Rating: T should cover this one.
Pairings: Dawn/Xander, Buffy/Spike, mentions Willow/Kennedy.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. My TV just gave me those puppets and now I'm playing with them.

Chapter 4

"Come on Xander, it's no big deal. Just be quiet while I go downstairs and make my presence known. I'll be right back." Dawn was gone before he had a chance to convince her once more that this was a very bad idea.

He sat down on her bed not knowing what to do with himself, looking very uncomfortable and looking around at the door with every sound just waiting for the execution squad to find him there – guilty as hell. Trying not to wallow to much in his overtime working conscience he realized that after all these years he had never before had to enter this house through the window.

Finally Dawn came back. Not going about very discreetly he noticed.

"Typical. The one time I come home to pretend to be doing my homework no one is home to take notice. They are all out on some demon hunting thing. Something sudden. Well… I guess we just have to find other ways to entertain ourselves." She moved seductively towards the bed while uttering these last words.

She climbed on to the bed and put her arms around him from behind as he refused to really join her on the bed.

"Not here. Not in your house," he mumbled struggling not to relax himself into her caress.

"Why not, no-one's home, remember," she whispered in his ear.

"They could come back."

"God knows when. I left a note downstairs that I was really tired and went to bed early, in case they come home soon. Come on, Xander." She started kissing his neck and slowly unbuttoning his shirt.

Finally he gave in, kicked off his shoes and joined her on the bed.

Xander woke up with a grasp. "Oh god! Dawn!" he whispered. "Dawn, wake up!"

"What is it sweetie?"

"I fell asleep."

"So did I. Let's sleep some more. Sleep good. "

"I can't. I have to go!"

"Where do you have to be at… five in the morning?" she said glancing at the red glowing numbers on her radio alarm.

"Not here, that's the point. I can't be here when everybody wakes up." He was already off the bed trying to find his pants in the dark.

"Just go out the window then. But you don't really have to go until like just before seven. That's when Buffy's alarm goes off. And in case you get caught you just say that you… yah, well… you can't really say you've been out jogging since you don't live here. You could say that you're watch is broken and that you really think that it is already eight and time to pick me up for school," she suggested looking slightly annoyed at him from her comfortable position on the bed.

"Except that you take the bus."

"You can say that it was in your way and you were in the mood for some bad jokes. Don't worry so much. It's highly unlikely that anyone will catch you or suspect you of anything. I've never been caught all these times sneaking in after being with you. No one here is really a morning person."

"Oh God, you have to do this every morning, I've never really thought about how this was for you. I'm sorry." He said sitting down again and taking her hand with real pity on his face.

She just shrugged carelessly. "The mornings aren't that bad. Sneaking out is trickier, especially because of Spike, but I'm good at it."

"I'm sorry that I have put you in this stupid position," the sincerity of the words where shining through his voice.

"Hey no sweat. But you know we wouldn't have to be in this position. Maybe we should just tell them." She knew it was useless suggesting this to him. She had done it before and it never resulted in anything other than Xander almost having a nervous breakdown.

"Are you crazy?"

"Xander, we've been together for almost six months and we're not stopping, are we? We have to sooner or later."

"I'm for the later option." He had found his pants and shirt and was now fumbling with the laces on his shoes.

"You're being childish. I mean what are they going to do about it? It's our life and we're not doing anything wrong."

"No I'm being realistic. Your sister is the Slayer living with a formerly crazy evil vampire who is just as protective towards you as she is. They could for example find a nice little crypt where they could lock you away forever and take me by the hands and each pull at one end until I rip down through the middle, and you are the only one that will say that we're not doing anything wrong." He had made hundreds of scenarios in his head of what would happen if they got caught and none of them ended with hugs and puppies.

"Hey in this group there should be rather lean standards. Everyone has lied and hidden something or done something that really can't be considered nice. But we're all still alive, no one has been ripped in two and we're actually all still friends."

"There's a first time for everything. I'm going to go now. Will I see you tonight?"

"Maybe? If I don't get caught sneaking out," she said with a pout.

He knew he'd be seeing her.