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Driving to the familiar park he thought about his life now, he had to grin at himself, he had actually thought to leave a note for someone, who would have ever thought that William the Bloody would be reduced to that? He parked the car and immediately saw the person he was meeting on the park bench. She had not changed, of course she hadn't changed she was a vampire. He took an unneccesary breath as he walked to the bench and greeted Drusilla.

She hugged him tightly "Spike, I've come for you. I'm not angry anymore about that old Slayer, we can be together again now." She giggled as he pulled away from her.

"Dru, you know that we can't be together. I don't ever want to hurt you, but I have a new life now. I just came to say hello and check on you, do you understand?" He told as he took her hands in his and sat down on the bench.

"You still love the Slayer?" Dru asked confusion showing in her dark eyes.

"Yes, Pet, I do. We have a life here, it's my new life. But I wanted to make sure you were okay. I'll never forget about you Dru." He told her tenderly.

She looked at him with a small amount of clarity now "We aren't ever going to be together again, are we Spike?"

"No, we aren't. But I will still look out for you. Do you need someplace to stay here?" He asked genuinely concerned for her.

"No, I'm okay. I'm staying with another friend. I guess I should let you go back to the Slayer now. It was so good to see you, Spike. If you should ever change your mind." She said quietly as she stood up to go.

"That won't happen, Dru. But you take care of yourself." He told her sadly as he walked back to the car.

"Oh, don't be too sure of that my Spike." Drusilla spoke the words hatefully under her breath. She got up and began walking away.

Spike came home to find a sleeping baby in the stroller and his wife busily putting groceries away in the kitchen. He came up behind her and put his strong arms around her tiny frame. She turned and kissed his cheek. "Did you enjoy your drive? Are you okay? You don't mind that I've invited people for Thanksgiving do you?"

He laughed at the barrage of questions "It was okay. I'm fine and no I don't mind. And by the way did you know that I love you?"

Turning full around she placed her arms around his neck leaning up she kissed him full on the lips. "Yes, I knew that. I love you too."

"I know you do, I never really knew what happiness truly was until you and Jacie came along, and stake me now, I sound like Angel." He grinned down at her. She was in one word his life.

Jacie stirred and called for her Dada, he quickly picked her up from the stroller. She gave him a toothy baby grin and pulled on his short hair while standing on his lap. "Da Da" she repeated.

"Yes, Jacie, Da Da is here."

Buffy smiled at her husband and daughter trying to imagine what life would be without them, knowing she had so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. After feeding the baby and bathing her, Spike read 'Goodnight Moon' for the hundredth time and put her to bed, she was soon fast asleep.

A tired Buffy crawled into bed next to Spike that evening, he pulled her close kissing the top of her head and trailing kisses down her neck. "Umm. that's nice. But you've been quiet all night, are you sure you are okay?"

"I'm fine Buffy, I just ran into an old ...friend today." He said cautiously as he contiued to trail kisses down her collarbone.

"An old friend? Who?" Buffy asked before she placed her lips on his.

"Rucilla" He mumbled as he tried to deepen the kiss.

Buffy pulled away immediately and sat upright in the bed. "Did you say Drusilla? Drusilla is in Memphis?" She said louder then she intended to.

"Yes. She is, I spoke to her and she left. Simple as that." He told her as he leaned in for another kiss.

Buffy pulled away "Nothing is ever simple with Dru, Spike. What does she want?"

"Me." He answered with a grin.

"You, she wants you?" She asked trying to retain her anger.

"Yes, and I turned her down, but invited her for Thanksgiving, okay?" He asked with a laugh.

Buffy hit him soundly with her pillow, "I don't want that loon here for Thanksgiving." She glared at him.

"I'm teasing, luv. She's gone, we probably won't see her for another 20 years." He consoled her.

"Are you sure?" She asked cuddling up next to him.

"Positive, now can we please finish what we started?" He pleaded with her.

"Well, I guess so." She told him as lips found lips... and then it was morning.

After a long day of preparing for their guests arrival, Buffy decided to take a cranky Jacie to the park for a walk. She put her in the stroller, kissed Spike and went out the door. As they walked through the park the sunset and she decided it was time to head home and feed the baby. She never made it out of the park and no one saw the dark haired woman hit the small blond on the head with a board and take the infant from the stroller she was pushing.

Buffy woke up shortly, she was lying on the ground her head throbbing. She sat up slowly, rubbing her head, her first thought of Jacie, "Jacie" She called out to the stroller, no answer. She got up more quickly now and leaped towards the stroller, turning it around her heart stopped for an instant, it was empty. She looked around the park, calling for her daughter, no one answered in the empty park. She sat on the bench and the tears began to flow.

Spike looked at the clock nervoulsly, they should have been home by now. He left out the door deciding he should go find his wife and child.

Spike heard the familiar sound of Buffy crying as he walked towards the park. He quickly found her on the bench. "What's wrong, Buffy?" She nodded towards the empty stroller. Spike panicked "Where is she, where is Jacie?" He asked her, both hands on her shoulders.

"I don't know, someone hit me on the head and when I came to, she was gone." Buffy sobbed and appeared to be in shock. Spike pulled her to him close and ran his hand through her hair. "We'll find her, don't worry. We'll find her."

Buffy looked up at him and nodded in agreement "But who?"

In a single moment they both realized the answer and voiced it together "Dru."

"Where would she have taken my baby? You said she was gone, Spike. You said not to worry. Now she has my baby!" Buffy spit the words out at him her small fists attacking his chest.

"Buffy, she won't hurt her. She wants me, and if she hurts Jacie, she knows she'll never have me. We need to get home and wait, she'll contact me. I know she will." Spike tried to comfort Buffy even as the worry began to eat at him.

Buffy did not speak the entire ride home, she only looked miserably at the empty stroller as Spike loaded it into the car. She then tearfully looked at the empty carseat and began to sob out loud again. Spike tried to console her but she only glared at him accusingly, and scooted far over into the passenger seat.

After getting home, first off Spike checked the answering machine. No messages were on it. He sat beside Buffy on the couch and tried to put his arm around her, she pulled away. The doorbell rang, Spike jumped to answer it. He had forgotten Angel was due in for Thanksgiving. It would be about time for his arrival.

"Hey, Spike." Angel greeted him as he opened the door noticing the look on Spikes face and Buffy's apparent distress he asked seriously "What is wrong?" He entered the apartment with one large step and was at Buffy's side in a second.

Angel looked to Spike again. "I repeat what is wrong here?"

Spike quickly explained as he watched Angel put his arm around Buffy and kiss the top of her hair. "It's going to be okay, Buffy. We'll find Jacie." He whispered soothingly, Buffy looked up at him and sighed.

Spike looked on the scene with anger yet, he couldn't be angry at Buffy. He had let her down, why did he keep thinking that Dru wasn't danger? So he watched helplessly as another man comforted his wife and he said nothing.

The phone rang, Spike picked it up and nodded over Buffy's head at Angel. "Yes, I'll be there. Yes, I'll bring her bottle."

"Where?" Buffy asked harshly.

"At the park again, she wants me to bring Jacie's bottle, she's hungry and Dru thinks we we are all going to live happily ever after." Spike told Buffy as he gathered his coat.

"You aren't going alone." Angel told him sharply.

"I think I can get my daughter back." Spike replied just as sharply.

"Spike, let Angel go with you. He can reason with Dru if you can't." Buffy stood up and went to Spike placing her arms around him she held on to him tightly, crying lightly she whispered "I can't take a chance of losing either of you." He held her tightly, kissing her on the cheek, he motioned for Angel and they left her alone.

Dru sat on the park bench with Jacie on her lap, the baby had been very well behaved for the first couple of hours she had her. But now Jacie was tired and hungry and wanted her mommy. "Ma Ma" Jacie cried softly.

Dru bounced the baby on her lap "It's okay, Baby. I'm your Ma Ma now. But you have the same Daddy we are going to be a family. Shh... don't cry."

Jacie looked at the strange woman holding her and let out another sob.

Spike approached Dru first as Angel hung back. "Dru." Spike called softly, relieved to see Jacie apparently none the worse for wear on her lap. Dru turned to him and smiled. Jacie called out happily for her Da Da.

"Spike, I knew you would come. We can be a family now?"

"Okay, Dru but let me see Jacie. I have her bottle here and she likes for her Daddy to feed her. Can I please have her now?" He asked calmly.

"Sit down by me and you can hold her." She instructed. The baby reached her chubby arms out to her Daddy. He took her, and held her close to him, relief washed over him. She was safe, she was going home with him.

The immediate problem of what to do with Dru plagued him. Angel stepped in with an answer. "Dru, it's good to see you." Angel said softly as he walked forward.

"Angel, my Angel. Are you coming back to me too?"

"Dru, I have a friend you should meet. I think you would get along well and he could take you back to London, you'd like that wouldn't you?"

"Will my baby and Spike go too?" She asked.

"No, Spike and Jacie have to go home. You come with me now, okay?" Angel took her by the arm and led her away. "Spike take Jacie home to Buffy. I'll be back there later, I have a phone call to make, this will be okay."

Spike shook his head in agreement and took his daughter home.

Buffy leapt at the sound of the door she had been sitting on the couch clasping 'Goodnight Moon' to her chest.

Her smile lit up the entire room when she saw Jacie in Spike's arms. The little girl was exhausted and had fallen asleep in the car. Buffy showered soft kisses all over her daughter, checking her from head to toe careful not to wake her, she whispered to Spike "What happened? Where is Angel?"

Spike explained what had happened in the park. The two relieved parents put their sleeping daughter in her crib and went to wait for Angel. He showed up shortly explaining he had a friend in town who would see to it that Dru got to London safely.

"Thank you, for your help Angel" Spike said sincerely.

"Yes, thank you so much." Buffy chimed in. "Now, it's been a very long day and I'm going to bed. We have more company due in tomorrow and I have a Thanksgiving feast to prepare. Are you coming, Spike?"

"Make yourself comfortable, mate. I've been summoned." He grinned broadly at Angel as he turned to follow Buffy.

"It was my pleasure to help. Goodnight." Angel said as he went to the guest bedroom.

"I'm sorry, Buffy. I shouldn't have trusted Dru. I didn't tell her about Jacie, I don't know how she knew. I would have never willingly put her in danger." Spike tried to explain, Buffy put a finger on his lips to stop him.

"I'm sorry, Spike. I blamed you and it wasn't fair. Of course you wouldn't ever put Jacie in danger. I was just so upset that I wasn't thinking straight."

"I love you."

"I'd like to offer a toast of thanksgiving" Giles spoke as he raised his glass. "I want to let each of you know how thankful I am to be part of your lives." He looked affectionately at Buffy, Jacie, Joyce, Angel and even Spike.

Each person at the table looked to each other and raised their glasses. Jacie giggled out loud as the glasses clinked. "I'd like to add that we are all lucky to be in each other's lives." Spike said seriously.

"Yes, we are a lucky group of people. We should be thankful for all the happiness and the sadness that we have shared." Angel added.

"And thankful for the support and understanding that we have given each other over the years." Joyce added smiling at her granddaughter.

"And we should be thankful that we know that in times of need we can depend on each other for help without even asking. And for the love that we all share. Happy Thanksgiving!" Buffy concluded with a smile.