Chapter Two - Journey

She got into his car next day after school, grinned at him, and closed the door. "Any problems?" he asked.

"None. I pretended I forgot something and told my friends not to wait. So, where're we going?" Dawn was excited.

"Where we're going isn't important. It's why." Spike looked determined about something.

Dawn frowned. "Ok, why're we going?"

Spike pursed his lips. "We're going t'get her back."

Dawn sat, stunned. "What? How? How? Willow's been researching and hasn't found a way."

Spike raised his eyebrows. "I suspected as much. Magic. It always has consequences. Never trust it, m'self."

"Then how?" Dawn repeated, raising her voice.

"Gotta go and see some people. There's this legend, only it turns out maybe it's not a legend. If someone dies to save someone else, its like, you can put it right. You can get them back. Don't know all the details, but it is risky. That's why I'm doing this and you're just along for the ride. Understand?"

"But, I'm the one who should've died. I was the key. So, maybe, they'll take me." Dawn was whispering.

"If that's the deal, then it doesn't happen. No way," Spike said firmly.

Dawn was looking pale. "So, where do we go?" she asked.

Spike took a deep breath. "We drive north quite a way. We'll keep to back roads as much as we can in case the gang involve the police. The place we're going isn't technically in this world, so once we get to the portal, we should be safe."

"How long?" Dawn asked. "I guess, some time tomorrow we'll reach the portal, then, maybe another day or two. I'm not sure how time works where we're going. I packed some sleeping bags, food, blood. Nothing fancy. I hope it's ok."

They continued to drive, mainly in silence, each busy with their own thoughts.

Spike was picturing Dawn with Buffy. Remembering their arguments, their laughter. Remembering the time Buffy burst into his crypt to ask him to help him find Dawn, only to find her with him. She'd been so angry. But Dawn had said that day that she felt safe with Spike, and that made him smile inside even as he'd told her to "take that back". Funny, he'd always felt responsible for the Niblet – even before he'd made his promise. Buffy knew she could trust him with the people she cared about. She just didn't trust him with herself.

Dawn was remembering all the times she'd heard Buffy say things to Spike which had hurt him. He always did his best to hide the hurt, but she'd seen it in the way his eyes momentarily grew larger, before he managed to control his expression. She remembered the day Buffy died. When she got to the ground, there was Willow with Tara, Xander with Anya and Spike, on his own. He had his hands up at his face and his chest was heaving with sobs. Not one of them, not even she, had given him any comfort. But then he wouldn't have wanted any. She knew he blamed himself for her death.

They stopped once to call Willow. Dawn made the call. "Don't try to follow us or stop us, Willow," she pleaded. "I'm safe. Buffy trusted Spike to keep me safe. I just have to spend some time with him. He's been so alone since she died." She hung up.

Willow called Tara and then phoned Xander and Giles. She explained the situation. Ten minutes later they were all at the Summers house. "Willow, have you called the police? That's the first step. And how about some magic? There's got to be some tracing spell you can use. I am so going to stake Spike when I see him. How could he do this to Dawn?" Xander exploded into the house.

The others were already there. "She wasn't afraid. She wasn't, when I spoke to her. She sounded determined about something. I also got the impression she wasn't telling me something, but she definitely wasn't worried. She was really keen that we don't follow her," said Willow.

"How can you say that? Dawn's been kidnapped by a homicidal maniac and you say she wasn't scared. He must have drugged her or something." Xander started pacing.

"No," said Giles, taking off his glasses. "Dawn's never been afraid of Spike. And, I've got to say, Dawn was right, Buffy trusted Spike to look after her, many times. As have we. Maybe we've got to trust him now." He sighed. "I can't believe I just said that, but I still think, we should wait a while before reacting. If we storm in now and Dawn was safe all the time, she's going to be very hurt that we didn't trust her. She hasn't really confided much in any of us since Buffy died, has she? And I suppose, we've all been too wrapped up in our grief to notice."

"She – she has been spending some time with Spike. A couple of times I saw her at the cemetery. I think Spike spends some time at Buffy's grave every night before patrol. Dawn mentioned seeing him there sometimes," Tara said, uncertain of how this information would be taken.

"Ok, we just sit tight for a few days and hope she'll be ok? Is that what we do?" demanded Xander. I can't believe you guys. I'm gonna..."

"Stop it, Sweetie," said Anya. "I think it'll be ok. Really. Spike's not gonna hurt Dawn. Let's go home and talk about it. You just need to calm down a bit."

Spike's car continued on the road for some time after dark before Spike found a remote spot to stop for the night. Dawn ate a little. She wasn't hungry. Spike got out two sleeping bags. One he put on the back seat of the car. "On you go, I know it's not what you're used to but you'll be safer in the car," he said.

"What about you?" she asked. "I'll be right outside. I'll lock you in," he said as he laid the second bag on the ground. "Get some sleep, we'll be on our way before dawn".

It was much later. Dawn wasn't sure what time, but still very dark. She wondered what had wakened her. Then she heard it again. It was Spike. He was making noises in his sleep. A nightmare, she guessed. Then she heard his scream. It was one word "Buffy", but said with so much anguish, she was taken back to that awful night, when she'd heard that scream before. Then the sobbing started. Dawn got out of her sleeping bag and opened the car door. She went to him. She remembered how no one comforted Spike that night. She couldn't leave him in his nightmare. She bent down and put one hand on his shoulder. She tried shaking him, trying to get him to wake up. He suddenly stiffened. "Buffy, Buffy, is that you?" He opened his eyes. "What are you doing? I told you to stay in the car!" he shouted.

"You were having a nightmare. I was trying to wake you," she shouted back, surprised by his anger." "You were dreaming about the night she died, weren't you?" she asked, more quietly.

He took a deep breath. "Yeah, pet, I was. You gave me such a scare. I'm sorry I shouted. It's just, remember I told you, you smelled just like her? Well, for a second, in the dream, I caught that smell and everything seemed even more real. I'm sorry."

"S'ok," Dawn gave him a half-hearted smile. "So, d'you have that dream often?" "Every night pet," he sighed, "Every bloody night."

Dawn got back into the car. She snuggled down as best she could into her sleeping bag. She listened carefully. She heard him crying now he thought she wouldn't hear. She cried too. She must have cried herself to sleep as the next thing she knew, Spike jumped into the car. The sun was coming up. "Judged that a bit close, didn't I?" he said with a grin. He seemed back to normal. Get yourself sorted, we gotta go."

Some time just after noon, they reached a landscape of scrub with cliffs in the distance. "That's where we're heading. Not much further, not in this world anyway." He drove the car off the road, picking up a piece of paper with some sort of instructions. "Drive due west," he said. "It would be west, wouldn't it." He sat as far back from the windscreen as he could.

They approached the entrance of a cave. "So, do we get out?" asked Dawn. "No, we drive straight in. We'll need the car on the other side." They drove in, and Spike slowed right down. Ahead was a misty veil. They drove into it and out the other side. Dawn's first impression was – grey. Everything was grey. There were no features in the landscape. Just grey ground and a grey sky. No, wait, way in the distance, there was something, like an impossibly high tower. "That's where we're going," Spike said, pointing ahead.

The funny thing was, when night fell, they seemed no closer. The tower looked just the same. They slept as before. When Dawn woke in the night to the sound of Spikes sobs, she put her hands over her ears and tried to ignore them. Her face was wet when she woke next morning.

They travelled well into the next day, when at last, something changed. The tower seemed to be getting colour from somewhere. Now it looked like a coloured addition to a black and white photo. Spike carried on driving. Neither felt much like talking. Even after dark, the tower stood out now, as if it glowed somehow. "You ok to keep going, little bit?" he asked. "I guess it's not far now – I'd like to get this whole thing over with."

"Yeah, me too. Spike. Do you really think we can bring her back?" she replied.

"Don't know, pet, but I'm going to give it my best shot. Seems to me the best way I can protect you is to bring her back. I can keep you safe from monsters and such, but I can't protect you from people. I'm not just talking bad people. I'm talking, all those things to do with growing up. I can't help with those. Buffy can." He sighed.

"I'm pretty well grown up already, Spike," she replied. "I know you all think I'm a child, but Buffy killed her first vampire when she wasn't much older that me. I'll be ok," she replied indignantly.

Spike shook his head. "Dawn, when Buffy was out fighting vampires at sixteen, your mum was there, looking after the rest of her life. You need Buffy."

Dawn thought for a moment. "I know. I just don't like admitting it. Somehow, you've got a way of saying things that make me realise things about myself. I know Buffy felt the same way. She said you always told her the truth she didn't want to hear."

Spike thought about that. He smiled inside. He always did, whenever Dawn told him something Buffy had said about him. Even when it wasn't complimentary.

They drove on. Spike was tired. Every time he slept he had the same dream. His grief was wearing him out.

At last they reached the tower. As they pulled up, a man appeared at the doorway. "Come in, please, William, Dawn. You are expected," he said as he opened the door wide. Surprised, Spike and Dawn got out of the car and followed him inside. They were in a largish room which looked like a waiting room. "Welcome, the man continued. I am the Medium. The connection between this world and what lies beyond. How may we help you?"