Cleansing

Giles was sat glaring at the Dagon Sphere.

"You're saying it rolled past Angel and he just picked it up?"

"For the third time: that's what I saw," said Spike. "You saw it, too. Don' know why you're looking to us for answers."

"But why would it be rolling down the street?"

Buffy sighed. "Giles, we've just told you we don't know."

"Yes, sorry. I just don't understand."

"Well can we figure it out some other time? I've kinda had a rough day."

Giles was looking intensely at Dawn as he said, "This is an important development. It should be acted on immediately!"

Dawn was looking right back at him. She was a smart kid, and was likely to figure out something was up sooner or later all on her own. She didn't need hints from anywhere else.

"Watcher," Spike warned, voice low. "Think about what's comin' out yer pie-hole, yeah? How do you think we even could act on it?"

Giles seemed to suddenly realize that he was staring and snapped himself out of it. "Er, right. Do apologize. I've had a long day myself. Someone woke me up at four in the morning." His gaze flitted to Buffy, then back to the Dagon Sphere. "We should research, of course."

Ignoring the snarky part of the comment, Spike instructed Giles to get some books he could take with him. "Takin' my girls home. I can read while they have a rest."

"I'm not tired, Daddy," said Dawn.

"Fine," said Spike. "Dawn researches while me and Buffy go to bed."

Everyone looked at him – Dawn, evidently pleased with the amended plan, Buffy and Giles less so.

"That was a joke," Spike clarified. "Has everyone lost their sense of humor?"

No one answered, but Buffy visibly relaxed. He was sure that if he didn't get her into a bed soon she'd fall asleep right where she stood. Dawn was pouting at him.

"Sorry, Niblet. You're a bit young for old Rupes here's books. But don' worry, they're boring, not like yours."

The watcher looked most affronted, to which Spike gave him a wink, before he finally went off to select some volumes.

"Why was Angel here?" Buffy asked Spike, while Giles was out back. It seemed the question had only just struck her. Spike grinned. He was glad to see she hadn't paid too much attention to his grandsire; that he was barely on her radar even while right in front of her.

Buffy rolled her eyes at his thoughts, then re-asked the question.

"Oh, some chit had a vision, apparently. Told him Faith was out, so he decided to come down and pick 'er up."

Buffy's hands went to her hips.

"And, what? He couldn't have called to give us a heads up first?"

Spike shrugged.

"I don't like Angel," Dawn announced.

"See? This one's a smart cookie. Probably should be the one doin' the research."


Despite her protests of not being tired, Dawn fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. Buffy went for a shower before bed, as Spike settled himself in an armchair with the first book. He was two pages in when he felt Buffy's sadness overwhelm her, through the claim. Setting it down again, he went to her. She was stood in the bathroom – hair still damp, towel wrapped around her – sobbing. Spike took her into his arms.

"What's all this, pet?"

"I'm sorry, it's just… Faith had my body, and she could have done anything. I feel – I feel like…" Buffy's words broke off in a choked whimper.

Spike's heart broke for her. She felt violated. Of course she did. Why hadn't he realized earlier?

He held her until the tears stopped, and then he towel dried her hair, and carried her to bed, where he held her again. After a while Buffy went to straddle his hips, but he gripped her wrist to stop her.

"What are you doing?"

Buffy tried and failed to verbally express what she wanted, a few times, but from her tangled thoughts Spike was able to decipher that she was trying to feel home in her body again; wanted to reclaim it, by joining with him. His hold softened, and he laid kisses along her jawline.

"What about Niblet?"

"We can be quiet," Buffy whispered, "Just once. We can go slow. I… I need-"

"I know, Kitten, it's okay."

His kisses carried on their trail, down her body...