When Dawn snuck through the back door, she found the kitchen empty. She sighed with relief but motioned for Janice to be quiet anyway. She looked around before daring to make a noise, and sighed.

"Coast is clear." She said, going to the fridge, "You thirsty?"

"Yeah, sure." Janice said, "When's your sister getting home?"

"I dunno. But by the time she does, school'll be out so it's not a problem."

Janice nodded and grinned, "So...should we hang here, or go dig up some entertainment?"

Dawn raised an eyebrow and handed Janice a coke, "What do you suggest?"

"I don't know."

Dawn shrugged and sat across from the other girl at the kitchen table, "Probably shouldn't risk it."

"Hm. Maybe. Hey, the fumigation party's tonight! Wanna go?"

"The Bronze? Like Buffy's gonna let me go."

"Why NOT?" Janice demanded in disbelief, "Everyone else goes. It's the only all ages place around here! Hello? We're almost 16."

"I know! And Buffy did all kinds of stuff when she was younger than we are!"

"Like what?"

"Yeah. Like what."

Dawn's eyes widened and she turned slowly at the British accent, "Uh...hi?"

Spike gave her a smirk and looked at Janice, "You. Out."

"Excuse me?"

"Just go." Dawn whispered, her eyes pleading with her friend, "I'll call you."

"Who's HE?"

"Um...Willow's boyfriend."

"Isn't she gay?"

"Janice! Go!"

Janice shrugged and grabbed her stuff, hurrying out the door.

"Spike, please don't get mad."

"Oh I'm not mad. I'm almost proud."

"Really??" Dawn looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

"No not REALLY!" He rolled his eyes, "Look, Nibblet, you know better. Youw ill get taken away."

"Maybe I want to be."

"Don't say that. You know you don't mean it."

"Like Hell I don't!" Dawn made a frustrated noise, "I'm 16 not stupid. I'm tired of everyone acting like I don't have a clue. Hello? Thousand year old KEY here?! Buffy won't let me do anything the Scoobies do, she acts like I don't know a thing about vampires or demons or magic. And Xander and Anya treat me like a little kid. And DAMMIT, I know Willow's GAY, OK? I know what that is and I'm tired of people acting like I don't. And don't think I don't know you're banging my sister, because I KNOW! I'm not allowed to do magic. I'm not allowed ot learn how to fight. I can't hear about anyone's love life, god-forbid we corrupt MY virgin ears! I can't go to the Bronze, even though I am SO old enough. Buffy acts like everything she did as a teenager never happened and I have no right to have fun just because she's become this tight-ass witch!"

Dawn's eyes blazed and she was breathing hard from her tyrade. Spike leaned back in his chair.

"You're right about some of it." He said, "You know what's going on. You're old enough to go the the Bronze. And your sister can be a tight-ass. But magic and demons? Why do you even wanna be involved in that bloody mess?"

"I want to understand." She said softly.

"Understand?"

"Yes! I want to know why vampires drink blood. I wanna know how you become a vampire, how come holy water bruns you. And I want to understand evil and why Glory wanted to ruin the world, and why I had to be part of it. Why's there only one Slayer? Why not like 50?" Dawn took a breath, "And no one wants to explain."

"You never asked me to explain."

"Well, duh. Before Buffy died, you were off limits. Stay away from Spike. He's evil. Then after, you were so sad and it was like you were there but you weren't. And I was too busy wanting her back and wanting you to stop being so sad, I didn't have time to worry about that. And now, you're so infatuated with her--AGAIN--to care. Everything's about Buffy. Always. Willow gets high on WitchCrack, oh no, poor Buffy's gotta deal. Social Services? OH NO! Buffy has to deal with them! Nevermind that MY life has SUCKED since my mother died. Does anyone even stop to think? My mother died, I found out I wasn't real, I almost died, my sister DID. Then she just comes back? Does anyone care that I don't get why Buffy does everything, why everyone loves her, why I'm just the little sister?"

Dawn wiped at the tears streaking her cheeks, "I just want to be noticed, you know?"

"Yeah. I know." Spike said quietly remembering his life as William.

"What's going on here?" Buffy demanded from the doorway. The Key and the Vampire turned guiltily.