Part Four

Dawn awoke to the sound of heavy breathing on the back of her neck. She smiled and slowly rolled over facing Spike. She softly ran her hands through his hair and placed a kiss on the tip of his nose. She shivered slightly and pulled the comforter up around them. He sighed and snuggled closer to her. Dawn laid her head back down on her pillow and took his hand in hers as she closed her eyes and slowly drifted back to sleep.

***

Two hours later, Dawn woke up again only this time she couldn't move. Spike had somehow managed to roll over on top, causing her to only be able to move her feet around. She stifled a laugh and gently tried to move him off, but he wouldn't budge. Dawn tried again and he turned slightly so he was in-between her legs, his hand on her inner thigh. She closed her eyes to regain her senses, her body reacting to his touch. She tried squirming away from him, but in a matter of seconds his hands had moved from underneath the blanket and pinned her arms to the bed. Spike lifted his head up and kissed her lips softly. "Morning luv."

Dawn returned the kiss and smiled up at him. "Is there any way you're going to let go of me?"

He shook his head. "Not right now." He kissed her again and from her lips, he began making a trail of open mouthed kisses down along her neck until he reached her abdomen. Dawn's stomach tensed, her body trembling with warmth. She reached around Spike's waist and pulled him close to her, laying his head down upon her chest. She could feel the steady rhythm of his heart beating, his breathing becoming ragged as his fingertips brushed the undersides of her breasts and his lips resumed their trail of fervent kisses around her collarbone. Her eyes fluttered shut and a sigh escaped her lips, her hands roaming around his well muscled back. "Spike?"

His head lifted up. "Yeah Luv?"

"Are you better?" She looked into his penetrating blue eyes. "I mean, does it hurt.... less?"

He slowly nodded, a familiar pain reflected in his eyes for a moment and then as quickly as it had shown through, it was gone. "I think so, I know it wasn't really my fault for killing, I had a sodding demon make its home in me, and even though it was hard thinking about everything, I wouldn't have it any other way."

Dawn's face scrunched up in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Spike cupped Dawn's chin in his hand. "I would never have met you if I wasn't a vampire. I'd be dead and buried in some bloody old grave in England, probably still a friggin loser with no sense of direction." He shook his head. "Nope I wouldn't have changed a damn thing cause you wouldn't be in my life then. You're my real savior you know that?"

Dawn's eyes brimmed with unshed tears. Her lip quivered and she leaned into his hand. "Thank you."

Spike smiled up at her. "For what Dawn?"

"For loving me."

***

The sound of the phone ringing woke Dawn up. She glanced around the room, trying to find the cause of the noise, but it had grown dark out and she was still half asleep. 'We must've fell back to sleep.' she thought. Finally she realized that the annoying noise was the phone, but by the time she had wrapped the sheet from the bed around her body, it had stopped ringing. She slowly walked back to the bed and a smile washed over her face when she saw Spike laying there, the blanket pulled up to his waist, his arms spread out, and his light snoring filled the room. She crept quietly outside for fresh air when she heard him get up. She turned around and wrapped her arms around him while he leaned into her, his lips nuzzling her neck.

"Nibblet?"

"Yeah Spike?"

"I think we need to take a little trip."

Dawn unlocked herself from his embrace. "To L.A.?"

He nodded slowly. "Even though I bloody hate the poof, he might have some advice for me you know?"

A small smile crept up on her face. "Then let's go." She took his hand and together they were dressed and ready to depart.