Title: Protection

Author: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Spike napped for a little while before his body woke him full of desire. He smiled realizing Buffy had pressed her body directly up against his torso so that his head lay nuzzled at her throat. He could hear her heartbeat and smell he blood below the surface. Spike gazed at his love in his arms as she slept. He knew deep down she trusted him with her life and Dawn's.

Spike's eyes drifted to Dawn on the floor. There was something unsettling about the way she was sleeping. It was more trance-like then sleep. Spike got closer to her and quirked his head to the side.  She was nodding and shaking her head like she was answering questions to someone Spike couldn't see.  He crawled out of bed and shook Dawn awake.

"Nibblet," he whispered. "Nibblet?"

"What?" she said sleepily without opening her eyes.

"Are you seeing him?" he asked softly. "The violet-eyed guy?"

"Yeah…" she answered.

"Ask him what he wants?" Spike said slowly, looking back at Buffy.

"My destiny…" Dawn said simply. Spike looked at his bed. Buffy wasn't telling him everything about her dreams. She never mentioned anything about destiny. Destiny mucked things up big time. She was trying to control what couldn't be controlled.

Spike's attention turned back to Dawn as she spoke again but in the voice of a man, "She's not listening to me." The violet-eyed man was tired of waiting on Buffy. He was trying the direct approach now.

"Why should she listen? You're trying to take away her sister." Spike snapped back.

"You can't fight destiny," the voice replied.

"Sure you can… Buffy has beaten death twice, when she was destined to die."

"But she did die," the voice answered. Spike despaired knowing that the voice was right. Fighting was futile. He would be losing LilBit too. He hated the thought.

"Help her sort it out, before things get… out of hand."

With that Dawn curled into a ball and began to snore slightly.

"Bloody Hell! I swore I would never do this…" Spike muttered as he got up and searched for the cell phone he was given by one his few friends in LA. "If this doesn't show how much I love her nothing will."

A few numbers were dialed and the phone began to ring. "This better be life or death," Lorn answered on the other end of the phone.

"Possibly," Spike stated.

"Spike…. I've been listening to Connor cry all night. This better be good," the green man said.

"How are your skills over the phone?" Spike asked looking at Dawn asleep on the floor.

"Too much interference. What's up man? You swore you would never call for help."

"Yeah… That was before the Summers women wormed their way into my heart," Spike said with a sigh. "Look mate, I know things are crazy there and all, but would you come visit Sunnydale. I have a little girl with a big destiny and a slayer sister not listening to the prophetic dreams the Powers are sending to her."

Lorn blinked a few times trying to comprehend his friend's statement. "You want me to come visit? I know its Sunnydale but I doubt I can walk outside the way I can here."

"Man I need your help."

"You owe me for this," Lorn responded.

"What ever it takes…" Spike said watching the sleeping forms in his crypt.

"You will be the opening act when Caritas reopens. You and your hidden guitar."

Spike grimaced, "You would have to ask me to do something that will make me look like a poof in front of Peaches, wouldn't you?"

"That's nothing man, he is insanely in love with his kid. So hype about how to hold the little guy… Besides, you might find your slayer likes it," Lorn answered.

"Last time I sang to Buffy she ran away from me…then again we were in a grave…. Besides I couldn't get Buffy to LA to watch me sing." Spike whispered. "Well she might come just for the blackmail potential… She still doesn't know about Connor though… I'm not sure I'm ready to see her lose it over the baby that's not hers."

"We could avoid the topic I think… It might be good to get the girl to sing for me… Get some idea of what she's missing," Lorn offered.

"Maybe while you're here… Lorn thanks," Spike spoke calmly.

"I'll sleep for another couple hours, then get on the road. See ya soon."

With the call finished, Spike crawled back in bed next to Buffy. "Where'd you go?" Buffy mumbled.

"Called a friend to help protect Dawn… He'll be here in the morning. Go back to sleep," Spike whispered as he stroked her hair. She nodded and snuggled back into his embrace. Spike sighed hoping the Buffy wouldn't kill him in the morning.

"You'll always protect Dawn," Buffy whispered sleepily.

"Yeah, even from you, pet," he thought to himself.