Dawn walked home from school feeling quite miserable. Her day had been awful, starting with a breakfast yelling match with Buffy, and ending with her friends laughing at her because she'd never had a real kiss. Yes, all in all, it had been a terrible day. Now here she was walking home by herself in the dark, feeling utterly humiliated, and great, it was starting to rain. Dawn held her school bag over her head as she began to run. She didn't get very far before she hit something rather hard, which sent her flying into a puddle. It was the last straw, and Dawn burst into tears.
"You ok Niblet? I didn't see you there."
Dawn looked up into the concerned face of Spike. He squatted down in front of her and gently pushed her hair out of her face. Such a gentle touch after such a bad day was enough to make her cry harder. "Ok love, let's get you home."
Spike took her hands and pulled her up. He took his duster off and draped it around her shoulders. "Such a gentleman", Dawn said through her tears. Spike just smiled and put an arm around her to guide her home.
Dawn's tears had subsided by the time she and Spike reached her house. "Buffy's out, but you're welcome to come in…if you want".
Dawn looked down when she said this. Since Buffy had come back, things were different. Spike was obviously still in love with her, but he didn't come around as often. Dawn figured that he thought he didn't need to. When Buffy was dead, Spike pretty much lived with them. He'd sleep on the couch, often with Dawn by his side. He'd promised to protect Dawn, in every way, including from the pain Buffy's death caused. There had been many nights where Spike had held Dawn while she sobbed, stroked her hair, and kissed her head. She missed those nights. Dawn had always had a crush on Spike, but she knew nothing could ever come of it. Not while Spike was in love with her sister. "Yeah, why not? I think I've got some blood left here anyway."
Spike followed Dawn into the kitchen where she warmed a mug of blood for him and poured a glass of juice for herself. They sat in silence for a bit, just sipping their drinks. Dawn was the first to break the silence. "Sooo… I guess you're kinda curious about what happened, right? I mean, when you…bumped into me."
"I guess so. I'm more interested in why you were walking home alone in the dark?" Spike raised his eyebrow to add emphasis to his question.
"Oh, um, I was studying…at the library. I guess I just lost track of time. It happens you know, when you're really absorbed in…um, reading."
"Mmhmm….nice excuse. How about you try for a more convincing one next time."
Dawn sighed. "Fine. I was talking with my friends. Though now I kinda wish I'd just come straight home."
"And why's that, Platelet? Apart from the fact you know Buffy would kill you if she knew."
"Um…it doesn't really matter now. Just some stupid teenage thing."
"Right. Some stupid teenage thing that seriously upset you. What was it? You can tell me Dawn. I'm not gonna bite you."
"Well, dah. You couldn't bite me anyway. Chip, remember?"
Spike replied with a rather withering look.
"Look…it doesn't really matter what they said. I'd rather just forget it." Spike noticed that Dawn seemed to be very interested in her shoes.
"You don't have to tell me, Dawn, but you know, talking does help. Take it from the Big Bad. Even I talk about my problems sometimes."
Dawn snorted at his comment, but didn't look up. Spike watched in interest, and then amusement as Dawn's cheeks turned bright red. He couldn't think why she would be blushing like that. In the time he'd known her, he'd hardly ever seen her blush. She usually turned her embarrassment to anger, finding blame in the person embarrassing her. It was a good tactic, one he used himself.
"I've never been kissed."
Spike wasn't sure that she'd actually spoken, her voice was so quiet. Even with his vampire senses, he had to ask her what she'd said.
"Did I hear you right, love? You said you've never been kissed?"
Dawn didn't answer, just shook her head, still as bright as a tomato, still looking at her shoes.
She had expected a sarcastic remark, maybe an amused comment. What she hadn't expected was Spike to burst out laughing. When she heard the sound, she looked up, embarrassment replaced by anger. "Are you seriously laughing at me? What, you didn't think I felt bad enough, you thought you'd add to it?" Dawn was close to tears again. Ok, so Spike was still technically evil, but after what they'd been through together, she thought he'd have the decency to be subtle about his amusement. Instead he seemed positively delighted at her humiliation. Spike's laughter died instantly when he saw the look on her face. He felt strangely guilty at having upset his Niblet. It hadn't been his intention; in fact he'd meant the opposite. He'd meant to make her feel like it wasn't a big deal. But the tears in her eyes said that he hadn't succeeded.
"Oh, come on love. Don't cry. Look, it's not a big deal that you've never been kissed. You're still young. You've got plenty of time to be kissed, among other things."
"But it IS a big deal. I'm the ONLY girl in the WHOLE SCHOOL who hasn't been kissed!" Dawn sobbed harder, and Spike had to try to suppress a smile. Life was so much harder as a teenager, apparently. There was so much drama involved in everything. Spike pulled Dawn against his chest and started stroking her hair. Dawn's tears subsided almost immediately as her thoughts turned to Spike. He hadn't held her like this since Buffy had come back. She missed it, and it only made her tighten her hold on him, as she breathed in his scent of cigarettes, leather and something else indescribable that she associated only with Spike. It was his unique scent, and she loved it. Spike kept stroking her hair gently as she clung to him. When he was sure she wasn't going to start sobbing again, he gently kissed the top of her head, and pulled her off him. He looked down at her and smiled, please when she returned it, tears still glistening on her cheeks. "You don't have to worry about never being kissed. The time will come, Niblet, and whether good or bad, it'll be something you'll never forget. Don't let your friends make you feel bad about it. It'll happen when it'll happen. For now, just know that I take comfort in the fact that you're still innocent, a rosebud yet to bloom."
"Wow, cliché much?" Dawn replied with a slight giggle. Spike laughed quietly with her, happy that for now, she was content with her purity.
