If Not Wisely
Chapter 8: Hanging Out
Spoilers: Begins immediately post-Wrecked, becomes AU after that.
Rating: R for swearing and some sexual situations.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Feedback: Would be highly appreciated. This is my first attempt at fanfic, and I'd like to know how I'm doing. Constructive criticism is welcome.
Distribution: So far, just here. If anyone wants it, just let me know.
Summary: Buffy continues to struggle with her feelings for Spike, and the whole gang tries to help Willow with her abuse of magic.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who has sent feedback, especially Bella. I am so glad that people are actually enjoying this, because I'm having a lot of fun writing it. If you read this and like it, please let me know. If you absolutely hate it, please tell me why. Thanks!
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Dawn burst into Spike's crypt not twenty minutes after her sister had left. In true Summers form, she did not bother with knocking, nor did she take any care with the amount of sunlight that she let in. She had had a horrendous day at school and was hoping that hanging out with Spike would cheer her up. "Spike!" she bellowed at the top of her lungs. She looked around the empty, dimly lit crypt, and did not see him anywhere. "Spi-ike!"
Spike had taken a few moments, after Buffy had left, to lie in bed and savor the memory of their morning together. He was pretty pleased with the way things had turned out, and he had wanted to bask in his small victory. Consequently, he was not fully dressed when Dawn showed up. Quickly, he shoved his feet into boots and grabbed a long sleeve button down shirt. He shrugged into the shirt as he made his way up the ladder, not taking time to do up the buttons. He made it to the top of the ladder and saw Dawn standing by the telly. She did not look like she was in a good mood. "Hey, Little Bit. Why the long face?"
Dawn's head swiveled at the sound of his voice, and her mouth dropped open a little at the sight of him. Spike was standing there in his tight black jeans with his shirt hanging completely open. Her eyes roamed over his finely muscled chest and taunt stomach. God, Spike was so hot. Not for the first time, Dawn wished that she were older. If she were only five years older, Dawn would give Buffy a run for her money. Although she had never really gotten over her crush on Spike, Dawn knew that it was hopeless. Spike saw her as a surrogate kid sister, nothing more. Plus, he was way too old for her, like more than a century too old. Still, Dawn consoled herself with the thought that she would only continue to grow up while Spike would stay the same age forever. Maybe someday...
"Nibblet, are you daft? What in the bleeding hell is wrong with you?" Spike's voice cut into her thoughts.
"What? Oh." Dawn was embarrassed at having been caught staring. "Jeez, Spike, naked much?"
Spike's eyes flew down to his exposed chest. "Oh, right then. Sorry `bout that, Bit." He began to do up the buttons in a hurry. No sense in fueling Dawn's crush by letting her get a sneak peak at the goods. "Sometimes I forget the effect that I have on women," he teased.
Dawn blushed furiously at his comment. She could see that Spike was enjoying himself, so she tried to play it cool. "Whatever Spike. Just don't call me when you can't fit that swollen head of yours through the crypt door."
Spike chuckled. "Aright Nibblet, I'll keep that in mind. So, what's wrong with you? Did you have a rough day at school?"
"Worst. Day. Ever." Her embarrassment forgotten, she began to tell him all about her day. First, she had been late for homeroom, then her best friend, Lisa, had told her that Brenden--the boy that Dawn was totally in love with--had started going steady with Tammy Potter, a snotty, stuck up cheerleader whom Dawn hated with a passion. To make matters worse, her archrival, Carrie, had started spreading a rumor that Dawn had stolen a car and crashed it while running away from the police. "Can you believe that? I'm not the one who stole the car! But it's not like I can just make a little announcement, `Hey everybody, I didn't steal the car, my sister's friend, the witch, did. Oh, and we weren't actually running from the police, we were running from this nasty demon that she conjured.' Ugh! I hate my life!"
Spike stood and listened as patiently as possible to Dawn's little rant. As much as he loved this girl, he really couldn't bring himself to care that some little tosser she fancied had the hots for someone else. He did feel bad that the rest of the kids were so mean to her though. "You want me to bite `em for ya, Nibblet? It'd give me a hell of a migraine, but I'd do it for you."
Dawn smiled. "Thanks, Spike." She flopped down into his chair and draped one long leg over the armrest. "Why does my life have to suck so much?"
"Oh, come now, Pet. It can't be as bad as all that." Spike hated to see his girl so unhappy.
"It gets even worse! I only missed one day of school, but I'm already so far behind. Now, I hafta read this stupid play for English, and I missed a vocab quiz in Spanish."
Spike's ears perked up at the mention of Dawn's English assignment. "A play, Nibblet? What are you reading?"
With a groan, Dawn got up and walked over to where she had thrown her backpack. She returned to the chair with it in tow and began rummaging through it. "Ah, here it is! `Romeo and Juliet.' Can you believe this? I have to read freaking Shakespeare! God, I hate this crap! I can't understand a single word! Why can't he just speak English?"
Spike laughed at the girl's exasperation. "Hate to break it to ya, luv, but it is English." He reached out and took the book from her hands. "Besides, Shakespeare's bloody brilliant! A true poet! I was named after him, you know."
Dawn perked up a little. "You were?"
"Yep. Me mum loved his sonnets. Couldn't get enough of `em." Smiling to himself at the memory, Spike closed his eyes and began to recite.
"Then let not winter's ragged hand deface
In thee thy summer were thou be distill'd:
Make sweet some vial; treasure thou some place
With beauty's treasure ere it be self-kill'd."
He gave a soft sigh. "That was one of her favorites."
Dawn was flabbergasted. "Spike! What was that?"
"*That*, as you so aptly put it, was a sonnet, number six I believe. But I wouldn't expect you to know that, Bit, not with the sorry excuse for an educational system that you Yanks have." Spike was still lost in his memories of William's life and had not noticed that Dawn continued to stare at him bug-eyed and openmouthed. "Well, it's not the entire sonnet, mind, just the first bit."
"Spike, you like poetry? You *memorize* poetry?" Dawn was laughing now. "Oh my God, wait until I tell Xander!"
"What?" Spike was pulled from his memories of a life long gone by the mention of the Whelp's name. Realization was slow to dawn on him. "Nibblet," he roared, "I swear by all that is unholy, if you mention a word of this to that Harris git, or anyone, I will make you my dinner!"
Dawn continued to laugh uncontrollably. "This is too much! Oh, Spike you really made my day. Who would have ever thought? William the Bloody...the Big Bad...reciting poetry!" She was doubled over with laughter clutching her stomach and gasping for breath. "Do another! Come on, Spike, one more!'
Spike ground his teeth impatiently. "I bloody well will not! You had better stop laughing right this second, or I'll...I'll..."
"You'll what? Kill me with prose? I'll bet you've got some of those big solicitors memorized too, right?"
"Soliloquy's!" Spike roared. "Dawn! Please! Please stop laughing at me." He didn't think that his sodding excuse for an unlife could possibly get any worse. It was bad enough that he was a fangless vampire in love with the Slayer, but now everyone was bound to know his dirty little secret. He was a closet poet. Spike didn't think that his already bruised and battered reputation could withstand yet another blow.
"Oh, Spike," Dawn could tell the she had gone too far. He looked really hurt. Quickly, her laughter faded, and she brushed a few tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry. You're right, I shouldn't laugh. I was just surprised is all. Really, it was beautiful. I'm sorry that I laughed." She gave him her sweetest smile, hoping that Spike would forgive her.
Once Dawn's laughter died down, so did Spike's anger. If he had been in Dawn's place, he probably would've laughed his ass off too. Hell, if it had been Peaches spouting poetry, Spike would've taken the piss out of him for it and never let him hear the end of it. Dawn was still looking at him, her eyes silently begging for forgiveness. "Don't worry `bout it Nibblet. No harm done. Just, please don't tell anyone, okay? I've got a rep to protect, well, what's left of it."
Dawn raised her right hand solemnly. "Not a word. I promise."
"Right then, glad we've got that cleared up." He handed her copy of "Romeo and Juliet" back to her. He'd been clutching it pretty tightly, and it was a little worse for the wear. "Best get started on your homework then. I promised big sis I'd see to it that you finished it."
Dawn's face fell. "Spike," she whined, "do I have too? I told you, I can't understand a thing he's saying. Can't we just rent the movie? You know, the one with Leo in it, and that chick from `My So-Called Life?'"
"What? That sodding pile of crap? No way, Bit. You will read every bleedin' word even if I have to chain you up to make you do it!"
"Oh, like you did to Buffy?" Dawn's voice sounded innocent, but she was wearing Spike's patented smirk.
"Low blow, Nibblet." Why, oh why had he taught her that smirk? "Just read it. You'll like it, I promise. It's downright romantic, really. Well, except for the sad ending. Then again, dying `cause you've lost your one true love seems like the height of romance to me."
"Yeah," snorted Dawn. "Like how you were going to take that noonday stroll right after Buffy--" seeing the look on his face, she dropped the subject quickly. "So, you know it then?"
"Yep, I know it all right. It's one of his better works, even if it doesn't quite fit the classic definition of a tragedy." Seeing the blank look on Dawn's face, he decided not to follow that train of thought. "Anyway, it's still got lots of good death and a few good swordfights, not as much as `Hamlet', though. Even saw it put on a few times." He laughed as the memories hit him. "Dru tried to eat Juliet once. Wouldn't let her though. That chit was a right fine actress. Made me cry, she did." Spike's face was almost wistful.
Dawn was starting to get interested. "So, what's the story? Star crossed lovers and all that?'
"Yeah, but it's more than that, see? Their families were enemies, and by all rights, they should have been enemies too. But they weren't. They fell in love, despite that fact that they should've been on opposite sides. They were able to look past all of the silly feuding and see only the person that hid behind an enemy's name. Speaks volumes about the power of love, really. Well, except for the fact that their love is what killed them. Don't really know what to make of that."
Dawn looked thoughtful. "Sorta reminds me of you and Buffy."
"How's that, Bit?" he asked. Spike wasn't sure where she was going with this.
"You know, the whole enemy thing. Can you think of any more natural enemies than a vampire and the Slayer?" She looked up and found that Spike was staring at her strangely. "Plus, there's the whole looking past the labels thing, and don't forget the part about true love conquering all." The dreamy smile that had spread across Dawn's face suddenly disappeared. "Wait, they die?" Spike nodded. "Well, we can't have that. I couldn't stand to lose either one of you. Okay, so we'll just have to rewrite the ending. No big."
"Dawn," Spike was moved by her little speech. If only it were true. "That's nice and all, but I don't exactly fancy myself as bloody Romeo. Besides, I don't think big sis is going to be looking past labels any time soon. She'll never see me as anything but a vampire."
"Why not?" Dawn pouted. "I see you as more than that, and I'm just a kid. Or so everybody keeps telling me. Buffy's just being stupid. She'll come around eventually, I know it." She looked at Spike almost lovingly. "How could she not?" She got up and gave Spike a small hug. `Oh, why can't I be older already?'
Much to his displeasure, Spike found a lump growing in his throat once again as the girl wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Why did the love of a child get to him every time? And why couldn't Buffy be more like her little sister? Spike returned Dawn's hug and patted her on the back. "Thanks, Nibblet. You're a sweet one."
Suddenly, Dawn pulled back. "Hey," she said brightly, "did you know him?"
"Know who?"
"Shakespeare. Were you like friends and stuff?"
"What? Are you daft? Shakespeare died in 1616! Bloody Hell, I wasn't even born until 1853! How old do you think I am?" Spike was incredulous.
Dawn tried not to laugh. She had known that she could snap Spike out of his blue mood, but she didn't want to risk embarrassing him again. "Gee, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply that you were a geezer or anything. God, 1853, huh? Why, you're still a child!"
Spike growled at her. "That's quite enough Nibblet! Get started on your school work, or no telly for you." He softened a bit when he saw Dawn grimace. "Hey, do you want a snack or something?"
Dawn's eyes narrowed skeptically. "You're not offering me blood are you? `Cause thanks, but, big ew on that one."
"No, I am not offering you blood, you silly bint! I picked up some snacks for you. Thought you might be hungry after school." He had gone out the night before, after waiting to make sure that Buffy had really left, and nicked a couple of bags of chips and a six pack of soda from a 24 hour convenience store.
"Thanks Spike!" Dawn's eyes lit up. "I'm starving. Miser Buffy only gave me ten bucks for the rest of the week. I totally had to ration at lunch today. What've you got?"
"Well, I got some Chili Cheese Fritos, and some BBQ Pringles and some Mountain Dew. Though how you can drink that swill, I'll never know."
"This coming from the guy that drinks blood!" Dawn called over her shoulder as she went over to the fridge. She grabbed the bag of Fritos and a soda--making a face at the sight of all the blood in Spike's fridge--and made her way back to her chair. On the way, something caught her eye. There, lying on the stone sarcouphagus that Spike had previously used as a bed was Buffy's jacket and her favorite tank top, the one that had Princess spell out across the front in rhinestones.
Dawn set down her snack and snatched up the incriminating evidence. She marched right over to Spike and held the clothing up in his face. "Hey, aren't these Buffy's?"
"What?" Spike had the classic deer in headlights look. "Uh, I dunno. Hmm, don't think so. They must be Harm's. Yeah, she probably just left `em behind. Why would you think they were Buffy's?" He was desperately scrambling for something that might sound believable. "They're not, you know. Um, Buffy's? Definitely not." He tried to grab the clothing from Dawn, but she snatched them away.
"Nice try, Blondie, but I know they're Buffy's." Dawn's eyes were flashing with mirth, and she was still grinning evilly. "Duh, I think I'd recognize my own sister's favorite tank top. Besides, I was with her when she bought this jacket."
"Oh," he was busted, "right then, I guess they are Buffy's." If he'd had a fully functioning circulatory system, Spike would have been blushing several shades of red. "Forgot they were here."
"So, why exactly are they here?" asked Dawn. She was not letting up in the slightest, and Spike thought that she was really enjoying herself.
"Well, that's a funny story." How the hell was he going to explain this one? "We had a little slaying mishap, see? Um, big sis fell in a...puddle. Yep, big, big puddle. Got all wet, she did. Couldn't exactly go home that way. So, being the gentleman that I am, I let her borrow something to wear." Spike sighed with relief. There, that sounded perfectly reasonable. He just hoped that Dawn would buy it.
"Uh, huh. So, was this before or after you were fighting the demon?"
"Demon? Did she say there was a demon?" Dawn nodded. "Oh, it was...during. She was running away, see, and fell in the puddle. It was really quite comical, the Slayer flopping about in a puddle." He gave her one of his smirks, hoping that he could get Dawn to drop the topic.
"Okay, sounds plausible." Dawn was delighted with the reaction that she was receiving from Spike. He was busted and he knew it. "So, what kind of demon was it?"
"What kind? Oh, it was an...Urgash...demon. Tough little buggers, those."
"Really? `Cause Buffy said it was a Chaos Demon."
"She did? Well, you know...Chaos Demon...Urgash Demon...always getting' the two mixed up. If big sis said it was a Chaos Demon, then that's what it was." Spike swallowed nervously. Would he ever be able to talk his way out of this?
"She said it slimed her," said Dawn.
"Oh, yeah, Chaos Demons are real big on the whole slime thing." He tried to change the subject. "Did I ever tell you about the time I caught Dru making out with a Chaos Demon? Big, nasty thing it was, all slime and antlers. Made me want to heave it was so--"
"Where's the slime, Spike?" Dawn demanded. She held the clothes right in front of his face. "'Cause I'm not seeing any slime here."
"Well, you wouldn't. That's because it's...magic...slime...completely disappears after a couple of hours. Doesn't leave a trace." Spike knew that his excuses were beyond pathetic, but all he could do was go with it.
Dawn was tired of the charade. How stupid did he think she was anyway? With a groan of frustration, she said, "Spike! Enough! Listen, you may think I'm some dumb little kid who doesn't even know about the birds and the bees, but I'm not! I'm fifteen freakin' years old for Christ's sake, the exact same age as Buffy when she was called. I'm not a kid, and I'm not stupid, and I know a whole hell of a lot more than you give me credit for!" In a fit of anger, Dawn threw the clothes at Spike and turned around to flop back down in her chair.
Spike didn't know what to say. He'd rarely seen Nibblet so angry. He gave a little sigh as he picked the clothes up from the floor. "What is it that you think you know, Bit?"
"I know that Buffy came home last night wearing your T-shirt. I know that her jacket and tank top are here in your crypt, and I know that both of you are lying to me about it. For God's sake, if you're going to lie, at least bother to get your stories straight." Dawn's expression changed from one of anger to downright pleading. "Spike, out of everyone, you've always been the one to treat me like a real person, not just some freaky mystical ball of energy and not just the Slayer's bratty kid sister who needs protecting."
Spike felt bad for the girl. He had always tried to treat her as an equal, despite his overwhelming desire to protect her from all the things that go bump in the night. If it had been up to him, he probably would have told her what had happened with Buffy, but it wasn't up to him. The Slayer obviously didn't want Dawn to know what was going on, and Spike didn't think it was his place to spill the beans.
Feeling like the biggest heel in the world, Spike got up and walked over to where Dawn sat. He pulled a battered ottoman over in front of her and sat down. Dawn was fiddling with some silly ring on her thumb and wouldn't look at him. "Nibblet, look at me." Still, she continued to avoid his eyes. Reaching out and gently raising her chin so that their eyes met, Spike said, "Listen, I don't think you're stupid. I know that you're probably the smartest of the lot. I'm sorry if you thought that I was treating you like a kid. I honestly didn't mean to. You kinda took me by surprise with all the questions."
"Spike," Dawn whispered, "what happened? Did you guys hook up? Are you like a couple now? Why won't either of you tell me the truth?"
"Hook up? What's that supposed to mean? Where do you kids get this buggin' street slang?" Spike joked.
Dawn rolled her eyes in the way that only a teenager can. "Please, you know what it means. Did you?" Her eyes were pleading with Spike to tell the truth.
"I'm sorry, Bit, but what ever happened is between Buffy and me. She obviously didn't want you to know, so I don't think it's my place to tell you."
Dawn gave an exaggerated sigh. "Fine, I don't need all the dirty details. I just wanna know if you're, like, her boyfriend now."
Spike gave a short, humorless laugh and said, "No, Nibblet, I can assure you that I am not her boyfriend. No worries there."
"Spike, God, I'm not worried about that! I would be so happy if you guys finally got together."
"You and me both, Nibblet."
Dawn smiled, her eyes lighting up as she considered the possibility. "It would be so great. We could be like a family, you know? You could move in with us, and I could get to see you every day."
Spike smiled back at her, touched by Dawn's obvious affection for him. "Ah, Nibblet, don't get too carried away. Big sis barely tolerates my presence. I don't think she's going to be inviting me to live with you any time soon."
"So, what, it's just a physical thing?" Dawn was confused. "Like casual sex?"
Spike groaned and leapt up from the ottoman. He really needed a smoke. Stalking over to grab his cigarettes from his duster pocket, he said, "Dawn! This conversation is over. I am not discussing the subject any more. If you want to know anything else, you'll have to ask Buffy." Spike fished a cigarette out of his pack and lit it. He took a big drag and wondered if it would be okay to drink in front of the girl. He could use a spot of whiskey just now.
Dawn couldn't help but be amused at Spike's agitation. She figured she should just give him a break and drop the subject. Going over to pick up her discarded snack, she decided to get one last jab in. "Buffy slept in your T-shirt last night," she said as innocently as possible.
Spike's mouth dropped open in shock. "She did?" he asked, voice breaking just a little. "Did she say anything about me?"
"Sorry, Blondie," Dawn said with a smirk, "but this conversation is over. I've got Shakespeare to read."
In the next couple of hours, Dawn made her way through the entire first act of "Romeo and Juliet," with a lot of help from Spike, and painstakingly wrote out all of her Spanish vocabulary words and their English translations. Spike took her for dinner at McDonald's, despite the fact that she had finished nearly half the bag of Chili Cheese Fritos. Dawn laughed over his obvious delight at seeing the McRib back on the menu. Later, they watched "Dawson's Creek" together, complete with running commentary from Spike. There was no more mention of Buffy, or Chaos Demons, or giant puddles. In all, it was one of the best afternoons Dawn had had in a long time.
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Chapter 8: Hanging Out
Spoilers: Begins immediately post-Wrecked, becomes AU after that.
Rating: R for swearing and some sexual situations.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Feedback: Would be highly appreciated. This is my first attempt at fanfic, and I'd like to know how I'm doing. Constructive criticism is welcome.
Distribution: So far, just here. If anyone wants it, just let me know.
Summary: Buffy continues to struggle with her feelings for Spike, and the whole gang tries to help Willow with her abuse of magic.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who has sent feedback, especially Bella. I am so glad that people are actually enjoying this, because I'm having a lot of fun writing it. If you read this and like it, please let me know. If you absolutely hate it, please tell me why. Thanks!
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Dawn burst into Spike's crypt not twenty minutes after her sister had left. In true Summers form, she did not bother with knocking, nor did she take any care with the amount of sunlight that she let in. She had had a horrendous day at school and was hoping that hanging out with Spike would cheer her up. "Spike!" she bellowed at the top of her lungs. She looked around the empty, dimly lit crypt, and did not see him anywhere. "Spi-ike!"
Spike had taken a few moments, after Buffy had left, to lie in bed and savor the memory of their morning together. He was pretty pleased with the way things had turned out, and he had wanted to bask in his small victory. Consequently, he was not fully dressed when Dawn showed up. Quickly, he shoved his feet into boots and grabbed a long sleeve button down shirt. He shrugged into the shirt as he made his way up the ladder, not taking time to do up the buttons. He made it to the top of the ladder and saw Dawn standing by the telly. She did not look like she was in a good mood. "Hey, Little Bit. Why the long face?"
Dawn's head swiveled at the sound of his voice, and her mouth dropped open a little at the sight of him. Spike was standing there in his tight black jeans with his shirt hanging completely open. Her eyes roamed over his finely muscled chest and taunt stomach. God, Spike was so hot. Not for the first time, Dawn wished that she were older. If she were only five years older, Dawn would give Buffy a run for her money. Although she had never really gotten over her crush on Spike, Dawn knew that it was hopeless. Spike saw her as a surrogate kid sister, nothing more. Plus, he was way too old for her, like more than a century too old. Still, Dawn consoled herself with the thought that she would only continue to grow up while Spike would stay the same age forever. Maybe someday...
"Nibblet, are you daft? What in the bleeding hell is wrong with you?" Spike's voice cut into her thoughts.
"What? Oh." Dawn was embarrassed at having been caught staring. "Jeez, Spike, naked much?"
Spike's eyes flew down to his exposed chest. "Oh, right then. Sorry `bout that, Bit." He began to do up the buttons in a hurry. No sense in fueling Dawn's crush by letting her get a sneak peak at the goods. "Sometimes I forget the effect that I have on women," he teased.
Dawn blushed furiously at his comment. She could see that Spike was enjoying himself, so she tried to play it cool. "Whatever Spike. Just don't call me when you can't fit that swollen head of yours through the crypt door."
Spike chuckled. "Aright Nibblet, I'll keep that in mind. So, what's wrong with you? Did you have a rough day at school?"
"Worst. Day. Ever." Her embarrassment forgotten, she began to tell him all about her day. First, she had been late for homeroom, then her best friend, Lisa, had told her that Brenden--the boy that Dawn was totally in love with--had started going steady with Tammy Potter, a snotty, stuck up cheerleader whom Dawn hated with a passion. To make matters worse, her archrival, Carrie, had started spreading a rumor that Dawn had stolen a car and crashed it while running away from the police. "Can you believe that? I'm not the one who stole the car! But it's not like I can just make a little announcement, `Hey everybody, I didn't steal the car, my sister's friend, the witch, did. Oh, and we weren't actually running from the police, we were running from this nasty demon that she conjured.' Ugh! I hate my life!"
Spike stood and listened as patiently as possible to Dawn's little rant. As much as he loved this girl, he really couldn't bring himself to care that some little tosser she fancied had the hots for someone else. He did feel bad that the rest of the kids were so mean to her though. "You want me to bite `em for ya, Nibblet? It'd give me a hell of a migraine, but I'd do it for you."
Dawn smiled. "Thanks, Spike." She flopped down into his chair and draped one long leg over the armrest. "Why does my life have to suck so much?"
"Oh, come now, Pet. It can't be as bad as all that." Spike hated to see his girl so unhappy.
"It gets even worse! I only missed one day of school, but I'm already so far behind. Now, I hafta read this stupid play for English, and I missed a vocab quiz in Spanish."
Spike's ears perked up at the mention of Dawn's English assignment. "A play, Nibblet? What are you reading?"
With a groan, Dawn got up and walked over to where she had thrown her backpack. She returned to the chair with it in tow and began rummaging through it. "Ah, here it is! `Romeo and Juliet.' Can you believe this? I have to read freaking Shakespeare! God, I hate this crap! I can't understand a single word! Why can't he just speak English?"
Spike laughed at the girl's exasperation. "Hate to break it to ya, luv, but it is English." He reached out and took the book from her hands. "Besides, Shakespeare's bloody brilliant! A true poet! I was named after him, you know."
Dawn perked up a little. "You were?"
"Yep. Me mum loved his sonnets. Couldn't get enough of `em." Smiling to himself at the memory, Spike closed his eyes and began to recite.
"Then let not winter's ragged hand deface
In thee thy summer were thou be distill'd:
Make sweet some vial; treasure thou some place
With beauty's treasure ere it be self-kill'd."
He gave a soft sigh. "That was one of her favorites."
Dawn was flabbergasted. "Spike! What was that?"
"*That*, as you so aptly put it, was a sonnet, number six I believe. But I wouldn't expect you to know that, Bit, not with the sorry excuse for an educational system that you Yanks have." Spike was still lost in his memories of William's life and had not noticed that Dawn continued to stare at him bug-eyed and openmouthed. "Well, it's not the entire sonnet, mind, just the first bit."
"Spike, you like poetry? You *memorize* poetry?" Dawn was laughing now. "Oh my God, wait until I tell Xander!"
"What?" Spike was pulled from his memories of a life long gone by the mention of the Whelp's name. Realization was slow to dawn on him. "Nibblet," he roared, "I swear by all that is unholy, if you mention a word of this to that Harris git, or anyone, I will make you my dinner!"
Dawn continued to laugh uncontrollably. "This is too much! Oh, Spike you really made my day. Who would have ever thought? William the Bloody...the Big Bad...reciting poetry!" She was doubled over with laughter clutching her stomach and gasping for breath. "Do another! Come on, Spike, one more!'
Spike ground his teeth impatiently. "I bloody well will not! You had better stop laughing right this second, or I'll...I'll..."
"You'll what? Kill me with prose? I'll bet you've got some of those big solicitors memorized too, right?"
"Soliloquy's!" Spike roared. "Dawn! Please! Please stop laughing at me." He didn't think that his sodding excuse for an unlife could possibly get any worse. It was bad enough that he was a fangless vampire in love with the Slayer, but now everyone was bound to know his dirty little secret. He was a closet poet. Spike didn't think that his already bruised and battered reputation could withstand yet another blow.
"Oh, Spike," Dawn could tell the she had gone too far. He looked really hurt. Quickly, her laughter faded, and she brushed a few tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry. You're right, I shouldn't laugh. I was just surprised is all. Really, it was beautiful. I'm sorry that I laughed." She gave him her sweetest smile, hoping that Spike would forgive her.
Once Dawn's laughter died down, so did Spike's anger. If he had been in Dawn's place, he probably would've laughed his ass off too. Hell, if it had been Peaches spouting poetry, Spike would've taken the piss out of him for it and never let him hear the end of it. Dawn was still looking at him, her eyes silently begging for forgiveness. "Don't worry `bout it Nibblet. No harm done. Just, please don't tell anyone, okay? I've got a rep to protect, well, what's left of it."
Dawn raised her right hand solemnly. "Not a word. I promise."
"Right then, glad we've got that cleared up." He handed her copy of "Romeo and Juliet" back to her. He'd been clutching it pretty tightly, and it was a little worse for the wear. "Best get started on your homework then. I promised big sis I'd see to it that you finished it."
Dawn's face fell. "Spike," she whined, "do I have too? I told you, I can't understand a thing he's saying. Can't we just rent the movie? You know, the one with Leo in it, and that chick from `My So-Called Life?'"
"What? That sodding pile of crap? No way, Bit. You will read every bleedin' word even if I have to chain you up to make you do it!"
"Oh, like you did to Buffy?" Dawn's voice sounded innocent, but she was wearing Spike's patented smirk.
"Low blow, Nibblet." Why, oh why had he taught her that smirk? "Just read it. You'll like it, I promise. It's downright romantic, really. Well, except for the sad ending. Then again, dying `cause you've lost your one true love seems like the height of romance to me."
"Yeah," snorted Dawn. "Like how you were going to take that noonday stroll right after Buffy--" seeing the look on his face, she dropped the subject quickly. "So, you know it then?"
"Yep, I know it all right. It's one of his better works, even if it doesn't quite fit the classic definition of a tragedy." Seeing the blank look on Dawn's face, he decided not to follow that train of thought. "Anyway, it's still got lots of good death and a few good swordfights, not as much as `Hamlet', though. Even saw it put on a few times." He laughed as the memories hit him. "Dru tried to eat Juliet once. Wouldn't let her though. That chit was a right fine actress. Made me cry, she did." Spike's face was almost wistful.
Dawn was starting to get interested. "So, what's the story? Star crossed lovers and all that?'
"Yeah, but it's more than that, see? Their families were enemies, and by all rights, they should have been enemies too. But they weren't. They fell in love, despite that fact that they should've been on opposite sides. They were able to look past all of the silly feuding and see only the person that hid behind an enemy's name. Speaks volumes about the power of love, really. Well, except for the fact that their love is what killed them. Don't really know what to make of that."
Dawn looked thoughtful. "Sorta reminds me of you and Buffy."
"How's that, Bit?" he asked. Spike wasn't sure where she was going with this.
"You know, the whole enemy thing. Can you think of any more natural enemies than a vampire and the Slayer?" She looked up and found that Spike was staring at her strangely. "Plus, there's the whole looking past the labels thing, and don't forget the part about true love conquering all." The dreamy smile that had spread across Dawn's face suddenly disappeared. "Wait, they die?" Spike nodded. "Well, we can't have that. I couldn't stand to lose either one of you. Okay, so we'll just have to rewrite the ending. No big."
"Dawn," Spike was moved by her little speech. If only it were true. "That's nice and all, but I don't exactly fancy myself as bloody Romeo. Besides, I don't think big sis is going to be looking past labels any time soon. She'll never see me as anything but a vampire."
"Why not?" Dawn pouted. "I see you as more than that, and I'm just a kid. Or so everybody keeps telling me. Buffy's just being stupid. She'll come around eventually, I know it." She looked at Spike almost lovingly. "How could she not?" She got up and gave Spike a small hug. `Oh, why can't I be older already?'
Much to his displeasure, Spike found a lump growing in his throat once again as the girl wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Why did the love of a child get to him every time? And why couldn't Buffy be more like her little sister? Spike returned Dawn's hug and patted her on the back. "Thanks, Nibblet. You're a sweet one."
Suddenly, Dawn pulled back. "Hey," she said brightly, "did you know him?"
"Know who?"
"Shakespeare. Were you like friends and stuff?"
"What? Are you daft? Shakespeare died in 1616! Bloody Hell, I wasn't even born until 1853! How old do you think I am?" Spike was incredulous.
Dawn tried not to laugh. She had known that she could snap Spike out of his blue mood, but she didn't want to risk embarrassing him again. "Gee, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply that you were a geezer or anything. God, 1853, huh? Why, you're still a child!"
Spike growled at her. "That's quite enough Nibblet! Get started on your school work, or no telly for you." He softened a bit when he saw Dawn grimace. "Hey, do you want a snack or something?"
Dawn's eyes narrowed skeptically. "You're not offering me blood are you? `Cause thanks, but, big ew on that one."
"No, I am not offering you blood, you silly bint! I picked up some snacks for you. Thought you might be hungry after school." He had gone out the night before, after waiting to make sure that Buffy had really left, and nicked a couple of bags of chips and a six pack of soda from a 24 hour convenience store.
"Thanks Spike!" Dawn's eyes lit up. "I'm starving. Miser Buffy only gave me ten bucks for the rest of the week. I totally had to ration at lunch today. What've you got?"
"Well, I got some Chili Cheese Fritos, and some BBQ Pringles and some Mountain Dew. Though how you can drink that swill, I'll never know."
"This coming from the guy that drinks blood!" Dawn called over her shoulder as she went over to the fridge. She grabbed the bag of Fritos and a soda--making a face at the sight of all the blood in Spike's fridge--and made her way back to her chair. On the way, something caught her eye. There, lying on the stone sarcouphagus that Spike had previously used as a bed was Buffy's jacket and her favorite tank top, the one that had Princess spell out across the front in rhinestones.
Dawn set down her snack and snatched up the incriminating evidence. She marched right over to Spike and held the clothing up in his face. "Hey, aren't these Buffy's?"
"What?" Spike had the classic deer in headlights look. "Uh, I dunno. Hmm, don't think so. They must be Harm's. Yeah, she probably just left `em behind. Why would you think they were Buffy's?" He was desperately scrambling for something that might sound believable. "They're not, you know. Um, Buffy's? Definitely not." He tried to grab the clothing from Dawn, but she snatched them away.
"Nice try, Blondie, but I know they're Buffy's." Dawn's eyes were flashing with mirth, and she was still grinning evilly. "Duh, I think I'd recognize my own sister's favorite tank top. Besides, I was with her when she bought this jacket."
"Oh," he was busted, "right then, I guess they are Buffy's." If he'd had a fully functioning circulatory system, Spike would have been blushing several shades of red. "Forgot they were here."
"So, why exactly are they here?" asked Dawn. She was not letting up in the slightest, and Spike thought that she was really enjoying herself.
"Well, that's a funny story." How the hell was he going to explain this one? "We had a little slaying mishap, see? Um, big sis fell in a...puddle. Yep, big, big puddle. Got all wet, she did. Couldn't exactly go home that way. So, being the gentleman that I am, I let her borrow something to wear." Spike sighed with relief. There, that sounded perfectly reasonable. He just hoped that Dawn would buy it.
"Uh, huh. So, was this before or after you were fighting the demon?"
"Demon? Did she say there was a demon?" Dawn nodded. "Oh, it was...during. She was running away, see, and fell in the puddle. It was really quite comical, the Slayer flopping about in a puddle." He gave her one of his smirks, hoping that he could get Dawn to drop the topic.
"Okay, sounds plausible." Dawn was delighted with the reaction that she was receiving from Spike. He was busted and he knew it. "So, what kind of demon was it?"
"What kind? Oh, it was an...Urgash...demon. Tough little buggers, those."
"Really? `Cause Buffy said it was a Chaos Demon."
"She did? Well, you know...Chaos Demon...Urgash Demon...always getting' the two mixed up. If big sis said it was a Chaos Demon, then that's what it was." Spike swallowed nervously. Would he ever be able to talk his way out of this?
"She said it slimed her," said Dawn.
"Oh, yeah, Chaos Demons are real big on the whole slime thing." He tried to change the subject. "Did I ever tell you about the time I caught Dru making out with a Chaos Demon? Big, nasty thing it was, all slime and antlers. Made me want to heave it was so--"
"Where's the slime, Spike?" Dawn demanded. She held the clothes right in front of his face. "'Cause I'm not seeing any slime here."
"Well, you wouldn't. That's because it's...magic...slime...completely disappears after a couple of hours. Doesn't leave a trace." Spike knew that his excuses were beyond pathetic, but all he could do was go with it.
Dawn was tired of the charade. How stupid did he think she was anyway? With a groan of frustration, she said, "Spike! Enough! Listen, you may think I'm some dumb little kid who doesn't even know about the birds and the bees, but I'm not! I'm fifteen freakin' years old for Christ's sake, the exact same age as Buffy when she was called. I'm not a kid, and I'm not stupid, and I know a whole hell of a lot more than you give me credit for!" In a fit of anger, Dawn threw the clothes at Spike and turned around to flop back down in her chair.
Spike didn't know what to say. He'd rarely seen Nibblet so angry. He gave a little sigh as he picked the clothes up from the floor. "What is it that you think you know, Bit?"
"I know that Buffy came home last night wearing your T-shirt. I know that her jacket and tank top are here in your crypt, and I know that both of you are lying to me about it. For God's sake, if you're going to lie, at least bother to get your stories straight." Dawn's expression changed from one of anger to downright pleading. "Spike, out of everyone, you've always been the one to treat me like a real person, not just some freaky mystical ball of energy and not just the Slayer's bratty kid sister who needs protecting."
Spike felt bad for the girl. He had always tried to treat her as an equal, despite his overwhelming desire to protect her from all the things that go bump in the night. If it had been up to him, he probably would have told her what had happened with Buffy, but it wasn't up to him. The Slayer obviously didn't want Dawn to know what was going on, and Spike didn't think it was his place to spill the beans.
Feeling like the biggest heel in the world, Spike got up and walked over to where Dawn sat. He pulled a battered ottoman over in front of her and sat down. Dawn was fiddling with some silly ring on her thumb and wouldn't look at him. "Nibblet, look at me." Still, she continued to avoid his eyes. Reaching out and gently raising her chin so that their eyes met, Spike said, "Listen, I don't think you're stupid. I know that you're probably the smartest of the lot. I'm sorry if you thought that I was treating you like a kid. I honestly didn't mean to. You kinda took me by surprise with all the questions."
"Spike," Dawn whispered, "what happened? Did you guys hook up? Are you like a couple now? Why won't either of you tell me the truth?"
"Hook up? What's that supposed to mean? Where do you kids get this buggin' street slang?" Spike joked.
Dawn rolled her eyes in the way that only a teenager can. "Please, you know what it means. Did you?" Her eyes were pleading with Spike to tell the truth.
"I'm sorry, Bit, but what ever happened is between Buffy and me. She obviously didn't want you to know, so I don't think it's my place to tell you."
Dawn gave an exaggerated sigh. "Fine, I don't need all the dirty details. I just wanna know if you're, like, her boyfriend now."
Spike gave a short, humorless laugh and said, "No, Nibblet, I can assure you that I am not her boyfriend. No worries there."
"Spike, God, I'm not worried about that! I would be so happy if you guys finally got together."
"You and me both, Nibblet."
Dawn smiled, her eyes lighting up as she considered the possibility. "It would be so great. We could be like a family, you know? You could move in with us, and I could get to see you every day."
Spike smiled back at her, touched by Dawn's obvious affection for him. "Ah, Nibblet, don't get too carried away. Big sis barely tolerates my presence. I don't think she's going to be inviting me to live with you any time soon."
"So, what, it's just a physical thing?" Dawn was confused. "Like casual sex?"
Spike groaned and leapt up from the ottoman. He really needed a smoke. Stalking over to grab his cigarettes from his duster pocket, he said, "Dawn! This conversation is over. I am not discussing the subject any more. If you want to know anything else, you'll have to ask Buffy." Spike fished a cigarette out of his pack and lit it. He took a big drag and wondered if it would be okay to drink in front of the girl. He could use a spot of whiskey just now.
Dawn couldn't help but be amused at Spike's agitation. She figured she should just give him a break and drop the subject. Going over to pick up her discarded snack, she decided to get one last jab in. "Buffy slept in your T-shirt last night," she said as innocently as possible.
Spike's mouth dropped open in shock. "She did?" he asked, voice breaking just a little. "Did she say anything about me?"
"Sorry, Blondie," Dawn said with a smirk, "but this conversation is over. I've got Shakespeare to read."
In the next couple of hours, Dawn made her way through the entire first act of "Romeo and Juliet," with a lot of help from Spike, and painstakingly wrote out all of her Spanish vocabulary words and their English translations. Spike took her for dinner at McDonald's, despite the fact that she had finished nearly half the bag of Chili Cheese Fritos. Dawn laughed over his obvious delight at seeing the McRib back on the menu. Later, they watched "Dawson's Creek" together, complete with running commentary from Spike. There was no more mention of Buffy, or Chaos Demons, or giant puddles. In all, it was one of the best afternoons Dawn had had in a long time.
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