"Spike?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did she have to...why her? It isn't fair."

The hairbrush in Spike's hand paused mid-stroke while he took in the sudden change of topic. He didn't even need to ask who Dawn was talking about. He knew it was her mother and he supposed he should have expected this sooner or later. After all the girl had lost her mum and that wasn't something you just get over and Buffy was so unapproachable these days.

"Bad things happen to good people," he said, resuming the stokes of the brush through Dawn's long, brown hair. "That's life. There's nothing fair about it and there's also nothing we can do about it neither so no point in frettin' over it. 'Sides she wouldn't want you to."

"Do you think she's happy?"

Spike studied the back of the head in front of him while he tried to decide if he should offer the usual platitudes or tell her the truth. 'Course it would help if he knew what the truth was himself. "You have a way of askin' the tough questions, don't ya, Pet?"

"If I ask anybody else, they'll just tell me whatever they think I want to hear. If they bother to answer me at all." Dawn turned, her expression earnest. "I don't always like it, but I trust you to tell me the truth."

Christ! What kind of world was it when a young girl trusted a vampire over her own sister and the rest of the white hats? A bloody screwed up one he supposed. The kind of world which seemed to let the scum of the earth walk around while taking the finest from those of us left behind.

"Do I think she's happy?" Spike repeated. "She was a good lady, Pet. No doubt about that. The best of the best, yeah? People like yer mum? They deserve their bit of happiness. To be some place nice."

Dawn seemed to consider this for a moment. "So you think she's in heaven?"

"Dunno really," Spike replied with a shrug. "Not sure if there is a heaven as such but a special place...suppose you could call it heaven though. A place where they can be at peace and rest. Where they can watch over you and know how you are and what you're doin'. And Joyce wouldn't want you to be sittin' about and mopin' after her. She'd want you to be happy too."

"But I don't want to forget her Spike!" Dawn cried, distressed.

Spike pulled her in for a hug. "Not talking about forgettin' her, Bit. There's a difference between mourning and rememberin'. You shouldn't ever forget your mum but you do need to move on and be happy."

"What was your mom like?" Dawn asked, peering up at him from the cocoon of his arms. "I mean your real mom."

The question came as a bit of a shock but it also made him realise how much Joyce reminded him of his own mother. "A lot like yours actually. She was a real lady with a heart of gold."

"Do you miss her?"

"All the time," Spike said, wistfully.

Dawn gave Spike a tiny smile. The first one he could remember seeing since Joyce had passed away. It was almost enough to make his useless heart start beating again. "We'll remember them together then."

"I'd like that, Bit."