Buffy vaulted over a row of headstones and tackled Willow and Xander to the ground as a bolt of blue light shot past. The slayer peeked over one of the graves to see their pursuer let fly another blast of energy.

"He's nothing if not persistent. Xander, can you keep Wills covered while she finishes the blinding spell?"

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll be the distraction. Willow, you ready?"

The witch nodded. "Be careful, Buffy. There won't be a way to tell right away if the spell has worked."

"Then just make sure it works, 'kay?" Buffy crawled off behind the headstones as the demon's screeching voice called out "You cannot hide forever, Slayer, your blood will be mine!"

Xander and Willow heard Buffy mumble "yeah, yeah" as Willow closed her eyes and held up her palms. As a sort of physical plea of the spirit world, Willow had to keep her eyes closed while she performed the incantation. Xander kept watch for her, ready to pull her out of harm's way if necessary.

Spike could see the light show over the Rolling Hills cemetery from his crypt a mile away. He had nothing better than Harmony to do, so he decided to check it out.

He lurked behind a rather large oak tree while he took in what seemed to be going on in the latest Sunnydale version of what normal people called "Tuesday night." There was the Slayer, dodging blue bolts of energy that were being thrown at her by what appeared to be a seven foot tall garden gnome, minus the hat. There was the Witch, palms out like she was playing patty-cake and eyes closed while her lips moved quickly. And there was the Whelp, holding on to Willow's elbows and watching Buffy duke it out with Father Time. The only player he couldn't get a real good look at was whatever was in the cage near the giant gnome.

Maybe cage wasn't the right word. It was more like a chest, about four feet square, and it had openings, covered with bars, on all sides. For a moment, a little pale limb emerged between two of the bars. Probably some sort of child locked in there. Gnome snack? Demon offering? Hard to tell.

Spike didn't feel the need to get involved. Aside from her hair getting a little singed by the last bolt, Buffy seemed to be doing well. And Willow looked alright. He frowned at that. He'd told himself a dozen times that he wasn't going to think about the little witch. But was it his fault that she smelled so nice? And that she blushed so gloriously? Or that her neck had the softest little place behind her ear...

He needed a cigarette.

"...duculda simalacrum est... now, Xander..." Willow whispered.

"Buffy! Down!" Xander yelled and stood Willow up, turning her to face the blue-haired behemoth they were fighting.

The Slayer hit the ground and Willow opened her eyes. When she did, beams of what looked like sunlight shot out of them. The gnome guy made a screeching "aieeee" noise that sounded an awful lot like Xena's battle-cry on testosterone as the light connected with him. His skin began smoking. "This isn't over, Slayer!" he bellowed and pulled his cloak over him, disappearing.

Willow slumped back into Xander and they hobbled over to Buffy. The blonde rolled onto her back. "Did he just pull a St. Nick? I swear he had to put his finger on his nose to disappear like that." Xander held out a hand to help her up.

"Now do we get to see what's in that box he was so intent on smuggling out of here?" Willow asked.

Buffy headed in the direction of the chest. "My vote is Leprechaun. He kept yelling something about it being the thing that will lead him to riches."

"Leprechaun," Xander noted. "Good cereal. Bad movie."

The three knelt beside the box. There was a heavy lock on the lid.

"Did we bring an axe?"

"Do we want to open it?"

"Does anyone smell Cheetos?"

Buffy and Willow gave Xander a look, one that had been patented especially for him. Buffy opened her mouth to say something when Willow sat forward.

"I do smell Cheetos!"

Then came the distinct sound of munching.

"So," Buffy began, "the idea I'm getting here is that whatever is in that box is snacking?"

Xander sat forward and peered inside the box. "Hello?"

The munching stopped. Two little hands took hold of two of the bars and suddenly a small face with a very orange mouth peered out at him. "Hello?" the face repeated. It was a little girl; she appeared to be about 2 or 3 years old. Buffy was already examining the lock to figure out how to get the child free.

"Well, hey, little one," Xander said warmly. "You're not a scary night thing at all. Who put you in that box?"

"Bad man," the little girl said breathily. "Badmanbadmanbadman."

"Awww," Willow cooed. She shifted next to Xander. "Buffy, hurry. We've got to get her out of there."

At the sound of Willow's voice, the girl began to fidget. She tried to stick her face through the bars. She couldn't see Willow from the angle she was at.

"Whoa there, little bit, don't hurt yourself. Miss Buffy'll have you out in a minute." Xander was doing so well with the child, one would have thought he had little siblings.

Buffy tilted her head at him. Her look said "Miss Buffy?" He shrugged. "So, no axe, right?" She shook her head. "Can you get her to sit down in the corner? I think I can smash the lock, but I might dent the side..."

Xander tried to coax the little girl away from the opening nearest the lock, but she was still fervently trying to push as much of her face and hands through the bars as possible. Willow stood up and moved to the side of the box that Buffy wanted the girl crouched in. "Xander, come over to this side, maybe then she'll–"

Before Willow could finish, there was a little face staring up at her. "Kinda like that," Willow murmured. "Hey, there." The little face didn't speak. Willow looked at the girl. She had the biggest blue eyes. And red hair. "Look," Willow said. "We've both got red hair." As soon as she said this, the little girl's hands shot through the bars and she put her little Cheeto-dust covered hands on Willow's face. It was like she was looking at her in awe.

"Might want to hurry, Buffy. I think I've freaked her out."

"This might be loud... one... two..." She brought her foot down on three. Willow kind of jumped as the box shook violently, but the little girl seemed perfectly at ease.

Xander and Buffy moved the splintered remains of the lid away so they could get the girl out. Now they could see that all she had on was a long white t-shirt. The only other thing in the box was the half-empty bag of cheese snacks. The first thing the little girl wanted when they pulled her out her makeshift carrying case was to be picked up by Willow. She promptly wrapped her legs around Willow's midsection and rested her head on the older girl's shoulder.

"I don't think you frightened her, Wills. I think she likes you." Buffy acknowledged. "Maybe you seem familiar or something. You could pass for her big sister, you know."

"You think that demon kidnapped her? How do we find out who she belongs to?" Xander asked.

As if in answer, the girl raised her head off Willow's shoulder and said "Mommy."

Buffy stepped forward. "Yes, we'll find your mommy."

"No!" the girl shouted. She pulled back and looked at Willow. "Mommy," she stated, her own blue eyes locked on Willow's green ones. Willow stiffened. She couldn't possibly be...

And then the little girl's head pulled back. She began to sniff and her eyes began changing colors... they began to glow. She smiled widely and when she did, Willow gasped. Two of her little baby teeth were little fangs. "Daddy!" the girl squealed enthusiastically. She wormed her way out of Willow's grasp faster than any of them knew what was happening and then she ran off.

"What just — did she call you — what happened with — did you see?" Xander's questions matched the confused looks on Buffy and Willow's faces.

None of their looks matched the face of the surprised vampire that was now walking toward them with a little girl clutching one of his hands in both of hers.

"You don't mean–" Xander was looking back and forth between Willow and Spike with what could best be described as a "horrified" expression on his face. Buffy had crossed her arms over her chest. Willow was already blushing furiously.

Spike went straight to Willow. "Well, love," he drawled. He reached down and hoisted the girl up into his arms. "She's got your hair and my eyes."

Willow looked at Spike standing there, small child in his arms and she swore her vision blurred. No wait, not just any child... their child. Her and Spike. A child. Her hair. His eyes. Real child. Not dimensional being. She was a mom. Spike was a dad. She was the mother of Spike's child. Where had all the air in the cemetary suddenly gone?

"Sp-ike?" Willow's voice sounded tight and strange. "I think I'm gonna..."

He caught her to him easily as she fainted. The other woman in his arms giggled. "Mommy surprised."