Spike moans with his head on the table, "Please... Someone kill me..."

Nora giggles "What's wrong?"

"Hangover," Cinder explains, glancing over to where Yang sits in a state not much better than Spike's.

"Ahhhh...sucks to be them!" She chirps, and pokes Spike's cheek.

"Blegh..." His face rolls over towards her. His tongue lolls out, and his eyes are rolled back in his head with huge bags under his eyes. Lucy clings to Weiss in fright.

It's okay, Lucy." She smirks "He's just an idiot.."

"He looks dead..."

"He's still breathing..don't worry..."

Smoke shrugs, and says, "Well so long as he's good by tonight we should be fine."

"What's going on tonight?" Weiss frowns.

"The hit on that weapons shipment," Smoke reminds her.

"Oh..yeah.." She blinks "I almost forgot."

Or maybe her thoughts were just a little distracted...

Shadow walks over, lifting Spike's head up by the hair, and putting two pills in his mouth, "Swallow, you'll be better in an hour or so." Once he's sure Spike has swallowed he drops Spike back to the table.

Weiss scowls "Aren't you the kindest person of all..."

"And I don't pretend to be," he says as he walks around the table. As he does a picture flutters out of his quills, landing near Weiss's seat.

She frowns and picks it up "What's this? Looks interesting.."

She sees a small, strange animal with black fur, and red streaks. It stands on two legs with fluffy chest fur, white gloves, and rings on its wrists. But what's more remarkable than this angry dark creature is the angel hugging it from behind. A human girl twice its height wearing a blue dress with log blond hair smiles playfully as she hugs the animal around the neck from behind. It's obvious he is trying to look annoyed, but isn't quite pulling it off.

Weiss blinks "Hey...Mr. Grumpy...is this you here?"

He looks, and narrows his eyes, holding out his hand for the picture.

Weiss smirks "Say PLEASE..."

He snatches it from her with a glare, and storms off.

"What's your problem, idiot?! No need to be so moody..."

"Trust me," Knuckles says. "Just leave that one alone."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Weiss narrows her eyes.

"I'm just making a suggestion," Knuckles replies. "Some things are best left alone."

"Like me...so shut up." She huffs, turning away from him.

Cinder leans into him, and Lucy holds a grape up to Weiss, "Say AAAAAAH!"

Weiss blinks "I'm a big girl, Lucy...I can feed myself."

She pouts, and looks up at her. "Pleeeeease...?"

Rolling her eyes, Weiss opens her mouth. Lucy pops in the grape, and Ruby gushes, "Too cute!"

Weiss chews the fruit and sighs "Really, Ruby? Really.."

Lucy snuggles into Weiss with a giggle.

Ruby pouts, "Oh come on Weiss, there's readers fangirling/fanboying over your fluff, why can't I?"

"Because I said so." Weiss snaps, and picks a grape, smirking at Lucy "Say ahhh.."

"Ahhhh!" She opens her mouth wide.

Weiss eats the grape herself, and begins to tickle Lucy as she laughs.

"Ack! Meanie!" She squirms, and giggles.

Weiss grins as she tickles her harder "Oh come on...you love me!"

"I do! I love my big sister!" She squeals, trying to get away.

"How much!"

"More than sliced bread!"

"Hmmm...okay." Weiss smirks and lets her go.

Spike smiles as he rubs his temples, "That WAS pretty cute."

Weiss raises her eyebrow before picking another grape and turning back to Lucy with a grin "Say ahhh..."

Lucy eyes her doubtfully.

Weiss smirks "Don't worry...I'm serious this time...or am I..."

"Mmm..." She whimpers... Then she lean forward quickly, nabbing the grape with her lips, and catching Weiss's fingers too.

Weiss laughs "I wasn't going to.."

Lucy pulls back, taking the grape with her with a cheeky smirk.

Smoke turns to Reave, "Also, we have a no-killing-unless-absolutely-necessary rule. Let's see about getting you new weapons."

Reave nods, "Understood."

Weiss laughs and holds her arms out to Lucy for a cuddle.

Lucy scoots over next to her, and hugs her. "...Revenge!" She starts to tickle her.

Weiss squirms "Hey! You little sneak!"

"Imma ninja, it's what I do!" Lucy tickles her faster.

Weiss laughs loudly "Heeeey!"

...

Later that night Smoke stands with Weiss, Spike, and Reave. Reave wears his hood up, a blowdart gun over his shoulder, and his arm blades on his forearms.

Reave flings an arm to the side, extending a telescope as he looks I got the distance, "Target sighted, eight blocks that way, incoming."

Smoke smirks, "Awesome, Spike get ready for diversion plan K."

Spike nods, and pulls a glass bottle of ketchup from his hair.

Weiss frowns " What the hell is diversion plan k?"

"This," Smoke says, taking the bottle, and breaking it over Spike's face.

Spike staggers back, "You broke my nose!"

"Nice to know I still got good aim," Smoke says as he kicks Spike off the roof, and Spike falls with a scream into the windshield of the armored truck, their target.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Weiss exclaims

"Plan K," Smoke says simply.

The driver of the White Fang van steps out, and moves I front of the truck. He looks down at Spike, and calls to his buddy, "Hey I hit someone."

Reave draws his blowdart gun, and as the driver kneels to examine Spike, Reave silently knocks him out with a small needle to the neck.

Weiss watches "Hmm..interesting plan there."

The other comes out, and as he rounds the corner of the truck he does a double-take. Reave knocks him out before anything can happen, and then makes a hand sign while closing his eyes. "...I sense no one else in the truck."

"Awesome," Smoke says as he steps off the roof, and lands on the street, "Hey Deadman, open the back would ya?"

Spike hops to his feet, "One can-opener coming right up!" He runs to the back of the truck as Reave drops down beside Smoke.

Weiss marvels at how well they work together. Clearly they've been doing it for a while...

Spike looks over the back door with its security palm scanner. He breaks it with his forehead before ripping the door off the truck, "Knock knock!"

Weiss goes to stand beside him with a frown "Leave the childishness for other times..."

"Holy mother of..." He stares in the truck. The walls are lined with weapons, and there's even a few crates of Dust.

Smoke snaps his fingers, "Take it all."

Spike nods, and starts stuffing the weapons into his hair. Reave takes an interest in a pair of swords on the wall, and a harness. After a quick decision he puts on the harness, sheathing the swords at his hips, securing two pistols across his chest, and two more on the back of his hips.

Weiss spots the dust, and starts to get angry. "Stupid White Fang faunus degenerates...HOW DARE THEY!"

Spike picks up a whole crate, and stuffs it in his hair, "What's wrong Weiss?"

"WHAT'S WRONG?! HOW CAN YOU ASK THAT!" She yells "Can you not SEE the Dust here! It belongs to my father!"

"Oh, so THIS is Dust," he says, using his sword to pop open the other crate like a crowbar. "Neat!"

Smoke takes a sword of the wall, and with a flick of a switch it turns into a shotgun. "Shadow will love this," he chuckles as he puts it in Spike's hair.

Weiss frowns "What the hell is with your hair..."

Spike shrugs, "Most of us have a kind of pocket dimension. The others don't use them much though. Sonic, and Shadow just use theirs for rings, and Chaos Emeralds."

He seals up the box before putting it in his hair, "Only exception is I can't fit people in there for some reason."

"WHAT?!" Weiss looks utterly dumbfounded "What...ARE you!"

He wags his eyebrows, "I'm not of this world!" He laughs, and high-fives Smoke.

Reave walks over, "I concur with Weiss, we have no time for antics."

"FINALLY! Someone agrees..." She rolls her eyes "Now what next"?

Smoke's ears flick, "Um... Run?"

Reave jerks his head up, "Agreed, run!"

Spike rolls his eyes, "Why...?" Then he hears the approaching sirens.

Gasping, Weiss ditches the vehicle and races off, not even bothering to wait for the others.

Fortunately they have no trouble keeping up. Smoke shouts, "Spike, escape plan CM!"

Spike frowns, "Draw their attention by a rap battle?"

"That's plan MC Spike, I said CM!"

"Oh! Right!" He dives under a car while Smoke pops a claw to pick the lock on the door. Then he swings it open.

"Get in!"

"We're stealing a car?!" Weiss frowns.

"Borrowing with the possibility of keeping," Reave says as he shoves her in the back seat. Reave takes the front passenger seat while Smoke gets behind the wheel.

A moment later Spike's upper half erupts in the middle of the car bottom, "I am Spike! Cheese and Macaroni!"

Smoke kicks the car into neutral, "Give it some gas Spike!"

Spike nods, and after putting his hands on the front seats the car rolls away while Smoke steers.

Weiss scowls "So it's STEALING! And what the hell is he doing down there?"

"Running," Smoke says as the car picks up speed. "Make him go faster!"

"HOW?!"

Spike looks back at her, and then pales. He turns away, the car rapidly picking up speed as he tries to run from her. "I DIDN'T KNOW! I SWEAR! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"

"What the hell are you talking about!" Weiss yells, frustrated.

Then she notices that when Smoke had pushed her into the back seat he combat skirt had ridden up a bit.

She blushes, a combination of both anger and embarrassment "HOW DARE YOU! YOU...YOU...UGH!"

"I didn't mean to," he says with tears streaming down his face.

Reave perks, "incoming on the right!" Smoke swerves just in time to avoid hitting a police car. The cruiser spins, and starts chasing them.

Smoke curses, and calls, "Weiss, they might try to take out our tires! Think you can protect us with your Glyphs?"

She angrily pulls her skirt down to an acceptable level "And how do you expect me to do that!" Clearly...she's in a bad mood.

Reave draws his sword, and cuts the roof off the car, "Your disguise will keep you from being recognized."

Spike begs, "Please don't tell her to stand up when I'm way down here..."

Weiss glares at him "You keep your head down at all times...you hear me? Or so help me I'll cut you into pieces and feed you to a beowolf."

"Yes ma'am..."

Reave gives him a quizzical look, "you sure have a knack for attracting aggressive women…"

Smoke nods, "Yeah, that a fetish or something?"

"SHUT UP!" Spike bows his head in humiliation.

"SHUT UP ALL OF YOU!"

Weiss kicks Spike's head further down as she stands, drawing her weapon. The wind makes her ponytail flap around wildly as she creates a protective glyph around the car. "I feel bad...those are...the police..."

Then the police start shooting at her.

Eyes wide, she instinctively ducks back into the car "THEY'RE SHOOTING ME DAMNIT!"

"That's why you're up there," Smoke calls. "Shield us!"

"WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M TRYING TO DO!" She stands back up and concentrates hard, using her dust to create one giant glyph. "No bullet will ever get past that.."

Smoke looks over his shoulder, "We gotta lose them for good. As much as watching Spike get searched would be an adventure, I am in no mood to get arrested!"

"Then hurry this thing up damn it!"

Smoke pulls an energy drink from his pocket, and hands it to the assassin to him. "You're on engine maintenance."

Reave looks stunned, "Are you insane?!"

"Probably, but it beats the alternative." He looks back at Weiss, "none of us can afford to be arrested tonight."

Reave size, "Weiss, please remove your foot from Spike's head."

Sighing, she does so, making sure her skirt is down completely. Reave pinches Spike's nose, and tilts his head back as he pours the whole thing in Spike's mouth. Spike's eye snap open, and Weiss sees his pupils getting HUUUUUUGE!

Her own eyes widen "Uhhhh...he looks...weird...what have you done?"

"You may want to fasten your seatbelt," Reave advises.

Spike jerks upright, looking straight ahead of them. "This... is... SPARTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"WHAT THE HELL?!" She screeches, clinging to the side of the car.

Smoke shouts over the wind, "Kinda of obvious by now he's got some serious ADHD, and that NEVER mixes well with sugar. Unless he's the engine for a getaway car anyhow!"

"Ohmygod..." She mumbles to herself "Just...get us back home!"

Smoke looks at the speedometer. "Whoa, slow it down Spike, we're going over a hundred here!"

"I WISH I WERE AN OSCAR MEYER WEINER!"

Reave sighs, and extends his Poison Blade, injecting Spike with a light dose of sedative, "That should do it. Weiss, can you see the police anymore?"

She peeks out of the window, and smiles "Nope...not at all."

Spike shakes his head, and smiles widely, "Oh boy oh boy I forget what we're doing!"

"WE'RE RISKING OUR LIVES AND MY REPUTATION FOR NOTHING!" Weiss yells with a glare.

As Spike cringes, and ducks his head into his shirt Reave says, "Not true. We managed to take weapons from the White Fang for ourselves, and two more of their members are in custody of the authorities."

Smoke nods, "And in no way did we attack the police, once word of this gets around people are gonna start noticing we're not brutes like the White Fang. All in all it's been a VERY productive night."

"Just as long as my dust is safe I don't really care..."

Spike raises enough of his head out of his shirt to look at Weiss, "Am I still in trouble?"

"...Yes..." She whispers menacingly.

"Meep..." he sinks down in his shirt again. Both of those in the front seat sigh before Smoke looks out the windshield.

He points, "Spike Strips!"

Spike pops up, "Strips of what?"

POW!

The car jerks as Spike looks in pain suddenly.

Weiss frowns "Uhh...what was...that?"

Reave sighs as the car spins out, "They blew our tires!"

"And my feet," Spike whimpers.

Smoke glares at Spike, "Don't you dare quit on us now!"

"How are we going to get home now...?"

Spike looks back at her, and then a determined look comes in his eye. He reaches under him, and lifts the car to shoulder level as he starts running again.

"This is the first and last time I'm ever doing anything like this...EVER." Weiss grumbles.

BLAM! BLAM!

"Ack!" Spike's face twists in pain as he drops the car, and slips through the hole in the bottom. It bounces, and rolls to a stop as they see Spike holding his bleeding leg. He glares at them, "Guys, GO!" he stands on his one good leg, facing the cops while summoning his sword.

Then they see three bullets rip through his torso. Smoke's eyes go wide, and Reave suddenly looks afraid.

Weiss is shocked as she quickly pulls out her weapon to create a protective glyph around him. "Get him out of here...I shall deal with this."

"Fuck that," Smoke says as he grabs her shoulder. "Don't move, and don't think hostile thoughts!"

Spike looks like he's gonna drop... but then he stops, arms swaying like a zombie as he keeps a firm grip on his sword. Slowly he raises his face to the police, but with his back to Weiss she can't see what makes so many of them hesitate.

"LET ME HELP DAMNIT!" She growls "I CAN DEAL WITH IT!"

"Not with this you can't," Reave says gravely.

Suddenly Spike is gone, and one of the cars explodes into parts.

"What...was...that?"

Spike appears again, and a cop pulls a gun. Spike cuts off the hand he holds it with before slashing him across the chest, and then punches another in the throat with his spikes. One cop fires a shot, but Spike beats it back at him with his sword, sending into the officer's chest.

As that cop hits the ground his hand reflexively pulls the trigger again, the last officer diving from his car moments before it explodes. He groans, and turns on his back to see Spike walking for him through the fire. Spike's clothes are burning in a few spots by the time he appears fully, not that he even seems to notice, and the unarmed cop backpedals on his hands.

Then Spike looms over him, sword in a reverse grip as he prepares to stab him in the throat. The cop puts up his hands with a cry of fear.

Spike hesitates, tilting his head slightly. Then he steps away from the police officer. As he raises his face Weiss can see it. His eyes are soulless, hollow, empty, and his face shows no emotion.

Spike had mentioned there were things about him he wasn't proud of... is this what he meant?

Weiss stares with a mixture of emotions... "Did he...just...kill?" She whispers.

Reave narrows his eyes, "...No, they're still hanging on...surprising."

Smoke nods, "No. Sudden. Movements. Leave your weapons in here until we can bring him back."

"This is stupid...we need to get back!" She sighs, annoyed "SPIKE! Quit being so...whatever...and let's get going!"

Suddenly he throws his sword, and it's sticking through the car door by Smoke. The Faunus breaths heavily, "Hey, SHE said it! I guess I'm just lucky he hasn't aimed to kill in such a long time..."

"Look, whatever is going on here...it needs to stop. NOW." Weiss looks at Spike with a stern gaze "Spike...calm down and come on."

Reave shakes his head, "He can't hear you. As a child he developed a connection to the Theta State, a state of mind where one processes information faster by relying on instinct. He was trained to have this linked to his Fight or Flight instinct... then the Flight part of it was removed. We call it his Demon, and it only surfaces when under fatal threat, or extreme emotional compromise."

"And...which is he feeling now?"

"He'sin self-defence mode," Reave replies. "If he sees your sword he may attack. He can't tell friend from foe this way."

"Well how do you get him to stop?"

"I honestly don't know," Reave says.

"Cinder always talked him down," Smoke says as Spike starts making his way for them. "Weiss, he likes you, maybe you can do it."

"Do what? I just tried to do something in case you didn't notice!"

"Well try not being mean about it, he'll attack hostility," Smoke says moment before Spike rips the whole side of the car off.

Weiss cringes "But how do I not be mean, we don't have the TIME for this!"

Spike's eyes lock on her.

"Okaaay...ummm..Spike...can you maybe...calm down? For a second?" She forces an awkward smile. "Oh god what do I do..."

He blinks at her, and doesn't move. That's progress... of a sort. Then she sees his eyes looking her over. He spots the sword in her hand... then dismisses it. Reave notices with a frown.

Spike reaches for her with a hand...

Weiss narrows her eyes "Um...what is he doing?"

Smoke shrugs, then freezes when Spike snaps his head in his direction. Slowly Spike lifts Weiss out of the car, and starts carrying her away. This proximity reminds her of the bullet holes in his chest, and the blood tricking from them.

She shivers, but she isn't sure whether it's from fear...or the close proximity...or what. "Spike...where are we going? You need medical attention, you dolt!"

He just ignores her, his eyes flicking towards the slightest movements or sounds.

Suddenly he jerks, and stumbles. Weiss notes a needle in his neck from Reave's blowgun.

"The hell.." She mumbles, and looks to Reave with a frown. "...What..."

Spike blinks, and groans as he begins to falter. Weiss lands on her feet as he drops to the ground. He forces himself on his side as he looks up at her.

"You... Hurt...?"

"No." She blinks "Why would I be?"

He smiles with a happy sigh before passing out. Smoke runs over, and gathers him up in his arms. "I know some guys nearby here, I'll take him there, and he'll be patched up ready to come back tomorrow morning."

Reave walks over, putting his blow dart gun on his back. "Are you certain? I know he's durable, and tenacious, but still…"

Smoke smiles, "he'll be fine." Then he dashes off into the night.

Reave watches them go, and then glances at Weiss, then back in the direction they left in. "Interesting..."

She shrugs "Whatever...now can we please go home? I'm confused...I'm tired..and I'm angry about my dust. All I want is a nice hot bath right now!"

Reave nods with a smile, "Alright then." He starts to run.

Weiss follows after him, heaving a sigh. She wonders...just what exactly was that back there..

"I find it interesting how his Demon, which for him is a final, quite lethal resort, did not see you as a threat."

"And...why is that?" Weiss frowns.

"I don't think the Demon emerged to kill this time, but rather to protect." He smiles at her, "The way he handled you even while entranced suggests it got loose in order to protect YOU."

"From what, I was perfectly FINE! I could have handled that!"

"I know that, and YOU know that," Reave says. "But here is another thing we both know: Spike is a foolish idiot."

"Yeah...is that why he got in the way of me when I was about to kick ass?!" She growls.

"Yes," Reave replies. "And even though you might not return the sentiment, what this proves to me is that down to his core, stripped of anything of our society, he loves you. Right down to his heart of hearts, he loves you."

Weiss looks angry "He cannot love me...he doesn't know me!"

Reave pauses once they're a safe distance form the scene. "Weiss, will you try to look at this from a simpler level? At the very least you will see it as he does."

"And your point IS? Don't act like you know me, newcomer!"

"Please have the dignity to call me by my given name," he says. "I did help you keep from killing your friend after all."

"Yeah well, I assume it was one of YOUR friends who spiked the liquid SHE drank.." Weiss glares

"No, it was one of Cardin's group," Reave says simply. "But back to what I'm saying before that, Spike is a simple soul with a simple way of thinking. He saw you, and decided he liked you. Then the more time he spent around you, and those who know you, the more he likes you."

He smiles, "Spike isn't one to chase one simply for station, heritage, or appearance, though these draw the eye of anyone. Once he caught a glimpse of the happiness hidden inside you though, he was hooked."

"Happiness?" She scowls "How does HE know I'm happy! I haven't been happy...for a long while..."

"You're not exactly miserable when Lucy is nearby," Reave explains. "I believe then is when he sees it most. Out of all of us his is perhaps the most tragic story, and as such he leaps at a chance to make the people he loves happy."

Weiss sighs "I see...I don't know what to think about this..."

"Knowing is best, I think. At the moment you know he cares for you, and how far he will go for your sake. You also know he is a decent man, when of the right mind. That seems a good place to start."

"And...where do I go from here?" She groans "No guy has ever looked twice at me before...mainly because I glared before he could, but..."

Reave smiles, and says kindly, "There is no instruction manual for life Weiss. Whatever advise I give you may work, but also may not. People are individuals with unique thoughts, and persona's."

Reave lowers his hood so he can look her softly in the eye, "A bit of general advise; take your time. Nothing rushed ever lasts long."

"Hmph, I know THAT!" She rolls her eyes "But...thank...you...I guess."

"You're welcome," Reave says with a smile. "I'll accompany you to your room, if nothing else I can prevent this night from being MORE taxing on you. My girlfriend back home on Möbius says I'm quite good with people."

"I see..." Weiss nods "You don't need to walk me to my room...I'm quite capable."

"Goodnight then Weiss," he says with a nod, and starts walking away.

"Yeah...night." She replies, before turning the opposite way and heading to her dorm room.

...

Lucy licks her lips as she eyes her French Toast, "Ninja Toast!"

Blake blinks, "Ninja Toast?"

Lucy nods, "Toast that vanish quickly without trace."

Weiss laughs "I see...and why exactly will it vanish?"

Lucy opens her mouth wide, and points inside. Then she picks up her silverware as Reave helps Spike walk in the cafeteria on crutches. Weiss glances at him, before averting her eyes to the table. She fiddles with a strand of her hair awkwardly. Spike sits on the opposite side of the table, a little ways from her. He smiles at Angel, "So you're the girl my little sis made such the fuss about?"

She blinks in reply "Um...what did she say?"

"Just that you were a nice girl, and a great friend of hers." He glances over at Weiss, but quickly looks away.

"Oh...that's nice of her to say so!" Angel grins "Yeah...I'd say we're pretty good friends. As long as she didn't say anything bad about me."

Weiss stares at her place, heaving a quiet sigh.

"Well she did mention one time you were muttering in your sleep. Something about you two making out...?"

"WHAT?!" She blushes "I-I...why would I do...I don't..."

Spike laughs, "Chill girl, I'm talking about a dream Baby Sis said you were having."

"Why would I dream about kissing her?!" She whines "That's so weird...but I wonder if it was a good dream..."

Spike gives her a firm stare all of a sudden, "Bit I'm just saying now, I don't think there's a person alive good enough for my little sister, understand?"

Angel cringes at his stare "I-I'm sorry...it won't happen again I promise!" She whimpers "Please don't..."

He snickers, and busts up, "Jeez! Lighten up! I know you got a boyfriend, and no one can help what they dream."

Angel blinks "But you...sounded so serious...and...scary."

He uses both his hands to pull out his lower eyelids, and sticks out his tongue, "Yup! Had you going huh?!"

"I'll say!" She laughs "I honestly expected you to hit me for even having that dream..."

"Nah, I don't hit girls."

Cinder glares at him, "Excuse me?"

Spike pales, and continues, "Unless they're trying to kill me... Sorry mom..."

"Hmmm...well who knows, I might just try and finish you off the next time you're not looking..." She smirks

Spike smirks, "Not gonna happen, mom taught me to sense Chi so I always see an attack coming."

WHAM!

Smoke kicks him in the back of the head, making him bang his head on the table. "OW! Smoke what did you do that for?!"

Smoke shrugs, "What? The timing was perfect for the reader to have a good laugh."

Spike whines, "Oh come ON! I'm injured here!"

Weiss rolls her eyes "Why do you always seem to be getting injured?"

"Because the author always uses me for slapstick comedy," he pouts. Then he shouts at the ceiling, "Is a little affection too much to ask?!"

That's when a tile falls off the ceiling, and shatters over his face. "SON OF BITCH, MY NOSE IS STILL HEALING!"

Angel cant help but laugh, but stops abruptly when Weiss glares at her "You laugh at injured comrades? Aren't you the nicest person ever...not!"

Spike dabs at his nose with a napkin, and looks at Weiss surprised. Weiss frowns "What? She shouldnt laugh like that..."

"I'm just surprised... After last night you're sticking up for me?"

Cinder glares, "What happened last night."

Spike cringes, "...I blacked out."

Cinder blinks, her face softening.

Weiss refrains from saying anything else, and avoid making eye contact with him.

Spike smiles a bit, "But... Thank you Weiss."

"Whatever..." She mumbles.

Angel grins at Spike "Ohmygod...you...LIKE HER!"

"Nar dip, tater chip," he says.

Angel blinks "Uhhhh..."

Smoke translates, "He said, 'No duh.'"

"Ohhh...THAT'S SO CUTE!"

Spike smiles, and then his stomach growls loudly...

"Maybe you better eat..." Angel frowns "Sounds like you haven't for a while."

Weiss scoffs, the tiniest tint of pink on her cheeks "Don't you ever shut up..."

"Don't YOU ever quit being so bitchy!"

"Hey!" Spike looks at Angel with serous eyes, "I can hold my own, thanks!"

"Well sorry for being concerned..." She averts her gaze downwards.

"I don't blame you for that, just... Ease up on the name-calling," he says as his stomach roars again. Reave walks off to get him breakfast.

"I didnt call her a bitch y'know..." Angel heaves a sigh and puts her head on the table "What's wrong with me today..."

Adam rubs her back as Spike scoots down the long seats until he's in front of Weiss, "You feeling okay?"

"Fine." she replies curtly.

He looks down at his hands, "...I'm sorry you had to see that."

"It's...okay..."

He shakes his head, "I know I'm not the sharpest sword in the shed... But Weiss... Despite anything, and everything, I need you to know I'm sincere about you."

She frowns "but why...Weiss cold...so my friends call me.."

He smirks, "That's actually kinda catchy, but it doesn't matter to me. I think you're forgetting who raised me, I'm used to headstrong girls." He tilts his head, "Plus beauty ain't just skin-deep for you."

"Stop complimenting me! It's weird..."

"Why? How is it weird?" He tilts his head cluelessly.

" Because no one ever compliments me!" She growls angrily.

He looks gobsmacked, "Why not?!"

"Because i'm...Weiss cold." She smirks.

Spike smiles, and reaches across the table to rub her hand softly. She blushes at the contact, but makes no move to pull her hand away. He pats her hand, "Well once I'm patched up, and there's some free time... Wanna go for a picnic?"

"Maybe...if I'm not training..."

"Kinda meant that when I said 'free time.' It's gonna take a while though, according to the doc the bullets in my leg nicked the bone."

Weiss glares at him "You're such an idiot! I said I would have dealt with it!"

"I know, it's my own fault for getting shot." He shrugs, and looks down as Reave puts a plate of blueberry muffins in front of him. Spike smiles, and handles the first one like it's made of gold.

"You wouldn't have got shot if you'd have let me fight..." She sighs.

"Let YOU take heat for scrapping with cops?" He looks at her like she just suggested he go kiss a spider.

"As long as my father wouldn't find out..."

"But doesn't he know you're one of our top dogs? He'd know about it if I hadn't stepped in."

"Hmm..maybe.."She sighs "But don't you dare think that i can't defend myself!"

"After seeing who raised me you REALLY think I think a girl can't fight...?"

Weiss glares " Yeah well with me being an heiress people tend to assume i can't stick up for myself..."

Spike smirks, "I see the way you walk Weiss, you're not just a girl. You're a warrior."

"And you better not forget it!"

"No worries, I have the memory of an elephant-Oh look, muffins!" He looks down in surprise, and starts in on one.

Weiss rolls her eyes "Oh jeez..."

"Mm! Want one?" He offers her one.

"No...thanks...I'll pass..."

He shrugs, and swallows it in one bite. Weiss heaves a sigh " What am I getting myself into..." She mumbles to herself.