Dawn wondered down the street to Spike's crypt. She usually did this when things got tough or when she argued with her sister. Which was often, Buffy was still her older sister and she treated her like a child more and more every day. Though Dawn was not a child. She just turned sixteen and was becoming a women. She was maturing and her views were changing. She had always been mature for her age, she had to grow up quickly seeing as her sister was the slayer. When Dawn visited Spike it made her feel better. Spike treated her like she was an adult not a child in need of constant protection, though he would protect her with his life. The slayers little sister and the only one besides her long passed mother who treated him like he was deserving of affection.
Dawn arrived at the graveyard where Spike's crypt was. She knocked on the door once before charging in. Spike jumped and looked over at her as he fell to the floor. He quickly stood up and recovered from his scare.
"I scare you?" Dawn asked smiling as she shut the door behind her.
"Oh, Nibblet it's just you. You really shouldn't barge in on a guy like that, have some respect for the dead will ya." Spike smiled jokingly.
"Sorry, I just got in a fight with Buffy." Dawn admitted frowning.
"Big sis being overprotective again." Spike sat on the couch and looked over at her.
"You could call it that." Dawn looked down at her feet.
"Well don't be a stranger come on over and watch the tele, Passions is on." Spike said invitingly rubbing circles on the empty spot next to him. "Unless your afraid of the big bad."
"Never." She said smiling. Dawn jumped over to sit next to Spike, eyes firmly planted on the TV.
"Oh this is a new one!" Dawn said staring at the television. Spike had gotten her hooked on Passions so they watched it together often.
Spike peered over at Dawn from the corner of his eye not on purpose but the intent was not innocent. Dawn had on a low cut shirt and Spike couldn't keep his eyes off of her tonight. It was getting harder to be near her each time she came over. He never wanted to feel this away about her. Everyone still thought he wanted her sister even Dawn. Spike's affection for Buffy was a sick obsession, sure there was something there maybe love but not anymore, not as strong as his feelings for Dawn. He tried to deny it tried to fight it off. But you can't fight what the heart wants. And Spike's unbeating heart longed for Dawn, for the slayers sixteen year old sister. He knew it was wrong and foolish to fall for the younger of the Summer's women, hell either one of them, that's why he tried to ignore it. He didn't want to push her away not seeing her was harder than being this close. Every thought of her he tried desperately to ignore, because he was good now, atleast he tried to be, and to want Dawn would be wrong right?
As the show came to an end Spike let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. Dawn looked over at him.
"That was a good episode." She said smiling.
"Uh, yeah, that was a good one, little bit." Spike nodded.
Dawn hated when he called her little nicknames, she for once wanted to hear him say her name, the way he had said Buffys' name. She loved the fact that he had nicknames for her it meant she mattered, she had gotten over that though, she knew she mattered to him. But she wanted him to feel for her the way he felt about Buffy. Most people thought the way he stalked her was sick, Dawn wished he would do that to her.
"So Spike. What you wanna do?" She said moving her smooth legs onto the couch as she turned to face him. Every move she made stung him, feuling his desire, causing it to worsen.
"Dunno, don't bloody well care. Whatever interests you." He said looking at the floor. Just don't look at her.
"Uhm...let's just talk." Dawn said smiling. "I'm sorta tired and I don't wanna go anywhere but I don't want to go home."
"All right then Nibblet, how was your day at school?" Spike asked leaning back onto the sofa letting himself relax.
"Boring." She sighed. "Some boy asked me out." Dawn said admittingly.
"Who?" Spike asked looking at Dawn, she could have sworn she saw his eyes flash yellow.
"Sean." Dawn smirked catching a hint of jealousy in Spike's eyes.
"Well then, what did you say?" Spike asked almost angry.
"Maybe. But then there's this other guy who want's us to be benfriends." She said toying with him.
"Uhm...sorry bit but what in the bleeding hell is...benefriends?" Spike asked confused.
"Friends with benefits." Dawn admitted shyly. "His names Dan and he's cuter then Sean, but I don't know what to do."
"What do you mean?" Spike asked now angry to hear her even thinking about being...benefriends with some boy.
"I mean I could go for Dan cause he's hot but he'll prolly just use me." She paused watching Spike clench his jaw. "Sean is sweet and all but not as hot as Dan, or I could..." She paused.
"Or you could what?" Spike asked interested.
"I could keep pining for the same guy that I always have." She frowned some part of her hoping Spike didn't understand another screaming for him to hear her.
"Whatever you want pet." Spike said frowning, not realizing Dawn's intent.
Dawn sat on the couch nervous. She never felt this way around Spike he always made her comfortable, she felt safe here. For once she was nervous, afraid she said something wrong as he got up and walked over to the fridge.
"Thirsty nibblet?" Spike asked his back to her as he grabbed a glass full of blood.
"No." Dawn answered biting her bottom lip.
"Ice cream then?" He asked turning and grining as he held out a pint of chocolat ice cream and a spoon.
"Sure." She said smiling as he walked over to her with the ice cream. Dawn grabbed the ice cream and cracked open the top. "Thanks." She said smiling from ear to ear.
"Anything for you." Spike smirked guzzling down his glass of blood. Spike could drink blood in front of her. It wasn't all right to everyone else they felt uncomfortable and pretty much sickened. Not Dawn she didn't care it was the same to her as seeing him drink a soda.
"Mmm, this is delicous." Dawn said smiling. "There is no problem that can not be solved by chocolat, by the end of this pint, I garuantee I will know the answer to my delema." She said grinning sheepishly.
"Little chocolat luv." Spike said holding back a smile as he observed a drop of chocolat beside her lip.
"Gone?" She asked trying to wipe it away.
"Not quiet." Spike reached up and wiped away the chocolat off of her lip, he reached his hand to his mouth and licked it off. "Mmm, your right, delicous." Spike said curling one side of his mouth up in a sly smirk.
"Umm...thanks." Dawn said biting her lip.
They sat in silence for a while, Spike drinking his blood, Dawn eating her ice cream.
"So then luv, have you decided what your going to do about the boy trouble?" He asked intently. She liked that nickname, luv, it was one of the better ones, that and pet. Truth was she had decided the second Spike showed a hint of jealousy, any little bit of hope was enough to continue pining for him.
"Pining, deffinitely going to keep pining." She said almost to quickly.
"Hmmm." Spike said smirking. He almost thought it seemed she was talking about him, he wasn't sure but it was enough to toy with her. "Why's that then luv?"
"The other two are boys, highschool boys, he's not..." Dawn paused. "He's a real man." She said feeling foolish for letting that part slip.
Spike was almost sure that she was talkng about him now. There was no doubt, either that or some older guy she knew, and that he wouldn't have. "Maybe I should take this guy out." Spike said a questioning look in his eyes.
"Uhm, you probably wouldn't wanna do that." Dawn said smiling at some inside joke, little did she know Spike was catching on.
"Really?" Spike paused smiling. "Why's that cutie?" Spike asked, rolling his tongue on the outside of his teeth under his closed mouth.
"No reason." She frowned nervous now. The last thing she wanted was for Spike to discover her feelings for him and laugh in descust.
"All right, seems the Nibblet has a secret she is intent on keeping, I can take a hint." Spike said putting away what was left of her ice cream.
"Don't be angry I just...it's something I just can't say right now." She frowned looking down ashamed.
"It's fine, I get it." Spike walked over and sat on the top of the tomb in his crypt.
"You don't seem to." She said standing up.
"I don't get much about you pet. Your a bloody mystery to me." Spike smiled putting a cigarette into his mouth fiddling around to find his lighter.
"Here it is." Dawn said picking up Spike's lighter that was resting on the couch. Dawn sauntered over to Spike. She handed it to Spike as he purpousfuly touched the outside of her hand before taking the lighter and lighting his cigarette.
"Thanks." Spike thanked her putting the lighter into his pocket.
"No problem." Dawn frowned feeling rejected for some strange reason, the awkard silence clouding her mind. Little did she know Spike was complimenting her he was atracted to her strange mood swings the way he could never tell what she was going to do next.
"'Sts wrong pet?" Spike asked wondering why she went into depressed mode, throwing him for a loop again.
"Oh nothing, i'm just thinking." She paused. "About where I'm going to stay tonight. I am NOT staying at Buffys." She paused noticing she didn't take claim on her own home. "Maybe Janices, or...I don't know." Here. Dawn though ashamed not wanting to leave his side as she stood by him watching him take puff from his cigarette. "Maybe here, I'm kinda tired and if I go to Janice's she'll wanna talk all night, I know you wont chat my ear off and you'll let me sleep." She pleaded catiously.
"I don't know if thats such a good idea pet." Spike said looking into her blue eyes. And I bloody well want to do much more than chat, I can't sleep with you so close. Don't do it William don't be a fool.
"Please..." She begged looking into his eyes pouting sweetly.
"Fine." Spike caved with ease. He couldn't deny her not when she gave him that look.
"So where do I sleep?" She asked looking at Spike.
"Couch or bed that's underground, don't suppose the tomb would suit you much, it's not too cumffy." Spike joked with out a smile.
"Uhm...couch." She said wanting to be closer to him.
"All right then luv." Spike agreed as she went to lie down on the couch.
"'Night." Dawn said as Spike threw a blanket over her.
"Good night Nibblet." Spike said kissing her forhead. It sent a shiver down her spine. Shocking Spike as much as it did Dawn. He kissed me. Sure only her forhead but that was enough for her.
Spike lay down on the tomb not sleeping not tired. Even more then that not feeling like it was right to sleep when he had to protect the Nibblet from anyone wanting to barge into his crypt and extract bloody vangance on him, for a time he had wronged them. He couldn't take any one harming her. He would have to try his hardest to make it through this night Dawn slow close, it was taking everything he had to stay in his own bed that night. He heard her stirring back and forth through the night. Then she began whimpering loudly, having a bad dream obviously, and it bothered Spike he wanted to comfort her. Eventually her moans were far too much for him to bare as he jumped up to walk over to her. Before he got there she sat up screaming.
"Nibblet, it's all right." Spike reassured her sitting by her side touching her shoulder.
"Spike, spike your all right, your alive." Dawn said franticaly breathing as if she had to fight for air.
"Of course luv, why wouldn't I be?" Spike said trying to calm her.
"I had an aweful dream, you fell, insead of Buffy when, I was on the tower and you, Buffy pushed you." Dawn tried to explain as tears welled up inside her eyes.
"S'all right pet i'm here no one pushed me off of that tower, it was a year ago." Spike said running his hadn through her hair soothing her.
"I know it just felt so real." Dawn frowned.
"It's all right now." Spike smiled.
"Yeah." Dawn said her breathing slowing down.
"Okay, I'm gonna let you get some sleep." Spike said going to go back to his tomb.
"No!." She shouted almost too quickly. "Stay." She pleaded.
"Nibblet I'm not sure if that's such a good idea." Spike frowned wanting to more then anything, knowing it would hurt too much to be so close yet so far.
"Please, I can't sleep and if your here, I know your okay." She begged him with her eyes looking into his blue eyes innocently.
"All right." And with a sigh he gave in. Spike lay down on the inside of the couch it was farely large but they were still close enough that they were touching.
"Thanks." Dawn smiled.
Spike breathed in the scent of her. "Dawn." Spike said the sound was breathy almost against his will.
Oh my God he said my name. My real name. Dawn shuddered with excitement. "Yeah?" She asked remaining as calm as possible.
"Good night." Spike breathed.
"Night."
Dawn wiggled herself around the couch trying to find a comfortable spot. She flipped her hair and settled herself under the covers Spike kept himself on top of them. She continued to try and find a comfortable spot which was causing her scent to spread around more, causing Spike frustration. She smelt like lavender and vanillla. The blood was the part that really got to him as she lay there her neck exposed. Her blood smelled like sweet wine, from being the mystical key, it made her blood different anicent, perfect.
"Dawn, you keep bloody well moving and I am never going to be able to sleep here." Spike said slightly annoyed more at himself then Dawn.
"Oh sorry, am I keeping you awake?" Dawn asked shyly.
"No, not awake luv, I can't stay near you when your stirring around the scent of your blood." Spike smirked and evil look in his eyes.
"Oh." She said an innadequte answer.
"Yeah oh, you bloody well don't want to be stirring up the demon inside me now." Spike's eyes lit up as he looked down at Dawn.
"You don't know that." Dawn smiled sheepishly, turning to face Spike.
"Be sure what you want before you start tempting a demon luv." Spike grinned.
"I know what I want Spike." Dawn said serious.
Spike looked at her shock filling his eyes as Dawn's pale cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink. "As long as your sure." Spike said leaning into place a kiss on Dawn's lips.
