“What was that about?” Dawn asked Buffy. She’d just seen Spike walking out of the kitchen with a solemn look on his face.
 
“Nothing,” she replied casually.
 
“Nothing my ass. Look, Buffy, I know today is hard for you, but you really shouldn’t take it out on him.”
 
“I'm not taking anything out on him. I just told him that I wanted to be friends. And today is not hard for me. It’s my daughter’s birthday.” Buffy turned away and began wiping the counter.
 
“And the day you last saw him.”
 
The slayer paused and sighed. That was a memory that she didn’t feel like re-living right now.
 
“That doesn’t matter to me anymore.”
 
“But it does. And I know that maybe you don’t want it to, but that doesn’t make it go away.”
 
Buffy knew her sister was right. Despite her best efforts, every year on this day her mind would drift back to Martin and what he’d done and said.
 
“Hello baby,” Buffy said to the newborn in her arms “Welcome to the world.”
 
The child looked at her with wild, curious eyes. Buffy smiled at her daughter. She still couldn’t quite believe this little girl came from inside her. The miracle of life that she thought she would never get to experience.
 
“Have you picked a name yet?”
 
Buffy looked up at the owner of the voice. Her eyes widened a bit when she saw who it was. “What are you doing here?”
 
“I came to see my daughter.”
 
“Excuse me? Your daughter?”
 
“Well, she is mine, isn’t she? Unless you were sleeping around.”
 
“Get the hell out of here, Martin.”
 
But he only smiled and took a step closer. “She’s cute. I think she’ll look more like you. Hopefully, she’ll turn out better though.”
 
“Do you need something?” Buffy asked, trying not to let his words get to her.
 
“Actually yes, I was hoping you might have my credit card handy. Since I'm moving to Nevada, I think I might need it.”
 
“Nevada?”
 
He nodded. “Got a good job offer. Now, about the card?”
 
Buffy was furious. How dare he come to her hospital room and demand his credit card back. Did he not even care that she was holding his daughter in her arms?
 
“I don’t happen to have it on me. I just had a baby so you’ll forgive me for leaving my purse at home.”
 
He looked at the child in her arms. “That’s nice for you. I’ll leave my new address and you can mail the card to me.”After placing the paper on the night stand he walked to the door. “I hope you’ve gotten yourself some good insurance. I hear hospital stays are expensive.”
 
And then he was gone… again. This time for good. Buffy couldn’t help but let the tears fall from her eyes. She tried to compose herself and managed when the baby looked like she was going to cry, too.
 
“Don’t cry, sweetheart. Mama’s okay. We’re gonna be just fine. I promise. I will always take care of you.”
 
And she had. But the memory of him looking so cold and indifferent towards his daughter stayed with her until this day.
 
“Maybe I do think about it. But I'm not gonna let that bastard ruin this day for Camilla.”
 
Dawn watched her sister head for the bathroom and wished there was something more that she could say, but knew that there wasn’t. She hoped that someday she would let someone close enough to help her deal with her past.
---------------------
 
“Bye,” Dawn told Mrs. Garrett and her daughter.
 
The door shut and she plopped down on the couch beside Buffy.
 
“That’s the last of them.”
 
“I have to say, as much as I enjoy little girlie birthday parties, I'm glad this one is over,” Xander said.
 
“You are not the only one, my friend,” Eric said.
 
The last of the party guests had made their exit and everyone seemed glad of that fact. There was only so much of five year-olds one could take. Now they were sitting around the living room.
 
Camilla came running into the room and went straight for Xander.
 
“Uncle Xander, can you please come and hook up this TV cause Mr. Spike is no good at it, and he keeps saying ballucks… and I don’t know what that means, but I don’t think it’s a nice word.”
 
Xander shook his head. He knew the vampire would never admit he didn’t know how to do something. “Anything for you,” he said, following her into her room.
 
Dawn looked at Buffy. She was leaning back with her eyes closed. She was no doubt exhausted from the party and everything else. Their earlier conversation had only proven what she already knew to be true. Buffy still thought about Martin and it was clear she wasn’t over what had happened so many years ago. Of course she hadn’t really had another man so present in her life since then… until recently that is. Dawn looked up as said man came sulking into the living room.
 
“Upset cause technology eludes you?” Dawn asked.
 
“No, I was dong just fine until Harris butted in.”
 
“Sure you were.”
 
“I'm gonna head out,” he told them. “I’ve had enough fun for one day.”
 
His voice was dripping with sarcasm, but Dawn smiled and nodded.
 
“Join the club.”
 
“You’re leaving?” Buffy asked finally opening her eyes.
 
“Yeah, I’ve got things…”
 
In truth, he really had nothing else to do, but didn’t fancy spending anymore time around Xander and Giles. They had been friendly enough towards him, but after the day he’d had, he really just wanted to get pissed and sleep.
 
“Did you tell Cam goodbye? Cause you know she’ll be mad at you if you don’t,” Dawn told him.
 
He nodded and headed back for the bedroom.
 
Buffy pushed herself up off of the couch and walked into the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of water and took a drink. She heard a noise behind her and looked to see Xander standing there.
 
“Get that TV working?”
 
“I sure did.”
 
“Now I’ll just have to worry about getting her away from the thing.” She placed the glass in the sink and leaned against the counter.
 
“Buff, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something.”
 
“What’s that?” she asked.
 
“Well, Willow was talking to me about moving to England a few weeks ago, and I’ve been thinking about it. I think I'm gonna do it.”
 
“That’s great, Xander, but I have a feeling that’s not all you want to tell me.”
 
“It’s not. They think I should train to be a watcher.”
 
“Really? I think you should.”
 
“You do?”
 
“Sure,” she told him, “I think you would make a great watcher. You always look out for me.”
 
He smiled. “I think I'm kind of obligated to look after you and Cam. You guys are like my family.”
 
“Of course we are.” She reached and gave him a hug. “I miss you guys. I wish I could see you all more often.”
 
“Well you can.”
 
“What do you mean?”
 
“We were sort of thinking that maybe you two could move with us.”
 
“Xander…”
 
“Just hear me out. You’ve lived in the city for nearing seven years now, and I know you have a decent paying job, but you’re always complaining about how boring it is, and Giles could get you a job at the council making more money. And Camilla would be around her family all the time, not just on birthdays and holidays. A change of scenery might be good for both of you.”
 
After he finished his little speech he tried to study her expression. He had tried to think of any and all good reasons for her to move to England. Willow had insisted he be the one to talk to her. Since he himself was making the decision to move, maybe he stood a chance at convincing her to do the same.
 
“I don’t know, Xander. I mean… this is Camilla’s home. This is the only place she’s ever known. And she has friends…”
 
“But she can make new ones. She’s only five.”
 
“I know, I just… I'm not sure it would be a good idea.”
 
“Just promise me you’ll think about it.”
 
Buffy sighed. He had made some good points, but her life was here now. And she wasn’t alone anymore… she had Spike. Or, she didn’t have have him, but he was there to help her watch out for her daughter.
 
“I promise.”
 
“Thank you.”
 
He gave her arm a squeeze and walked back into the living room. Buffy stood there with her arms crossed. Her friends wanted her to move to England. It would be nice to see them all more often. Maybe it would be good for Cam to get out of New York, and she could always use more money.
 
“We should get going; our flight will be leaving soon,” Xander said from the living room.
 
Buffy walked back to where her friends were all standing. “Thank you guys for coming. I know it was expensive to fly out here for a couple of hours.”
 
“You know we wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Willow said.
 
Buffy gave a round of hugs and waved goodbye to her friends.
 
“Take care of yourself,” Giles told her.
 
“Yes dad.”
 
He smiled despite himself before following Willow and Xander out the door.
 
“I'm gonna head out, too,” Spike said from behind her.
 
She turned around to look at him. “K, I’ll call you later in the week.”
 
He followed the others out the door. She shut it behind them and looked back at Dawn, who was giving her an ‘I saw that’ kind of look.
 
“What?” Buffy asked.
 
“I’ll call you,” she said in a mocking voice.
 
“Shut up.”
 
Dawn laughed. “You are so into him.”
 
“I am not. Remember what I said about the just friends thing?”
 
“Uhuh.”
 
It was clear that Dawn didn’t believe her.
 
“I'm going to bed now,” the slayer said, walking away from her nosey sister.
 
“So you can dream about your hunk of burning vampire?” Dawn called after her.
 
“Kiss my ass, Dawnie.”
 
The younger girl laughed and sat back down on the couch. She knew that Buffy wouldn’t last long with the friendship thing. It wouldn’t take much time for her to realize she wanted more with him. She smiled and leaned against Eric, who had taken his place beside her on the couch.
 
“I really hope Buffy finds what she’s been looking for,” she said.
 
“I think she already has,” Eric supplied. “She just doesn’t know it yet.”
 
“I was just thinking the same thing.”
 
“Great minds.”
 
She pressed her lips to his for a moment. “Have I told you how much I love you lately?”
 
“No, not lately.”
 
“Well, I do. You know that right?”
 
He nodded. “And I know that I love you, and I can’t wait to marry you.”
 
“It’s good to hear you say that.”
 
He kissed her again, with more force than before. His hands went to her waist and hers to his face. He was about to slip one under her shirt when a voice pulled them apart abruptly.
 
“Auntie Dawn? What are you doing?”
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