Fall From Grace
By Saberi
Things change, even in a single summer. Spike himself was evidence of this. Four months ago he had left Sunnydale, angry and confused. Now he was back and while he may have appeared to be the same vampire, he was actually quite different.
Having a soul tends to change you on a fundamental level.
He'd been back for a week, but had yet to summon the courage to face Buffy, because of what he had almost done to her before he left. In the back of his mind he realised that by the Slayer's own logic he should be forgiven. After all, Angel (he sneered the name of his Grandsire in his mind) had never been held accountable for his actions as Angelus. But in his heart, and, well, soul, he felt that he did not deserve her forgiveness.
Yet here he was, once again lurking outside her bedroom window, chain-smoking and attempting to work up the courage to talk to her.
"Spike?"
"Yaagh!" he jumped, and whirled around, only to see...
"Dawn? What are you doing out? It's late. Does big sis know you're out here? It's not safe. Vampires lurking about and all that."
The teenager just raised an eyebrow at him.
"Buffy knows I'm out here. I'm patrolling for her. But that's not the issue, Spike. The issue is: Why. Are. You. Here?" With each word she stepped closer to the vampire until they were nose-to-nose and he could see the angry glint in her eyes all too well.
My, how she's grown
... The thought flitted through his mind out of nowhere, and he almost giggled at the absurdity of it. Here she was, from the look and sound of it not too hesitant to do him in, and all he could think about was how much taller she was than when he'd last seen her."I'm here to see Buffy," he replied honestly.
"What?" She didn't move, her eyes still an inch from his, "Why? So you can try and rape her again?"
"No!" he protested. The shock and horror he felt just remembering it must have shown in his voice, making her step back, startled. "I- I just wanted to …apologize."
Dawn cocked her head as she considered his words. He seemed sincere and genuinely sorry. But one thing bothered her...
"You say you're sorry. But if you really are, how come you waited four months to come tell her that?"
"It's a long story, 'bit. Your sister expecting you in any time soon?"
Dawn shook her head. "No. I was supposed to patrol Shadyside Cemetery and be back by 12:30. I finished early, though."
"Come on then," he sighed, and began heading back to his crypt, with Dawn close behind.
Once they arrived, Dawn plunked down in the armchair and Spike nervously asked her if she wanted anything- a pop, snacks...
"You sound like Clem!" she laughed.
"Hey!" Spike's tone was mock-offended, but inwardly he was glad that Dawn had let go of her earlier hostility. "So, you sure you want to hear this?" he asked one last time.
"Yes, already. Get on with it!" Dawn rolled her eyes in true exasperated-teenager style, and Spike began his tale.
Dawn listened with rapt attention as he detailed the trials, the reward, and how he'd spent the past four months travelling the world, helping where he was needed, before he'd felt ready to return and face the woman he loved.
"Wow," she said when he finally finished. "You went through all that just for Buffy?" The vampire nodded. An idea began to form in Dawn's crafty little teenage mind. "Spike? Could we um, go patrolling together tomorrow night? You know, just you and me?"
"Sure, 'bit. But why me and not big 'sis?"
"Oh, I figured you could give me some extra pointers- like on how to surprise attack vamps and stuff..." she trailed off, then grinned. "Meet me at the end of my street at 11-tomorrow night. See ya!" and she scampered off, leaving a somewhat bemused Spike in her wake.
* * *
"Dawn, why do you want to patrol with me, anyway?" Buffy asked as her little sister practically dragged her out of the house.
"Um, sisterly bonding ritual!" Dawn supplied.
"Over slaying?" Buffy questioned with a raised eyebrow. "That's funny, considering you're normally all 'I can handle a routine patrol on my own!'" she imitated her sister, exaggerating the whiny tone. Dawn rolled her eyes.
"I am so not that bad," she insisted. "I just wanna improve my slaying technique. Besides," she elbowed her sister playfully; "you know you enjoy playing Jedi Master to my Padawan..."
Buffy groaned. "That's the last time I let you stay over at Xander's for an all-night Star Wars marathon..." she trailed off as she saw just where Dawn had been taking her; or rather, to whom.
"Buffy," he said, sounding as shocked and confused as she felt.
"Spike,"
"Dawn!" they both chorused. The culprit flashed the two of them a smile before turning tail and running.
"Later, guys!" she called out, before ducking behind a tree so that she could witness the fireworks and (hopefully) reconciliation between two of her favourite people.
"Why are you back, Spike?" Buffy tried to sound angry when she asked him, but it came off sounding more sad than anything else.
"Buffy- there's something I need to tell you..." she waited expectantly for him to explain himself, but whatever he was going to say was cut off as they found themselves surrounded by a dozen men clad in combat gear.
"Take the vampire!" One, obviously in charge, ordered the others. Immediately, Spike found himself held captive by four of the men. And indeed they were human, as the chip fired in reaction to his initial struggles. He stilled, defeated.
"What about the girl?" a subordinate with a nasally voice asked.
"We'll have to take her too. We can't have any witnesses." In-charge replied.
"This wasn't in the mission parameters!" Nasally voice protested.
"Are you questioning my orders?" In-charge hissed menacingly.
"N-no, sir!" Nasally voice insisted, and moved to help his comrades who were having a much more difficult time capturing Buffy than they had Spike.
The vampire's unbeating heart surged as Buffy broke free from her captors' hold, but his hope was crushed as one of them produced a tazer gun and shot her with it. The last sight he saw before being knocked unconscious himself was of the Slayer's form crumpling to the ground.
From her vantage point behind the tree, Dawn watched in shock and horror as the mysterious men dragged Spike and Buffy into a black van and sped away into the night.