutched heavily at her shoulder as his knees gave.

She followed him down, easing his fall. A moment later the medical person was at his side, peering into his eyes, prodding at his chest, and asking questions needing much more energy than he had. Fortunately, Buffy knew enough answers to satisfy, it seemed.

“So, convinced now?” she asked finally. “Not postponeable.”

The demon made a noise of assent and then rose, calling in sharp, barking voice, “Let’s get that room prepped!”

“Room for what?” Spike said, frowning up at Buffy.

Her lips quirked. “For the baby-having.”

Oh. Oh. “Bloody hell.” He closed his eyes to take in the shock of it.

After that, it was too much trouble to open them again. So he didn’t.

~*~*~

His nose tickled with the sharp acridness of medical sterility. Somewhere distant, heels clicked importantly against tile floor. Nearer by were the little rustlings and rhythms of live bodies at ease, scented of someone familiar. And within...

Stillness, silence. Death.

Nothing.

He woke gasping. Eyes not even half-focused, he shoved himself upright and then cried out at the mess of blades and acid ripping through his stomach.

“Spike!” Firm hands pushed him back onto the bed. Green eyes peered into his, half-amused and edged with concern. “I told them we should have tied you down,” she muttered.

“Is he okay?” came another voice. Over him another face loomed, framed by long chestnut hair that fell nearly into his eyes.

Face and scent and name connected. “Dawn?” And then the other one. “Slayer?”

Buffy straightened. “Comma, the. How’s the post-op vamp?”

“Is she all right?” Because she was gone and her heartbeat was, too. It was the first time in seven months he’d been without it. “She’s not... I don’t...” Now he could feel the bandages swathing his middle and pulling at his chest. “Where is she?”

Buffy shrugged. “She’s getting shots or a check-up or something. I don’t know. She’ll be back soon.”

“You let them just walk off with her?”

“Tara went, too,” Dawn said. “But we didn’t, in case you woke up.”

“So take me there,” he said. He dropped one leg over the side of the bed and gritted his teeth as the motion pulled at the wounds -- stitches? -- in his belly.

“Hold it, buster.” Buffy rested a hand on his chest. “You’re the one with the major abdominal surgery. How’s about we let the baby come to you.”

“I’ll go tell them you’re awake!” Dawn said, turning and charging from the room like a teenage girl on a mission. Spike wondered how long she’d been sitting there, fidgeting, waiting for him.

Under the weight of Buffy’s hand, he sank shakily back against the pillows. He didn’t even protest when she hoisted his foot back under the hospital blanket. “But she’s all right,” he said, just to hear the words.

Buffy shrugged. “They say birth is a pretty traumatic experience, especially when, you know, it’s an emergency c-section on a vampire with imminent collapse issues.” She settled near his feet on the bed. “But she looked okay to me. Entirely baby-like.”

“So you saw her.”

A roll of the eyes. “Yes, Spike, I saw her.”

“Speaking of collapse issues...”

“You’ll be okay,” she said. “They think. It sounds like Dr. I Am the Walrus got all the Initiative gadgets out, so some more blood and you’ll be bad as new, oh yay. Except for the breathing thing, which I guess you’re stuck with, since it’s because of the chip.”

He shrugged, and then winced at the twinges in his chest. “There are worse souvenirs.”

“I guess,” she said.

After a few moments of silence, he ventured, “Slayer?” But it was the wrong word now. Had been for a while, but he hadn’t wanted to admit it. “Buffy.”

Gaze enquring, lips pursed, she waited. What’s he going to come up with now, she was wondering; it was written all over her face.

After a moment’s struggle for words, he said finally, “Thanks.”

“Hey, no biggie.” Buffy smiled softly, her feet swinging against the bedframe. “This is what I do. Stake the bad guys and save the... good guys.” The smile quirked. “And sometimes other people, too.”

A person, now, was he? He’d have to let that admission roll around in his head awhile.

Buffy glanced past him, her lips parting in a grin. “Hey, look,” she said. “Here comes another souvenir now.”

He turned.

Coming in the door were Tara and Dawn, and with them was a delicately green-hued woman in scrubs, and in the woman’s arms was a small, yellow bundle. “About time you woke up,” the woman said. “Would you like to meet your daughter?”

Spike pushed himself upright, ignoring his own gasps of pain. The woman walked to his bedside and lowered her burden into his arms, shifting them into a position that suited her. The cloth was soft as gauze against his skin, the weight barely a breath. He caught a glimpse of nose, squashed and red.

“You sure this one’s mine?” he said, breaking the burble of voices around him. “No mix-ups.” Because how could he tell if this was who’d been kicking at his ribs so long? And he knew, with the sliver of brain still functioning, that as soon as he really saw the tiny form in his arms he’d be lost.

The green woman smiled at him, bemused. “We don’t get many human babies here.”

Right, then.

He took a breath. Carefully, finally, he looked at his little girl.

She was the color of a day-old bruise, with a face pinched shut and crescents of gingery hair wisping from her skull. She had fists the size of his thumbs and fingernails like flower petals. Her veins raced with blood pressed on by that long-familiar flutter.

She was the whole world.

She was his.

“Hello, love,” he whispered. “I’ve been waiting for you.”


Finis

Comments

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

It was an incredible journey. All the characters are so vivid, and fascinating and - alive. Or un-dead.
Buffy's attitude to Spike changing mirrors in Spike attitude to Scoobies. And what's more important, the whole universe changing from "us against them" to the promise of a peaceful future. Conceptually clever and masterfully written.

Kudos!

[snickfic]

Thank you so much! It really was quite the journey - when I wrote the first scene in a mad rush one morning, I had no idea where the idea would take me. I'm so glad you stuck along for the ride! Regular comments from folks like you have been a huge encouragement all this time.

And, thanks so much for mentioning me in your recs posts. I know I got at least one reader directly from you. :)

Starting at the beginning

[brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com]

I wasn't consciously waiting for this to be finished before reading, but I appear to have done that - and now I've started reading, I can't stop. Up to chapter 9 so far, and I adore so much of this. Spike's confusion, frustration and protectiveness; Tara as midwife, and Dawn as friend, especially. Congratulations on making it to the end, and I'm going to catch you up pretty soon, I hope!

Re: Starting at the beginning

[brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com]

And now I've read through it all, and I wish I'd been here from the start instead of devouring it all at once, sigh. Because this is wonderful; so far from your average mpreg it shouldn't be in that category at all. There's a whole believable Scoobie world here, and though it's not simple for them they've all come together nonetheless. And it's funny, sweet, painful and doesn't flinch from Spike's past while showing how and why he is changing.

I loved this!

[lynnalso.livejournal.com]

The whole story is a gem. In this last chapter I loved best Buffy's calm unsentimental response to Spikebaby.

[snickfic]

Hee. Yes, my Buffy is distinctly unsentimental about some things, which surprised me a little as I was writing the fic. My Buffy just doesn't get wound up in Spike's dramatics - any of them, upset or excited or awed. It's something I like very much about her, now that I've realized it.

I'm so glad you enjoyed, and that you stuck around to the end. I was always glad to have you drop in for a comment. :)

Hee.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

YAYYAYYAYYAYYAY! Oh, I love this fic so much I just want to cuddle it forever! And this chapter was gorgeous, as I've already told you, with the Dawn blood scene (again, let me just say how much I love that), the moments with Buffy (I especially love when he calls her by her name and she calls him a person), and then Spike meets his daughter! *flails*

Yeah, this is one I'll be revisiting often, and I just wanted to thank you for letting me come along on this journey with you. I'm so glad you decided to actually write this; when you had the idea, you must have debated whether or not to do it, and I'm so glad you did! Yay fic!

[snickfic]

I especially love when he calls her by her name and she calls him a person

Would you believe, I didn't even notice the symmetry of their actions until I read your comment? I'm so glad you said something! And yeah, the fic got one more little Spike-and-Buffy moment after all. :)

Spike meets his daughter! *flails*

I know! Considering I'm the author and wrote the scene in the first place and all the rest of the fic leading up to it, it seems a little ridiculous that I still melt into a puddle of goo when I think about Spike meeting his daughter for the first time. AWWWWW.

Ahem. :p

Thank you so much for being willing to read and help me out! Your calm outside perspective was hugely helpful, especially with all those knotty plot questions near the end. Plus, honestly, I just loved reading the line edits - it was great to know that the bits that I felt especially attached to were actually working. (In other words: you shared my squee! What author doesn't wouldn't love to have someone who does that?)

So, thank you, thank you for being my beta these last few chapters. *smishes*

I'm so glad you decided to actually write this; when you had the idea, you must have debated whether or not to do it

Honestly, the writing wasn't a decision, strictly speaking; I woke up one morning with the first (now discarded) scene in my head, and from there on it was pretty much a compulsion.

Posting it, on the other hand, was a major step-in-the-dark; I originally intended the fic for no eyes but mine. Because, yanno, mpreg. Nobody wants to read mpreg. :p

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

What can I say? I read a mpreg fic and loved it. I think I hate you... :)

This was just lovely. The entire thing. You made it real, believable, exciting and moving all at the same time. The characters grew in ways we always knew they could, the story flowed, and the ending was perfect. Okay, I don't hate you. I love you for doing this for us and for these wonderful characters who don't get to show off their basic decency often enough.

Strongly resisting the urge to shout "sequel! sequel!" like some twit.

[snickfic]

What can I say? I read a mpreg fic and loved it. I think I hate you... :)

Success! *g*

I'm so glad you decided to give the fic a try and that you stuck around all this time. (Plus, I loved the suspense of reading your comments. Is she actually reading the fic now? Is she?)

I love you for doing this for us and for these wonderful characters who don't get to show off their basic decency often enough.

Thank you, and you're so very welcome. :)

[ersilia62.livejournal.com]

Beautiful story very well written really sweet .... I'm hoping for a sequel very soon! Hello thanks and see you soon!

[snickfic]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it. :)

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

This was a vividly drawn, emotionally satisfying ending to this sharply written story. Spike and Dawn's tension in the wake of the violent encounter was beautifully written and I love how Dawn pushes through her own fear to tend to her friend. In all the drama of hiding out, this made me laugh: She walked faster, scanning for... well, where did she think they kept the blood, in soup cans? Dawn needing to see Spike in vampire face in the wake of dusting one of his kind was breathtaking. He is so different from the thing she slayed, and yet he's not. It's something she needs to reconcile over and over again, and the evolution of this friendship is well drawn and believable.

Spike's strung out reaction in the aftermath of the attack added another level of tension to this chapter. It's hard to find him so weak and vulnerable at the end of this journey. It's wonderful that he can depend on this group (even Xander) to keep him and his baby safe. Buffy's matter of fact attitude when he wakes in a panic, babyless, was pitch perfect. She, too, has changed her attitude through Spike's pregnancy, and it was a real joy to read.

Spike's totally focussed reaction to finally having his little girl in his arms was gorgeous. I loved this wonderful description of her and what she means to him: She was the color of a day-old bruise, with a face pinched shut and crescents of gingery hair wisping from her skull. She had fists the size of his thumbs and fingernails like flower petals. Her veins raced with blood pressed on by that long-familiar flutter.

She was the whole world. For Spike and his little girl, the journey has just begun. It sounds like he's ready.

Thank you for sharing this fascinating story. Your attention to detail and vivid storytelling made this a real joy to read.

[snickfic]

I'm so glad you enjoyed the Dawn&Spike scene! I'd been planning towards it for a long time - almost since their first encounter with the vamps way back in chapter 3, although the Dawn arc took on a lot more shades of meaning by the time I got to this last chapter. This chapter is pretty much my sum-up for Spike&Dawn in this fic.

He is so different from the thing she slayed, and yet he's not.

Yes. Yes! This is exactly what I was shooting for. Hooray!

It's hard to find him so weak and vulnerable at the end of this journey.

It is. I gave that a lot of thought, wondering if I was tearing him down too much physically before the end, especially since we don't really get a chance to see him recover.

For Spike and his little girl, the journey has just begun. It sounds like he's ready.

Here's hoping. :)

Thank you so much for this, the latest in a long string of wonderfully detailed comments. I always look forward to your analysis - you go into so much depth. I'm so glad you stuck with the story all this time and that you found it worth reading.

[2maggie2.livejournal.com]

It's been a wonderful story, very well written. I'm grateful that it's finished; I'm crushed that it's over. Thanks!!!!

[snickfic]

I'm grateful that it's finished; I'm crushed that it's over.

Heh. I confess, I share both feelings a little. But I'm so glad you enjoyed it, and I've always appreciated your comments when you had a chance to give them. I'm so glad you came along for the ride. :)

[whichclothes.livejournal.com]

This was such a beatiful story. The relationships between the characters, and Spike's own outlook, evolved in realistic ways and the dialog was spot-on. I never thought I'd enjoy mpreg so much!

[snickfic]

Thank you! I'm so glad you came along for the ride. Your comments have always been a pleasure to read.

I never thought I'd enjoy mpreg so much!

Success! I confess, one of my goals with this piece was to show that mpreg could be not-awful. I think the premise has tons of potential, if only it's written right, and I'm tickled to have won you over for this one fic, at least. :)

[shapinglight]

Have been away for the weekend, just come back and saw this was up. Had to read it straightaway.

What a perfect ending, with Spike and the baby so much part of the scooby family, and with relationships still evolving, and nothing simple. It all felt very real, which, when you consider this is an mpreg fic, is even more of an achievement.

Loved this story. Thanks so much for writing it.

[snickfic]

It all felt very real, which, when you consider this is an mpreg fic, is even more of an achievement.

Thank you so much. That was one of my biggest goals with the piece: to take the cracky premise and keep the characters and motivations and relationships real. I'm thrilled to hear that they worked for you.

Loved this story. Thanks so much for writing it.

Thank you for reading. It's been lovely having you along for these last few chapters.

[deird1]

Yay! How lovely!


But what's her name?

[snickfic]

:)

I'm so glad you stuck around for the WIP, especially considering my oh-so-optimistic estimate of there just being "some stuff in the middle" of the fic that needed work. And I'm always just a teensy bit extra thrilled to see you comment, because you were the very first person to comment on that first chapter, and I was so nervous about posting it. Plus: mpreg lovers unite!

Sigh. It turned out, with the place I wanted to end the fic, that there just wasn't a good place to include her name. Alas.

[audela.livejournal.com]

I loved this story--and I hate mpreg! Plot, characterisation, dialog were all spot on.

Thanks for giving so much pleasure.

f

[snickfic]

Hooray! I'm so glad you enjoyed it, and that the story won you over despite the mpreg. Thanks for commenting - it's always nice to know who's reading. :)

[bobthemole.livejournal.com]

Utterly beautiful! Thanks for writing this.

Will there be an epilogue? Or (dare I say it) SEQUEL?!

[snickfic]

Aww. You are so very welcome!

I'm not committing myself to anything at this point. However, I think I've become too attached to this story to leave it behind entirely; I suspect I'll have to revisit occasionally.

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

It’s what came of fraternizing with the enemy; made you weak and let you get all attached.

*sniff* Gorgeous and wonderful. I especially loved his reluctance to even look at the baby until he knew it was the right one. Because it would all be over/begun with that first glimpse, and better to not have his heart finally and totally broken. (Of course you said that, and more elegantly...) I was also quite amused by his empty threat to drain Dawn on principle. Poor guy just can't keep away from the classics.

I'm sorry Joyce isn't there, and I'm sure she is rather frantic to miss it all. I can already imagine the bustling Chez Summers, with a baby in residence.

Like others, I kinda thought it would end with her naming, though it really doesn't matter that we don't know. I waited hours to name my daughter.

[snickfic]

Because it would all be over/begun with that first glimpse

Yeah. Like imprinting, only in reverse. Especially since Spike isn't one to do things by halves...

I was also quite amused by his empty threat to drain Dawn on principle.

Hey, it was no less sincere for being empty. And old habits die hard; "I'll get your mum to ground you" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

I'm sorry Joyce isn't there, and I'm sure she is rather frantic to miss it all.

Yeah. In the end, getting Spike's baby born turned out to be strictly Scooby (+ Dawn) enterprise, but Joyce will definitely have a hand in getting her raised.

Like others, I kinda thought it would end with her naming.

Sigh. I had intentions, but in the end there wasn't any way to fit her name in and still end the fic in the place I wanted to end it. It's the one breadcrumb-trail in the fic that doesn't lead anywhere, it looks like. Alas.

Thank you so much for coming along for the ride. Your comments are gems of insight, and they've been wonderfully encouraging all this time. Thank you!

[cafedemonde.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! Such a wonderously beautiful journey!

The way the scoobies rallied around to protect Spike at different times was realistic, not over done. Xander's side comments were perfect as was the Buffy reluctance to allow herself to fall for Spike's little bundle. She finally did though, gracefully and sweetly and in true Buffy Style.

Dawn is a force all her own. Spike never stood a chance against her, his new little sister. Auntie Dawn! And the pics Joyce made Spike take...I love it. When will Granddaddy Angel get a copy? PLEASE!!!

This is so very sequel worthy you know...I'm just saying. No pressure :-)

[snickfic]

She finally did though, gracefully and sweetly and in true Buffy Style.

Hooray! I'm so glad that's how it came through. In some ways I was discovering Buffy-the-character for the first time as I wrote this fic, so I'm thrilled to know the characterization worked.

Dawn is a force all her own. Spike never stood a chance against her, his new little sister.

So true! Dawn is absolutely her own person. It's part of what I love about her.

When will Granddaddy Angel get a copy? PLEASE!!!

Bwah! Would you believe, this possibility never even crossed my mind? But it surely has now...

This is so very sequel worthy you know...I'm just saying. No pressure :-)

Oh, don't I know it. I've laid all these plot threads in, just waiting to be explored, but I most definitely do not have time for another massive fic project right now. It's been pulling teeth to the get this one finished. But maybe, eventually...?

Thanks so much for the lovely comments all this time. I'm so glad you came along for the ride. :)

[next_to_normal]

Eeeeeeeee! BABY!

What? You were expecting coherence?

[snickfic]

Hee. Incoherent babbling is pretty high praise, I'd say.

It's been lovely having you reading along these last few chapters. I'm so pleased the story won you over, despite the icky mpreg. :)

[jen-nsync-landl.livejournal.com]

YAY! *throws confetti*

Congratuations on posting the final chapter.

Can't wait to read. :)

[snickfic]

Thank you! It has a been a long haul, and I am oh so terribly pleased to have finished, just for the accomplishment's sake. This is by far the longest thing I've ever written, of any kind.

Hope you enjoy when you get the chance. :)

[timeofchange.livejournal.com]

What a journey. I clicked on the first chapter expecting to be amused by the crack, and ended up completely enthralled. The ending was just perfect.

[snickfic]

Hooray! I'm so glad the story ended up winning you over. And I'm glad to hear the ending worked - I fiddled and fiddled with this last chapter, and was never quite certain of it.

Thanks so much for all the lovely comments. :)

[kudagirl.livejournal.com]

Oh, I so love this and so sad it's over. (Possibly it might have a sequel?) From the moment, I read
"She had fists the size of his thumbs and fingernails like flower petals." I began thinking of her nickname being Petal. Spike's little Petal. Just perfect.

[snickfic]

A sequel is not entirely outside the realm of possibility. However, I very much do not have time to start another big project right now, alas. But maybe, eventually...?

I began thinking of her nickname being Petal. Spike's little Petal.

Awww. Do you mind if I steal that? I might have to steal it, because that's just too adorable.

I'm so glad you came along for the ride all this time. Thanks for the lovely comments.

[hello-spikey.livejournal.com]

*melts*

I feel so... proud about this story. It's so beautiful and different and I'm all melty.

I love the warmth of the scene with Dawn. And the way he panics on waking up without her heartbeat! Just melting!!

Oh! And the extra little bit with Buffy! It's so beautiful!! *sniffle*

*hugs and twirls you* Brava, darling, brava all around.

[snickfic]

I feel so... proud about this story. It's so beautiful and different and I'm all melty.

Awwww. *warm fuzzies* Different, it definitely is. *g* But 'beautiful' and 'melt-inducing' are much more special - thank you so much! A lot of the shininess of this fic is due to you, you realize. :)

And the extra little bit with Buffy! It's so beautiful!! *sniffle*

Sniffles! Sniffles are the best praise.

*hugs and twirls you*

*hugs you back*

Go ahead and tell all the complainers that I told you not to name her. :P

Hee. Yes, ma'am. (Although, actually, there may end up being an epilogue to address that...))

(And besides, I think she should be named Seraph! Sera for short. :P )

Okay, first "Seraph" is waaay to close to "Angel." As for the second part - I gotta say, mpreg is rather a new and different method of authorial insertion...

[hello-spikey.livejournal.com]

Go ahead and tell all the complainers that I told you not to name her. :P

The name is just trivia.

(And besides, I think she should be named Seraph! Sera for short. :P )

[seapealsh.livejournal.com]

I am so sad this is over. Simply stated, just a beautiful story. Probably my only mpreg ever. You made me love every one of the characters - they all acted the way I would have liked them to. I'm a Snick fan all the way now. Feel free to give some Spuffy a try some time - I know you would really do it justice.

[snickfic]

I'm a Snick fan all the way now. Feel free to give some Spuffy a try some time - I know you would really do it justice.

Heh. Part of the reason I haven't written them before is because I felt that I couldn't do them justice. However, with the writing of this fic, Buffy has become less of a mystery to me; maybe there's a chance of honest-to-goodness Spuffy now. At the very least, there's that S5 fic I posted bits of a while back, which I'd really like to finish up for the next seasonal_spuffy session...

It's been lovely having you reading along all this time. I'm so glad you enjoyed. :)

[silverusagi]

Yay! I loved the Spike and Dawn blood scene, and we finally get the baby! Awesome job!

[snickfic]

And look! Spike didn't get staked during the delivery process! (I gave your "Spike in peril! Ohnoes!" idea some serious thought. I always meant him to survive, but your fears that he'd be staked like Darla to deliver the baby got me thinking about this whole complication wherein he was wounded in the stomach during the vamp attack and, while waiting for emergency surgery, he told Buffy to stake him if she had to, to save the baby. At which point Buffy rolled her eyes, called him a drama queen, and told him to shut up and hold still. My Buffy's doesn't have much patience for dramatics, it turns out.

In the end I didn't use the idea, though.)

It's been lovely to have you along all this time. I'm so glad you enjoyed. Spike&Dawn lovers unite! :)

[treadingthedark.livejournal.com]

I salute you! That was an engrossing, unique, and enjoyable fic!

[snickfic]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed the story and stuck around through all the hiatuses and everything. :)

[urania-calliope.livejournal.com]

I forgot this was the end until I actually got to the end... Though I'm sad it's over I sure enjoyed the ride!

[snickfic]

Though I'm sad it's over I sure enjoyed the ride!

I'm so glad you enjoyed! It's been lovely having you along all this time. :)