A/N: I can't believe how long it's been since I've updated this story! I feel horrible about taking so long! But, I think I'm onto something again and I promise to try and update much more frequently from now on. Please keep reading and reviewing! Reviews are always encouraging and I also love to get critical reviews, because I'm always interested in suggestions! Thanks for not giving up on me! Sorry again! XOXO

Dawn knocked hesitantly at the door of Spike's chambers. He had been given a room at the far end of the teachers' wing far away from the possibility of contact with anyone else. She waited impatiently until he opened the door. He stood in the doorway and stared at her blankly.

"What do you want?" He snarled.

"We need to talk Spike." Dawn stated simply. She pushed open the door and walked in without waiting for an invitation.

"I suppose you're lucky you're not a vampire niblet, else you'd have just gotten yourself a nasty smack in the face, 'cause there's no way I'd invite you in here." Spike slammed the door shut behind Dawn's entrance and watched her stroll around the dark room. All the windows were securely covered by thick drapes, preventing any sunlight from getting through. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

Dawn took a deep breath before starting the inevitable lecture she wanted to give to Spike. "Can you even begin to comprehend how much I despise you?"

"Look you barged in on me, so how do I get off being the bad guy here?" Spike retorted.

"How the hell can you ask me that?" Dawn didn't give Spike any time to respond. "You broke into my family, you lied to us, you made us care for you, you made me trust you and then you betrayed us! You tried to rape my sister, Spike!" Dawn face was turning red with her angry frustration. "I thought I could trust you, she thought she could trust you, but we should have known better! You're nothing but a worthless vampire! I can never trust you."

"I didn't ask for you to!"

"Well maybe that's the problem then," Dawn replied. "Angel had the decency to try and deserve our trust. He asked for us to give him a chance and then he fought to earn our trust." She shook her head. "For a while I thought you might cared, but you didn't even try!" She shrugged. "I guess I've stopped caring, but that still doesn't give you a reason to continue trying to screw with our lives. My sister's been through enough shit because of you! She doesn't need any more!"

"I've tried harder than that lapdog ever did! Angel started out good, I had to work my way up remember?" Spike glared. "I was never given the luxury of a soul."

"Oh god, cry me a river!" Dawn rolled her eyes. "We've heard all your self-pity shit before Spike, and I didn't fall for it then and it's not working now. The point is you screwed with my family and I hate you for it. Now, you're here, trying to screw with us again and I still hate you! I wish you'd leave us alone!"

"Unfortunately, that's not possible, is it?" Spike turned away from Dawn and lit up a cigarette. "Dumbledore wants us all here together for some unknown reason, and I can't just pack up and leave. I made a commitment."

"Well, that's something new for you, isn't it?" Dawn frowned. "Your commitments didn't used to mean much."

Spike gritted his teeth, fighting the urge to scream at the teenager. "Please get out of here Dawn."

"No! You can't order me around Spike, you don't have that privilege."

"I don't need the privilege Dawn. I can force you out of here if I wanted." He stepped towards her threateningly but she didn't back down.

"Stay away from my sister, Spike!" Dawn ordered. "And leave Angel and his friends alone. No one wants to be bothered by you." She spoke harshly. "So stop getting in our way." She turned and headed toward the door, ready to leave the vampire's dark lair.

"Dawn," Spike stopped her as she reached to open the door. "I didn't ask to be put in your lives." His voice was shaky and quiet. "I didn't ask for any of this. Aren't you even curious about how I feel?"

"Like I give a damn about your feelings!" Dawn flung open the door and gave him one final glare before storming out of Spike's room. Spike followed her to the door and slammed it behind her exit.

Dawn ran down the hallway for almost a minute before collapsing in a heap on the ground, hugging her knees to her chest, and crying pitifully. He isn't worth my tears. She tried to convince herself to stop her emotional breakdown. Spike is an idiot and I can't even stand thinking about him so why am I actually wasting tears on him? She sighed and stretched out on her back, laying in the middle of the corridor just a few feet away from the top of the stairs. She covered her face with her hands, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. She breathed in and out deeply multiple times trying to calm herself after the stressful confrontation with Spike. Her silence was disturbed as her relaxed body was tripped over.

"What the hell are you doing?" Conner shouted as he tripped and tumbled onto the floor next to Dawn. "You could hurt someone laying there like that!"

Dawn sat up instantly and rubbed her stomach where she had been kicked by Conner's foot before he had tripped. "Sorry, I didn't even think about it!" She stared at the sulking teenager who was glaring at her maliciously. "I didn't think that anyone would be coming this way."

Conner frowned. "Whatever." He stood quickly.

"Wait a minute," Dawn stood and stopped him from leaving. "I feel like I never see you around, ever! I've barely even gotten to know you and the holidays will be over in a couple of days!" She smiled as politely as possible. "All I know about you is that you're Angel's sun. Which is weird of course because Angel's not supposed to be able to have children, but I'm going to ignore that for now." She stood in front of him blocking his escape. "Why don't you ever hang out with me and Harry?"

"I'm not really the social type." Conner explained simply. He tried to move past her but she jumped in front of him again. "Really, I'm just not interested in making friends."

"That's stupid. Everyone's interested in making friends!" Dawn sighed. "But, whatever, I suppose it's your choice and if you want to be isolated and boring than I'll just have to let you be."

"Good." Conner glared and shoved Dawn out of his way and marched down the hallway.

"See you around." Dawn called after him hopelessly. What a freak. Dawn decided as she turned away from Conner and hurried down the staircase. I don't understand why he won't be more cheery, or at least a little more friendly. She shook her head and decided that she didn't want to think about Angel's annoying teenager anymore. With all her worry about Spike, she didn't need anything else to make her head ache.