Chapter Two: Buffy's Realisation

Dawn Summers threw herself onto her bed, hugging her pillow to her chest, careful not to let her stinging behind touch anything. She had just arrived home from Spike's crypt and had gone straight to her room, trying to avoid the attention of the other occupants, not wanting them to ask any questions, not feeling ready to talk to anyone.

Her ass hurt, it hurt a lot Spike had a firm hand and had recently started proving to her that he was not afraid to use it. This time had hurt way more than last time and that had hurt plenty. Dawn got up from the bed; she wondered just how red her bottom was. She moved to stand in front of her mirror, tucking her skirt up and lowering her panties she turned to look at her refection.

It was a light red/ dark pinkish colour that spread from the top of her butt, to her thighs, no wonder she'd felt like it was on fire. Deciding to change into something that covered her thighs more, she didn't need someone seeing it and asking her any questions, Dawn quickly changed into her pyjamas just as Tara called up the stairs "Dawnie, dinner's ready".

The hungry teen headed downstairs and met Tara in the kitchen "here you go sweetie" the kind witch said, handing the teen a plate of food. "Thanks Tara, you're the best" she kissed her on the cheek "You're welcome sweetie, go sit down and eat".

Dawn went to the dining room and was just about to sit down when she remembered the pain in her backside, she really didn't want to aggravate it more, but she didn't want the others to ask questions, the table was set for seven, meaning the whole gang would be there. Very carefully Dawn lowered herself into her seat, when her butt touched the seat it took almost all she had not to jump up again from the pain it reignited in her backside.

Xander who saw the pain flash across her face asked "Dawnster, are you alright?" he looked a little worried Dawn nodded and replied "yeah Xander I'm fine" trying to keep the grimace that the pain in her butt was causing from showing on her face.

Buffy looked at her sister, she looked very much like she'd been crying and seemed to be in pain, she was sitting very gingerly in her seat, if she didn't know any better she'd say Dawn had been spanked, but that was absurd, no one would spank Dawnie, would they?

"Dawnie, can I talk to you in the hall please?" Buffy requested, Dawn so relieved at the thought of standing up didn't really think twice about it, she shot out of her chair and followed Buffy into the living room.

"Dawn, what happened?" the slayer asked looking at her little sister, she saw an anxious look appear on the younger girl's face, there was defiantly something going on that Dawn didn't want to know about.

"Nothing Buffy, really I am fine" Dawn said, she was fine really, she just had a really sore bum, nothing she hadn't deserved, Buffy could tell something was off, Dawn was fine maybe, but she was hiding something and Buffy wasn't going to give up until she found out what.

"Dawn, I can tell something is up with you and we're not going anywhere until you tell me what" she demanded. Dawn sighed her sister was stubborn and perfectly capable of keeping her here until she talked; she knew she couldn't hide it from Buffy forever.

"umm" Dawn started Buffy spoke " why don't we start with why you look like you've been spanked" as soon as she said the words, Buffy could tell by the look on her sister's face that there it was, her sister was trying to hide the fact that someone had spanked her, but who and why?

Dawn looked at her sister "how do you know that?" she asked "because, Mom and Dad spanked me enough times when I was younger to know how you look afterwards?" she answered then continued "So you were spanked? By who Dawnie?" she asked.

Dawn wasn't sure what to say, but was saved the trouble of doing so when someone answered "me Slayer." Buffy turned to glare at the vampire "You?" she asked the said "you spanked my sister, but what about your chip?" she demanded to know "seems that being the key means Bit isn't fully human, meaning the chip doesn't work on her" Spike replied.

Dawn blushed really hating that they were talking about her like she wasn't in the room, she could also see that Buffy was getting really pissed at Spike. "You touched my sister you asshole" the Slayer yelled, her fist colliding with Spike's face.

"Buffy don't, please leave Spike alone" Dawn yelled running to the vampire's side and throwing herself into his arms. Buffy was shocked by what she saw, that evil, soulless animal was holding her crying little sister, shushing her and telling her that it was alright "Shh Bit, come on your big Sis is just worried is all" she heard him say into Dawn's ear.

She was shocked, there was so much love between them, they looked like a parent comforting a child how had she not noticed that Dawnie saw Spike that way, she knew that there had been friendship between them, but when had Dawn started to see him how she saw Giles, as a father figure?

A/N: so what do you think? Will Buffy and the others accept Spike's role in Dawn's life? Review please!