Title: Standing On Your Own

Author: Hope

Rating: PG-13

Summary: When a demon kills everyone the slayer loves, she falls deep into depression: No will to live, no will to fight. Because her heart is no longer in slaying, the PTB send back a certain blonde vampire to help get her back on track.....

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Spike's tearful eyes flitted back and forth as he listened to the terrified voice on the other end of the receiver. He unconsciously tightened his grip on Buffy, whose eyes were staring blankly at the floor. "Dawnie… Bit, is that really you?" He asked shakily, not believing he was hearing this. It couldn't be her, she was dead, this was just some sick joke. Faith watched him as he listened, tears now streaming his face. Suddenly he grew alert, "Dawn? Dawn?!" He was nearly yelling into the receiver now and Buffy looked up at him, startled. Some one else was talking now, the man from before, the one who had asked to speak with Buffy.

"Spike?" Buffy asked weakly. He didn't answer as he listened intently to whoever was talking now. She tried to take the phone back from him but he pulled away and stood, leaving her sitting on the floor. More tears brimmed her green eyes. Why wouldn't he let her talk to her sister? Faith watched the vampire with interest, unsure what was going on. Suddenly Spike dropped the phone from his ear, holding it by his side. He walked solemnly over to the phone stand and hung it up as Buffy stared at him with confused eyes. Reaching down, he helped the shaky girl to her feet. "Was that her?" She asked softly, not sure what else to say. Had it been Dawn? Where was she? Was she really alive?

"Yeah…yeah, pet, it was."  He said softly, still unbelieving. It was her, wasn't it? She had sounded so scared, so alone. He took an unneeded breath and clenched his jaw. His pained expression faded and he took off up the stairs. Buffy's eyes watched him frantically before she followed.

"What are you doing?!" She demanded, following him into her room. He threw a bag at her and started shoving a few things of his own into another.

"Get your stuff together. We're leaving." He demanded, closing his bag. He halted, thinking. Suddenly he took off back into the hallway and she followed, confused.

"Spike, where…" Her sharp demanding tone faded as he swung Dawn's door open and headed inside. He glanced around quickly before heading to her closet. Grabbing a handful of clothes, he threw them into the bag along with his things. Buffy stood just inside the doorway, watching. He grabbed a few more things from Dawn's drawers and looked around frantically to make sure he didn't need anything else. "Where?" She asked quietly, understanding. He finally halted his rampage and looked at her, seeing how upset she was. They definitely had different ways of dealing with things. Sighing, he walked over to her and pulled her into his arms.

"England." He replied softly, running his cool fingers through her hair. She nodded into his chest before pulling away.

"I'll meet you downstairs." She said simply as she hurried to go gather her things. Spike watched her go and turned to survey the room once more. His blue eyes fell on the journal on her dresser. Walking over, he snatched it up and threw it in the bag as he headed out the door. His Bit was back and he would be damned if he was going to leave her with those council goons.

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Dawn sat huddled in the corner of the small room, her arms clenched tightly around herself. Her eyes were focused on the silver door handle. It was the only thing in the room that wasn't white. The floor was white, the bed was white, the blankets were white, the walls were white, even the big scratchy jumpsuit they had given her to wear was white. Thinking about the scratchy fabric made her shift uncomfortably and curl up tighter. Part of her was glad they had given her the jumpsuit because, despite the fact that the fabric was trying to kill her, it kept her warm in the cool room. She pulled her bare feet under herself and clenched her eyes shut. Everything was so strange……

"Ms. Summers?" Dawn jumped at the voice and looked up to find a woman staring down at her. When had she come in? The woman smiled down at her, but it was in no way reassuring, it sent chills down the girl's spine. She huddled closer to the wall. "Do you have any idea where you are, Ms. Summers?" The woman asked. Evidently this was a business only visit. Dawn shook her head. "You are in containment by the Council. My name is Lily, I'm one of the Council's top watchers."

"Giles…" Dawn muttered absently, remembering how she had watched him die. She had yet to speak more than two words at a time since she had gotten back. Her mind was too jumbled to connect more than one thought together, let alone speak.

"Ah, yes. Your sister's watcher, correct?" Dawn nodded slightly and Lily smirked. "The old man was a coot, a disgrace to the Council. Your sister was out of control, defiant. He had absolutely no handle on her." Dawn shook her head and glared as Lily began to walk slowly towards her.  "You don't believe me? Then why did your sister insist on having her mortal friends help with her duties? Why did she insist on having the very creatures she was summoned to destroy fight along side her? She's gone against everything this Council has established over the centuries. She was a disgrace. No, she is a disgrace."

"No." Dawn said defiantly as she cupped her hands over her ears and looked away from the woman. She was wrong. Buffy was the best there was and she had Giles to thank for it. Him, the scoobies, even Spike, they all made her stronger.

Lily crouched down next to her, wanting to be sure she heard her. "Believe what you want, child. But in the end, remember that you died because of her. Everyone died because of her." She stood and turned back towards the door, leaving Dawn.

"You're wrong." Dawn spat, glaring at the retreating form. "They lived because of her." She swallowed back her tears and stared icily as Lily spun back around to face her. "And you'll die because of her….." Lily stared at the girl for a few moments, her face expressionless. When nothing more was said, she turned and walked from the room. The door made a sharp click as it locked and the sound bounced off the walls. When the footsteps in the hall faded away, the girl broke down into sobs.

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"Wait, you're going to England?!" Faith questioned, following the pair down one of the airports long corridors. This whole matter was confusing the hell out of her.

"Have to." Spike replied, throwing their bags quickly onto a conveyer belt.

"Why? Dawn's there? I thought she was dead!" Fait screeched, thoroughly confused. She saw Buffy flinch. That had come out a bit harsher than she had planned. "B, I.."

Buffy turned to Faith, fury in her eyes. "Faith, for once in your life, just Shut. The. Fuck. Up. I don't want your sympathy, I don't want your grief. I want you to keep your god damned mouth closed, alright?!" Faith just nodded.

"Do you want me to leave?" she asked flatly. Buffy thought for a moment, but shook her head.

"No. Stay, at least until we get back." She sighed, looking at Faith. She was actually going to leave the girl to stay in her house for however long she was gone? Well, it wasn't like there was anyone around for her to hurt anymore and someone had to watch the hellmouth…. "Will you be okay?" she asked grimly.

Faith grinned. "Five by five." Buffy gave her a half smile before she and Spike turned and headed towards their plane.

"B?" Buffy turned and faced the girl, starting to become annoyed once again. "Good luck."

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