Spike looked up at the slender figure towering above him. She was perfection in it's truest form. He couldn't help but to love her, hopelessly. But she didn't always know that. Foolish girl. She was always thinking too little of herself. Always feeling like her sister was better then her. Her sister was also a goddess no doubt, but they were very different creatures, to compare them would be near to a sin. Spike was always a sinner, but not that kind.
He had loved Buffy before. Thought he had. But it was all false. He had committed to memory her every flaw. He was talented at that. And the differences between Dawn and Buffy were far too many to count. Buffy was the leader of the pack, needed to always be in charge. Dawn didn't need control, she just needed to be watched after, taken care of. Needed a leader. Buffy always worried about overeating always making sure not to over do it. Damn, Spike didn't remember ever seeing her eat a full meal. Dawn ate almost obsessively, didn't care if she packed on a couple extra pounds, though she never did. Buffy always needed to feel pain, always had to push everyone away, just so she could build up walls. Always afraid of how she felt. Dawn wore her heart on her sleeve, showed everyone how she felt, without being afraid of it. That girl knew what she wanted, and she was all right with it. Buffy hid away her feelings.
Both of them were utterly beautiful no matter how different. They were stunning. Summers women always were. Buffy was different from her sister. Blond hair always over done. Too skinny for her own good. Always worried about her makeup and if it was right. Always afraid if she didn't look perfect when she saved the world that she would die looking like she had, had a bad day. Rather then that she had just come from an apocalypse. Dawn was the dark haired mystery. Her beauty wasn't obvious. It was almost like a secret. It wasn't the "Hey look at me." type of beauty. It was subtle and almost perfect. The way she didn't have to work to look the way she did, because no one would notice anyways. It was almost like she was a find. Like most people passed her by thinking she was ordinary. Passed her by and fallen for her sister. When what they didn't realize is that she was an angel. And that the angel was far more amazing, far more beautiful than the goddess, than the slayer.
Spike grasped a hold of her waste and pulled her closer. He breathed in the scent of her skin. Dammit he loved her. And she was one of him now. A vampire. She would be his forever whether she wanted to turn back now or not she had no choice. She was eternal. Spike couldn't think of anything he wanted more than an eternity with his little bit. His always and forever. The funny thing was people in the movies said forever, promised forever all the time. But they didn't have it to promise and Spike did. Had given her eternity, they had it together. Always would.
Dawn looked up into his eyes. Those piercing blue eyes that entranced her as always. No matter if she were a vampire or not, he still intimidated her. No matter what the situation she would always adore him. He was the only thing in her life that seemed right. Buffy was always against her. Always seemed like she hated her. Even though she knew that wasn't fully true, Buffy was jealous of her. Which Dawn never thought possible even though she seemed to have things a bit easier than her sister. Buffy was in love with two vampires. Spike and Angel. And Angel was cursed. Spike was Dawn's. Dawn had the man she loved the man she had always loved. So in that aspect she really had out shinned her sister. Buffy had never been skilled in the art of men. She always pushed the good ones away. No matter how hard she tried not to. She always did.
"Mmmm." Spike moaned recklessly. He stared down at her smiling. He couldn't imagine how he could live without her now. He thought about when he had been with other women and thought that they were amazing. Then he thought about how he had never expected to feel that way about Dawn. How could he have not seen it? Seen how much he wanted, loved, needed her.
"Spike." Dawn said with a sly smile. She loved him. Too much. Had since she met him. She had fallen for him because he had "cool hair and cool leather coats and stuff" couldn't remember a time when she didn't love him.
"Yes, pet." He answered with a smirk on his pale face. He held her tighter in his arms. Didn't want to stop himself from touching her. Didn't know if he could.
"How do you feel about being stuck with me forever?" She asked breathing in his scent. She couldn't help it. She loved being in his arms. Loved everything about him. The way he moved, breathed, smelled.
"Hmm." Spike looked up as if he were thinking. As if he had to think. As if he didn't know he was ecstatic about being with her forever. "Bloody fantastic." Spike replied with a smile. He smiled often with her. Not with any other women he had been with. Cecile made him damn near cry. When he was human. Drue made him smirk, that same malicious smirk that Dawn adored. Buffy made him miserable. But Dawn. She made him smile.
"I'm glad." Dawn said unable to control the grin that was building up inside of her. She was so pleased with the way things were turning out. Spike loved her and they were going to be together forever. This was everything she had ever hoped for. But she knew it wasn't going to be easy telling Buffy about this. A part of her didn't care either way. Didn't care because she was a vampire. Because she had let go of all her inhibitions.
"Hungry?" He asked with a hellish grin. He knew she would be. Always are right after your changed. He wanted to see her drink. Drink blood. Something he had enjoyed for many years now. Something she always teased him about, something she found disgusting. She now had to live off of it. She now needed it to survive.
"Yeah." She answered before she realized what he meant. She knew she would have to drink blood. She knew that was in the job description to being a vampire. But she was not welcoming the thought. Wasn't welcoming the thought of being what her sister had steered her away from her entire life. From what her sister fought to kill. She was her sisters' enemy now.
"I'll be right back." Spike said releasing her from his grip reluctantly. He walked over to the fridge and opened up the door. He grabbed a mug that was filled with blood and shut the door behind him. Spike slowly walked over to Dawn. He took a gulp from the mug and smiled. "Mmm." He motioned for her to drink form it.
"I don't know." Dawn said trying to stay calm. She was nervous. She had never thought she would be drinking blood. Never thought this day would come. Thought she would die before something like this would happen. But she knew now that things had changed and that this was necessary.
"S'allright." Spike said handing her the mug. "It wont be as hard as you think." He offered generously.
Dawn took the mug from his cold hands. She slowly put the cup to the surface of her lips. She let the crimson liquid cross her lips, slide over her tongue and down her throat. It slid down smoothly. It was amazing. Something she thought would make her sick made her week. It was amazing. Delicious. Pure unadulterated perfection. She was shocked. Stunned. She never thought it would be like this. Thought it would make her sick. The mere thought of it made her sick. But the taste was undeniable. The way it made her feel, was inescapable. Almost like Spike. She had denied it for years. But deep down it was the sin she had always wanted.
"Good?" Spike asked amused.
"Wow." She said putting the near empty mug onto the counter. "Better then I thought it would be." She said with a sheepish smile.
"That's the way it usually is." Spike smirked. "You haven't changed a bit." He was unstrained.
"Oh really." Dawn spoke foxily leaning closer. Pressing her body into his recklessly. "Not a bit?" She questioned.
"You haven't changed, just maybe lost your inhibitions." Spike grasped a hold of her frail body. "I love you pet." Spike offered.
"I love you too, Spike." Dawn replied.
"So, how you gonna tell Buffy?" Spike asked curious.
"I hadn't thought of that." Dawn spoke nervous. Telling her sister she was one of the undead was not going to be simple. Not at all.
"S'allright pet." Spike said pulling her closer. "No matter what I'll be right beside you." He smiled. "Probably getting my bloody ass staked." He chuckled. "But if it's for you then I'll go willingly." Spike said sweetly. Lately he seemed much more romantic. More generous then when they were first together. Never making her doubt how much he loved her. It was never a mystery.
"Part of me doesn't want to tell her." Dawn admitted. "But another part is dying to make her jealous." She spoke confused.
"If you want we could leave and you could tell her you were skipping town with me. Or you could try and hide it from her. Or just tell her." Spike offered. Listing off all the possible ways she could go. He didn't want to see her hurt. No matter how it went.
"Your amazing you know that." Dawn said with a bright smile. "You are the best thing that ever happened to me."
"I feel the same way about you kitten." Spike said licking his lips. He had different nicknames for her. When he called her luv he was being generous or just casual. Pet was when he was being romantic. He called her by her real name when he was being serious. And Kitten. That was saved for the more...seductive moments.
"We could skip town. I want to tell her. But we should go somewhere." Dawn said wrapped up in her own thoughts. "First we should go to LA and see Fred and Gun and Cordy and Conner." She listed the named with excitement. "And then maybe we can go a few placed I have never been before." She said almost asking him for permission.
"There are so many places I want to show you pet." Spike said approvingly. "I'm gonna show you the world." He promised. He could finally make these promises. He was going to be with her forever and he was going to show her the world. He had seen the world, been around it. He was going to show her things she would never see if it weren't for him.
Dawn wanted to tell Buffy. Wanted her to know that she would be happy like this. Be happy with Spike forever. But she knew she would be furious, distraught. She knew her sister like the back of her hand. Better seeings as she didn't spend as much time looking at her hand as she did her sister. Dawn wanted to tell her. Wanted to tell her for so many reasons. Wanted to share he excitement with someone wanted Buffy to know. But she also wanted to see her jealous. To see her sister finally understand what it was like to not be the best. Wanted the Scooby gang to see she could make it without them. Could make her own life. That they weren't her everything. That they didn't mean as much to her as he did. Spike. He was her forever.
"Can we just stay here for a while." Dawn begged her eyes thin with exhaustion. She just wanted to stay in his arms. Just for tonight. Without having to stress about anything. Without having to tell her sister what she had become. She loved her family. But they weren't always there for her. And they weren't really her family. Technically she was just a key. They were all false memory's. And she was no more then a ball of green energy. Thousands of years old. But she knew that wasn't true. She was Dawn. Always had been. No matter how it felt sometimes. She was Dawn Summers. Sister to the slayer, and friend to the scoobies.
"Pet, we can stay as long as you want." Spike said gently stroking her hair softly. He loved her. Endlessly. It was near ridiculous how devoted her was to her.
So they did. They stayed there for the rest of the cold night. Dawn lay limp in Spikes' strong arms. There body's wrapped in each other. They were at peace. For once they both were at peace. They knew the future held happiness. No matter what happened they would be together. For eternity. It was like something from a movie. Something that didn't happen to people like them. They were the outcasts. They didn't get things like this. They didn't deserve happiness. Not them. The happiness was the for the lead roles in the movies. For Buffy and Angel. Willow and Xander even. But not Spike and Dawn. They were the outcasts. The ones that didn't matter. They were just there so the others could kick them around.
They wanted to sleep. Just stay together until they had to leave. Until they had to move. This was peace. This was what they wanted. To be in each others arms forever. Because they accepted each other. The loved each other. It was enough. For once the outcasts had something. Each other. And explanations could wait until the morning.
Seemed like there was nothing left but them. Because soon enough there wouldn't be. Soon enough Buffy and the Scoobies would know. And they would all hate Spike even more. And the connection, that human connection between Dawn and them would be severed. Because she wasn't human anymore. She was a vampire. Not like it made things any different they still were angry with her, this just made it all the much worse. Not as if she were ever really human anyways. She was always the key. Made from Buffy. Was part of Buffy. And they would always share that no matter what Dawn was. Or who she was with. Buffy and Dawn would always be a part of one another. They loved each other. No matter how many things that happened made them feel otherwise. They did. Had to. And this made things different. Harder. But there was no severing that tie. Not that one.
"Dawn." Spike whispered gently placing a kiss on her soft forehead. He didn't like waking her. Didn't like taking her away from being peaceful. Fearful that she would be unhappy to be awake. But he knew that would be wrong. Because that was Buffy. She was unhappy to be awoken. Peaceful in her sleep, peaceful in death. Dawn was all right to be awake. As long as she was with him. She didn't mind waking up.
"Spike." Dawn smiled up at him. She loved waking inside of his arms. It was comforting. Just to be loved. And by him.
"Someones outside." Spike smiled down at her. "I would wager it's Willow. Can smell the magics a mile away." He spoke aggravated.
"All right." Dawn sighed sitting up. "Guess I'll tell her first." Dawn tried to remain calm. She stood up and went to go towards the door. Then she paused and turned back to face Spike fear in her big blur eyes.
"S'allright pet." Spike assured her. "I'll come with you." He answered climbing out of bed and walking over to her. He wrapped one arm around her small shoulders. "I'll always come with you." He promised. He promised her more then he ever had anyone in his life, and he had, had a long life.
"Okay." She answered timidly.
They walked out into the dark where the witch was waiting for them. More for Dawn. But Spike wasn't leaving her side. Never. They looked around then Willow popped out from the corner with a bright fake smile on her small face.
"Hey Dawnie." Willow refused to settle the smile. "Came to see you." She offered.
"Hey Will." Dawn smiled. She loved her. The witch. Loved them all. No matter how much she wanted to deny it. They were her family.
"I just thought ya know I could come see ya." She smiled. "Cause even though it's all kinda strange, I really didn't mean for you to get hurt and if I thought you would have, then I swear I wouldn't have done it." The red head rambled on, feeling deeply sorry for what had happened to Dawn. She thought it was all her fault. Because it had to be. Or else she didn't have anyone else to blame.
"Will, it's all right." Dawn offered. "I have something to tell you and I don't want you to get mad." Dawn spoke as calmly as possible. She knew there was something inside her that couldn't tell her. But she didn't know why.
"Okay baby, I'll take this one." Spike said with a serene smile. "I changed her Red." Spike said looking at Willow.
"What?" She looked confused. "You mean turned her?" She inquired.
"Yeah." Spike admitted calmly.
"How come she isn't all evil?" Willow asked still in shock. And some terror.
"Cause she still has a soul." Spike smiled as Dawn looked over at him in shock herself. "I can smell it." Spike admitted. "Must have something to do with being the key. She can't lose her purity, because she is the key." Spike had a bright smile on his face.
"How come you didn't tell me?" Dawn asked baffled.
"Didn't think it would be helpful at the time." Spike answered.
"Wow." Willow said dismayed. "Little Dawnie is a vampire." She looked at the floor, blinking. Barely moving.
"It's not so bad Will." Dawn said walking closer to her. "I'm still me. Just as much as before." Dawn admitted. And with her it was true. Being a vampire hadn't changed her. She was still Dawn. Always would. And it was all because she was the key. Something she thought made her less human is what saved her humanity. Kept it in tact.
"I noticed." Willow looked up at her and smiled. "This is a little shocking, but I still love you Dawnie." Willow said as she lunged into Dawn wrapping her arms around her frail body. "I love you."
"I love you too Will." Dawn smiled. One down. And Willow had accepted this. She was all right with it. Sure she wasn't pleased. But it was Okay. She knew that the hardest was yet to come. Though she didn't want to face it. She had to tell them. Then maybe she would spend some time away. LA, Italy, or maybe just home. Maybe just a little while with her sister. Maybe. If everything worked out all right. Maybe they could still be sisters. Maybe. Hopefully. It could be. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad. Maybe it would all work out. She could only hope. And wait. Until she crossed the path of the house on Revello Drive once more. And hopefully it wouldn't be the last time.
Authors Note: So I know it took ages for this to be posted but I have reasons. My computer became filled with killer viruses and it was deleting all of my work. So I had to send it in to someone to fix it. I did and I finally got it back just recently and went to work on the writing. It was terrible being without my computer for so long and I nearly went into withdrawals, lol. But it came back all cleaned up and with spell checker (thank the heavens because I'm a terrible speller). I worked on this chapter a lot and hope you enjoy it. Please review. And I am soooo very sorry that it took so long. Hope you enjoy this and if you have any suggestions please tell me. Love you all so much. -Kirsten XOXOXOXO