"...See that girl,
Watch that scene,
Diggin' the dancing queen...
Diggin' the dancing queen...",
Spike and Giles finished their last request song from Dawn. The party had
been going for about three hours, and it was getting late, time for
presents and cake.
Buffy smiled at Dawn's enraptured face. Every girl dreamed of having that song, sang to them, on THE most important of teenage birthdays. She applauded with the rest of the Scoobies and left to grab the cake and candles while Dawn hugged Spike and Giles.
Dawn squealed, trying to hug Spike and Giles at the same time. "OH MY GOD! THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!"
Spike laughed as the Key threw her arms around him, knocking him onto the couch. "Easy, Lil' Bit!"
She gave him a glowing smile, then got off him to do the same to Giles, only softer. "Thank you so much, " she whispered, her eyes kinda wet.
Giles squeezed her fondly. "It was nothing. It was all Spike's idea, after all."
Spike chuckled. "I had to do something, after I forgot to get you a present..."
Her jaw dropped. "You FORGOT?"
He laughed, then pulled a package out from under his coat. "Naw. Just wanted to see what you'd do." The present was wrapped neatly in shiny purple paper, with an origami rhino taped to it instead of a bow. "Here, Bit."
She went to reach for it, but the lights dimmed, and Buffy said, "I SO do not even think so, Dawn." She pouted, but smiled as the lit cake and her sister came into view, and Buffy started singing.
Spike set the package on the coffee table with the others. "Your sis is right, Niblet. Cake first. Then presents." He and the others joined in the singing. Spike felt a little foolish, but it was for Dawn, so he ignored it.
As the last note was sung, Dawn looked around, and saw all she wished for. But she closed her eyes, made a wish, and blew hard on the candles.
Spike grinned and settled back.
"What'd you wish for, Dawn?", Xander asked, settling down in his chair, close, but not touching Anya's chair.
She smiled. "I can't TELL you, Xander." She slanted her eyes at Spike. "Lipgloss. Lots of yummy flavored lip gloss."
"Strike one," the vampire said.
Buffy was glad of the low light, hoping she wasn't blushing and started to cut the cake.
Dawn protested. "It's my birthday. There can BE no strikes. I'm strike -free."
"Then you start with two tomorrow."
She gave her sister an entreating glance. "Tell him he's ruining my birthday. Make him stop."
Xander looked back and forth between Dawn and Spike. "Strikes?"
"Spike. Help hand out cake, and stop terrorizing Dawn."
"Yes, honey." The vampire handed Giles a piece of cake, then turned back to get another one.
"I seem to have been ignored," Xander said. "So I say again: Strikes?"
Buffy gave him a smile. "Um... we have three opportunities to aggravate eachother before a tickle torture starts. Ice cream?"
Xander laughed. "Sounds fair. Keeps you from annoying Spike, huh?"
Spike stared at Buffy. 'Tell him, and I hurt you.' Unfortunately, Dawn couldn't hear his mental message.
"Not really. No. It's fun, cuz he's like, super-ticklish, too." Dawn smiled benignly and took a bite of her cake.
Xander stared at the vampire, who was trying to sink into the cushions. "Spike? Mr. I'm A Big Scary Vampire is TICKLISH?" He laughed. "Oh, that is too good." He playfully reached toward Spike, who moved to the other end of the couch, closer to Giles and Dawn, letting out a sound that was a cross between a play growl and a real one.
Well, shit. Buffy said loudly, "No tickling without strikes, or you're in on the deal. And... it's present time."
Dawn squealed, and sat on the floor by the coffee table. "Loot, loot, loot!"
Xander nodded. "Fair enough. God knows I don't want in on this game." He looked at Dawn as Spike relaxed again. "Who's are you gonna open first, Dawnie?"
She gave him a smile. "Yours."
Xander grinned. "Go ahead, then. The one with the blue paper. I made it myself. It kind of goes with something I have to go get out of the car." He got up and headed outside.
She unwrapped the blue package, and looked at the rack in front of her with slight confusion. Buffy leaned forward and turned it the right way. "Oh!!!!! HOW COOL!!!!! MY OWN SWORD RACK!!!!"
Xander stuck his head in. "Someone come give me a hand, the stupid dolly's stuck on the stairs."
Spike waved off Buffy's attempt to get up. He was going to be good tonight if it killed him. He got up and went to help Xander.
Dawn was stroking the finished cherry wood, the gleam impressing her as much as the softness of the finish.
Buffy gave a slightly confused, concerned look. "Um... really, I can.. help..." she trailed off as they disappeared out the door. She finally sighed and relaxed against the couch. Her eye caught Dawn's. An effort. They both saw it, and smiled.
Spike backed through the door. "Watch it, Harris! Don't roll over my foot!"
"Sorry. I can't see where I'm going, you're supposed to be steering!"
"Backwards!?", the vampire said, but he was smiling, not even half as angry as he sounded.
"Yes! Backwards," Xander added, coming through the door pushing the dolly. "Unless you want to turn around and let me run you over!" Playful tone of voice.
All four girls, and Giles smiled. Dawn squirmed. "What is it, what is it?"
They rolled the dolly over to in front of Dawn, and Xander removed the cover over the object. "Ta da! It matches Buffy's."
"The family that slays together, stays together," Spike added, chuckling. To his surprise, everyone laughed at his joke. Even Xander.
Dawn was on her knees, running her fingers over the intricate carvings of the weapons chest in awe. She slid the lid open to reveal a gleaming sword. The first for her rack. She picked it up, swung it experimentally. She set it down on the rack with care and respect. Then promptly swung herself in Xander's arms. "I LOVE IT!!! Thank you so much!!!"
Xander laughed and gave the youngest Summers a tight hug. "You're welcome, Dawnie." He rubbed his ribs. "Whoo. Getting your sister's strength already? Spike'd better watch his back."
Spike chuckled. "Uh huh. Yeah, right." He settled back on the couch.
Dawn smiled and sat back down, arranging everything neatly before, "Next!"
Giles smiled. "Who's are you going to open next, Dawn?"
Her grin couldn't get bigger. "Mmm... Yours."
Giles pointed to a large package in gold paper. "That's it."
Dawn grabbed it, almost dropped it, then more carefully slid it over to her spot. "Ok..." She started to unwrap it carefully, aware of the eyes on her, then gave up, shredding it. She blinked. "Books." Fighting her wave of disappointment, she read the titles. "Vampire Theories, the Watcher's Guide, 101." Interesting... Not half as bad as she thought. "And... 'Fighting Techniques: Martial Arts for the Intermediate'. Sweet! I can train!!" She picked up the book to hug, then saw the shirt. The baby blue angora sweater she hadn't told anyone she wanted. She laid a hand toward it tentatively, afraid it'd vanish if she blinked.
Giles smiled. "I saw you looking at that when we were at the mall the other day..." He trailed off with a shrug.
She abandoned her 'almost touching' to give Giles a huge hug. She decided to open the rest of the presents from her spot on his lap. The process went on, a very tentative Willow giving Dawn a necklace that Tara had worn. Dawn held it in her hand, and her bottom lip trembled. Her fingers closed around it, and she gave Willow a small smile. "I love it."
Willow shrugged. "She- T- she would have... wanted it for you." The ex- witch said all this to Dawn's nose, her eyes afraid to go higher.
Dawn reached across the couch to touch Willow's hand. A small gesture, but filled with understanding, forgiveness, and caring. Spike stood up, walking to behind Willow's chair and gently placing his hands on her shoulders. "S'ok, Red. We all miss her." He squeezed her shoulders gently, blinking back his own tears.
Giles cleaned his glasses, and Xander sniffed, trying to make it seem like he had allergies and exaggerating a sneeze.
Buffy's eyes clouded, but she watched with pride the way her sister had grown in grace. Anya broke the slight tension saying, "I wanted to give you a coupon for the Magic Box. But Xander said that was rude." She sighed. "So." Anya handed her a clothes box, wrapped in white paper with pink, yellow and purple ribbons.
Dawn smiled, and took it, saving the bow, because she thought it was pretty. She lifted the lid off the box, and laughed. She looked at her sister. "Camel pants."
Buffy laughed, too, as Anya explained. "Your sister. She whines about you taking those pants. So I thought, I can get Dawn this present AND stop Buffy's whining." She gave a proud smile at her own practicality.
Spike chuckled, and settled back on the couch next to Giles. "Open your sister's next, Bit," he said with a grin at Buffy.
Dawn arched her brow, mimicking her sister so well. "Yeah? And what did Buffy get me?"
Buffy picked up something, wrapped in a tissue-paper cylinder, handed it to Dawn.
Dawn frowned, and peeked at the top. An orange rose. She smiled at her sister. "I love it."
Buffy shrugged. "Well, you might wanna get a vase for it. I think it'd look pretty in that blue one in your room."
Giles couldn't hide his smile. And Spike was grinning like a cat that just ate the canary. "Go on, Bit. Get the vase. We'll wait down here."
Dawn gave them all suspicious looks as she went slowly up the stairs. She kept sending them glances over her shoulder. She finally reached her door and took a deep breath, ready for whatever joke they were playing on her. She opened the door, and the rose in her hand dropped to the floor. To join the seemingly hundreds of other roses littering her room.
Buffy had walked up the stairs behind her. She bit her lip. "Do... um... Do you like it?"
Spike followed Buffy up, leaving the others downstairs. He leaned against the wall, watching the sisters.
Dawn gave Buffy a teary look, and pointed in her room. There were candles, here and there, lit, but the room glowed a soft pink-orange from all the roses. Covering her bed, her floor, her desks, her chairs, her shelves. Finally, Dawn wrapped her arms around Buffy. She swallowed hard and said, "Why?"
Buffy shrugged in the hug, squeezing Dawn back. "Because you like them. Because it's your sweet sixteen, because Mom would have wanted me too. Because you're my sister, and I love you."
Dawn gave her a brilliant smile, and pulled away to walk in the room. She tossed herself backwards onto the bed, and from her position on her back, looked all around, sighing.
Spike grinned at Buffy, wiping at his eyes. He turned and began walking back downstairs, intending to leave them alone.
Dawn called from the bed, "Spike!"
He paused, called back, "Yeah?"
She waved him in the room, patting on her bed of roses.
He came back in, carefully moving the roses out of the way before sitting down. He held out a present. "I thought I'd bring you this, you didn't open it yet." It was his present, with the origami rhino. "It's nothing compared to what your sister's done here, though." He smiled at Buffy. "Although my car's gonna smell like flowers for weeks, now."
She smiled, set his present in her lap. "Lay down first. It's ok to lay on them. It helps." She coaxed him into laying down beside her, on his back.
He glanced at her. "Helps with what?" Closed his eyes, liking the feel of the flowers.
"Now breathe in." She inhaled deeply.
He inhaled, feeling lost in the scent of the roses. His sensitive vampire sense of smell was nearly overloaded. He let out a quiet purr, keeping his eyes closed.
Buffy watched from the doorway, smiling, wondering what her sister was going to say.
Dawn surprised her and Spike both by saying, "I think this is what heaven smells like. Where Mom is."
Buffy blinked back sudden tears, and she said, "It is, Dawnie. Heaven smells just like this."
Spike sniffled, keeping his eyes closed. He rolled over, burying his face in the flowers. His shoulders shook, and he tried to imagine what it was like for Joyce. If she was watching them. He was sure she was. Somehow, that didn't stop the tears.
Dawn curled to his side, crying now, too.
Spike slipped an arm around Dawn, pulling her closer, not even trying to hide his tears.
Buffy stood, her arms wrapped around herself, tears streaming silently as she watched them.
He looked up, and motioned for Buffy to join them, holding an arm out, needing her to be close to him. No words were needed.
She walked in, unmindful of the roses, and into his free arm.
Spike held both the Summers women close, crying with them. After awhile, the tears stopped, and the three of them just laid on the bed, cuddled close together with Spike in the middle. He broke the silence. "I'm in a Summers sandwich," he muttered.
Buffy leaned in to nip his shoulder. "Good filling."
Dawn 'Ewww-ed' appropriately. She sat up. "Mom's watching us, right, Buffy?"
Buffy sat up too, looked straight in her sister's eyes and said, "She always has been."
Dawn nodded, accepting this, and turned her eyes to the package in her lap. "I wanna go back downstairs, finish with the presents."
Spike sat up. "Good idea, Bit." He looked at Buffy. 'Strike two for the bite, Slayer.'
She smiled slowly as Dawn got up and started downstairs. "Come on, you guys."
Buffy nodded. "We'll be right there." As she heard Dawn tromp down the stairs, Buffy held the smile and said softly, "What kind of torture?"
"What do you think? I've got to get you back." He grinned and gave her a sideways hug. "Besides, it's more fun, and less chance of breaking a rule, right?" He nipped at her ear playfully.
Her eyes drifted shut. "Not much for rules these days."
He nibbled her earlobe. 'But that's the BIG rule, luv. Not till we're ready, remember?'
She sighed and gave a big smile. "Right." Kissed him softly, quickly, and stood. "Come on... Dawn wants to unwrap your present."
He gave her a vulnerable look. "Are you sure she'll like it?" He followed her to the stairs.
She began to trudge down them. "Of course she will. I'll have the medical tape ready for broken ribs from hugging." She turned into the living room to smile at Dawn, and arch her brows, waiting for the savage tearing of the paper to begin.
He chuckled and followed. "We're here, Bit. You can open it now." He flopped on the couch next to Giles again.
Dawn carefully, slowly, pulled the origami rhino off, and set it aside. She began the tearing. In about three seconds she held a pink rhino aloft. "AWWWW! It's PINK! And it's a RHINO!" She pulled it close to hug, then gasped, gently touched the necklace hanging on the rhino. "Oh my God." Her eyes flew to Spike's. "Oh my God," she repeated.
He looked away shyly, developing a sudden fascination with the coffee table.
She unhooked it, and stood, walking to Spike, and turned around. He looked up, accepted the necklace, and put it on her, then looked back at the coffee table again.
She gave a huge smile and gave him an aggressive bear hug. Squealed incoherently.
He laughed and tipped over, with Dawn winding up on top of him. "Easy, Bit!", he chuckled.
She grinned down at him. "Thank you." She gave him a quick kiss. "I love it," she continued, fingering it. "It's-" she turned the charm part of the necklace over, squinted at the to her upside down writing.
Spike grinned. "It says, 'To my Lil' Bit'," he said helpfully.
She squealed again, smiling exuberantly. She stood, offering him a hand. All the while, she was squealing at the general party, "Opals! In silver!!!! For ME!"
Anya and Willow gave happy smiles, and Buffy tossed Spike a mental, 'Um... told you, much?'
He took it and sat up. "It's nothing, really, Bit. I just thought you'd like it..." He was on the verge of blushing again. How he had suddenly developed the ability to do that was beyond him. 'Yeah, you were right. I know you love hearing that,' he said mentally to Buffy.
She smirked. 'Oh, but I do...'
"I love it!" Dawn was ecstatic. This was THE birthday of birthday's, and it had NOT disappointed.
Spike chuckled. "I noticed," he said, responding to both Buffy's unspoken words and Dawns excited exclamations at the same time.
Buffy noted the tired faces in the crowd and said, "Well, Birthday Lady, I hate to ruin your fun... but I happen to remember that SOMEONE had a breakfast date with SOMEONE'S family..."
Dawn's jaw dropped. "Oh my gosh. I totally forgot. I have less than.... eight hours before his family is here to get me!!"
Spike and Xander both snorted, then tried to hide it.
Dawn glared at them both. "All right. Enough. He is a NICE boy. He's kind, and he opens doors, and he pays for dates, and he HAS A PULSE! What MORE do you two want from him??"
Spike spoke for both of them. "We don't want him to take away our adopted little sister." Xander nodded.
She winced at their obvious- to her- mental handicap. "He doesn't wanna be my brother, ok?"
"We know that, Dawn," Xander said. "But we feel like he's taking all our time with you. Right?"
It was Spike's turn to nod.
Ok... it was point time. "Ok. I'll stop seeing him." As soon as she saw relief flash over their faces, she continued, "When you stop spending all OUR time with my sister. And YOU stop googling Anya, and only do things with me."
Spike and Xander looked at eachother, knowing when they were beat. "You win, Bit," Spike said.
"Yeah. Ok. We get it."
Spike laid down across the couch, almost putting his feet in Giles' lap. "Just try not to get so caught up in your life that you forget us, ok, Bit?"
She rolled her eyes. "Right. I could possibly forget the biggest pains in my butt since Buffy."
"Hey!" The inevitable protest came.
"Strike three," Spike said. "Right, Buffy?"
"Tomorrow," she reminded him. "It's her birthday. And pooling points is not fair. All you have to do is irritate me twice and Dawn once and we've got you."
His eyes got big. "Uh, what strike AM I on?"
Buffy shrugged, but Dawn said, "You're going on two for me."
He balked. "Huh? Last time you said one."
"And then you started ripping on Andrew! 'Oh, bit... I'm losin' you,'" she mocked in a British accent.
"..grrrrrrr...." Knowing that was probably three, and he did it anyway.
She pointed a finger at him. "You're on my list, boy. Now scamper home. I need beauty sleep."
Spike chuckled. "I'm on a list, luv," he said to Buffy. "Isn't that interesting?"
Buffy sighed, "Yes it is. But seriously. No tickle fights tonight."
Spike grinned. "Hear that, Bit? I'm safe." He stood. "Hey, I know I haven't done it in awhile, but would you like me to tuck you in tonight? A little quality time to make up for your dates lately?"
Dawn smiled and grabbed his hand, leading him up the stairs. "Night, everyone! Thank you so much for everything!!!"
He allowed her to tug him up the stairs, waving to Buffy and the others.
Buffy smiled and started ushering people out the door.
Meanwhile, upstairs....
Spike sat on Dawn's bed, waiting for her to finish getting ready.
She came back out from the bathroom, her Hello Kitty jamma pants in place, along with a black tank top. She shuffled through the roses and smiled at Spike.
He smiled back, carefully moving the roses so that they were piled on the end of the bed, and folding back the comforter and sheets. "Want a song tonight? Or a glass of water?" The routine hadn't changed from when Buffy was gone.
Buffy stood to the side of the door frame, knowing neither one of them could see her. Heard her sister respond, "Both."
He nodded, and got her water in her Scooby-Doo glass from the bathroom. "Want me to do "Stay Awake" this time?"
Dawn slid in between her sheets, and took the glass, sipping at it. "Yeah."
He nodded, closed his eyes, started humming the instrumental part, clearly seeing Joyce singing it to him in his memory.
"Stay awake, Don't rest your head, Don't lie down Upon your bed, While the moon drifts In the sky Stay awake, Don't close your eyes.." Pause for breath.
Buffy smiled softly from her spot by the door, and Dawn set her glass down on her nightstand, laid her head down on the pillow to watch Spike sing.
"Though the world is Fast asleep, Though your pillow's Soft and deep, You're not sleepy As you seem, Stay awake, Don't nod and dream...
Stay awake, Don't nod... And... Dream...."
He trailed off the end of the song, pulling the sheets and comforter up around her and kissing her forehead softly. "Night, Bit. I love you."
Her eyes were drooping heavily, and she smiled sleepily at him. "I love you, too..." It took all her strength to stay awake to question, "Spike?"
"Yeah, Bit?"
Her eyes were closed and she finished softly, "I'm glad Buffy loves you, too..."
He smiled, said softly, "So am I, Bit. So am I." He turned and headed for the door. 'Hope I didn't keep you waiting, luv,' he said mentally, having caught Buffy's scent quite some time before.
She had the grace to be slightly shamed. 'Sorry.'
He grinned at her as he exited Dawn's room and closed the door. 'Don't be. I don't mind.' Put an arm around the Slayer's shoulders and lead her to the stairs.
She walked downstairs with him, one hand moved up to grab the one on her shoulder. "Everybody left," she said softly.
He nodded as they entered the living room. "Yeah. I know. Want me to leave, too?"
She smiled. "You don't have to."
He grinned, settled on the couch. "Stay down here with me, then?"
She sat beside him. "Yup." She smiled, her head on his shoulder. "She had a good birthday."
He smiled. "I gathered." Nuzzled her gently. "I did my best to be a good puppy."
She arched her neck, giving him better access. "I saw. I was very proud of you."
He grinned, puffed up slightly. "Really? Proud of me?" Nuzzled her again, sniffing around in her hair.
One hand drifted to the back of his neck, serving to hold him by her neck, her fingers playing in the hair at the base of his neck. "Very, very proud of you."
He took her hint, and began kissing her neck. 'I was good?', he thought at her playfully.
She laughed. "You were always good." Her own eyes went wide at her innuendo.
He chuckled throatily, and nibbled her earlobe.
She turned slightly, to run her hands over his chest, placed a soft kiss above his collarbone. He purred loudly, and began nibbling his way down the side of her neck.
She smiled, running her fingers through his hair.
'I love it when you do that,' he said mentally, his mouth continuing to play with her neck, pausing to pay special attention to his claim mark.
She did it again, shuddering as he hit his claim, and she tilted her head to nip at his earlobe.
His purring got louder. 'No surprise I'm purring. Petting me like a big cat,' he said, referencing her stroking of his hair. He moaned when her teeth found that spot on his earlobe. He remembered well the day she'd discovered that spot. It had been when she was invisible...
She did too, so while her fingers curled in his hair, her mouth sucked his earlobe softly, then nipped it, finishing by licking at it softly, moving down his neck to her claim. His whole body shuddered when she hit the sensitive spot of her claim, a intense wave of pleasure washed over him, and he let out a deep purring moan. 'God, luv. Take it easy... Wow...'
She fit her mouth to the claim, just as it had been when she first took him. Bit down gently.
His body went limp, caving to the couch with her on top of him. He moaned again, her touches sending chills through him. "*Oh God... Buffy... I love you.... Oh...*" This was followed by incoherent babbling in vampiric.
Her senses were humming, and his words flew at her. She bit again, moving her hands from his hair to his earlobes, moving softly over them, almost tugging, but not quite.
The babbling sped up, the only words that she was catching were her name, and "*love you love you love you*" over and over. Spike was in heaven. His body unable to move, paralyzed with pleasure.
She pulled back, softly panting. Desire was written on her face, in her body. "I love you..."
His eyes were open and on hers. "Buffy... I love you too..." He ran a hand over her back, the other one tangling in her hair. "What do you want me to do?", he asked, sensing her desire, trying to control his own. What she said next would determine what happened. He wouldn't make the decision.
She searched his eyes, hoping for an answer. She knew there wouldn't be one.
He was scared. Didn't want to make the same mistake twice. Watched her, his hand continuing to play in her hair.
She closed her eyes, leaning her head into his hand. "I love you," she repeated. She couldn't do this with her eyes open. Not wouldn't. Couldn't. "But..." She said the last thing she wanted, but the only thing to do. "I think... I think I want you to go home."
He nodded. "It would be for the best, I think." A tear came to his eye, and he attempted to blink it back unsuccessfully.
She forced her eyes open. Wiped at the tear with one finger, touched it to her lips. "I don't know what would hurt worse," she said softly. "Regretting being with you, or sending you home."
"You would.... regret being with me? Even now? After everything we've done for eachother, after... everything?" Another tear came unbidden.
She touched it, too. "Now? On the... couch? With Dawn asleep upstairs?"
Gave a rueful grin. "We could go upstairs. Except that I doubt I can walk very far at the moment. At least, not without doing a duck impression."
She gave a soft smile. Touched her lips to his. "We're not quiet, Spike. Even when we try to be. That's the last thing I want Dawn to see."
He chuckled slightly. "Or hear. Yeah. I get it. But I'm serious about not being able to walk. I'll just sleep on the couch tonight." He grinned at her. "You have quite the potent effect, Slayer."
Buffy physically restrained herself from doing something very naughty with her hips. "You, too."
He chuckled again. "So, are you going to go to bed, or sit on me all night?"
She moved off him, then leaned over him to grab the blanket across the back of the couch. He helped her lay the blanket over him. "Slayer?"
"Hm?"
"Joyce would be proud of you. For what you did for Dawn, and organizing the party, and everything. Your mum would have loved it."
She gave a vulnerable smile. "Really?"
He glanced at the photo at the end of the couch. "In fact, I know she is proud of you. Watching over you. Your guardian angel. You and Dawn. You're both so lucky, Buffy."
She sat on the edge of the couch cushion, one hand cupping Spike's cheek. "She's yours, too."
He nodded, giving the photo one last glance before closing his eyes and nuzzling Buffy's hand. "I know. I've.... Don't think I'm crazy for saying this, okay?"
She nodded. "Ok."
He took a deep breath, keeping his eyes closed and continuing to nuzzle her hand. "I've felt, several times, like she's watching me. When the Hell Bitch tortured me, I felt as if she was giving me strength. When you died, I felt like she was hugging me, trying to comfort me, giving me her strength again to give to Dawn. And a lot of other times. I don't know..." He opened his eyes, looked at her. "You think I'm nuts, huh?"
She shook her head. "Mom is always watching over us. I meant it when I told Dawn. I believe you."
"Have you ever felt it?"
"When I luck out in a fight. Miss smashing my head against a grave stone, when... when I jumped. She was there." She looked at Spike. "She caught me. I never felt the ground."
He felt a wave of comfort wash over him at that bit of information. And he could have sworn that Joyce was right there, hugging both of them right then. He closed his eyes. "Do you... feel her now?"
Buffy breathed deeply, could almost smell what made up her mother- slight shampoo, soap, perfume, and clean clothes. "Yeah."
"Me too."
Buffy smiled at Dawn's enraptured face. Every girl dreamed of having that song, sang to them, on THE most important of teenage birthdays. She applauded with the rest of the Scoobies and left to grab the cake and candles while Dawn hugged Spike and Giles.
Dawn squealed, trying to hug Spike and Giles at the same time. "OH MY GOD! THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!"
Spike laughed as the Key threw her arms around him, knocking him onto the couch. "Easy, Lil' Bit!"
She gave him a glowing smile, then got off him to do the same to Giles, only softer. "Thank you so much, " she whispered, her eyes kinda wet.
Giles squeezed her fondly. "It was nothing. It was all Spike's idea, after all."
Spike chuckled. "I had to do something, after I forgot to get you a present..."
Her jaw dropped. "You FORGOT?"
He laughed, then pulled a package out from under his coat. "Naw. Just wanted to see what you'd do." The present was wrapped neatly in shiny purple paper, with an origami rhino taped to it instead of a bow. "Here, Bit."
She went to reach for it, but the lights dimmed, and Buffy said, "I SO do not even think so, Dawn." She pouted, but smiled as the lit cake and her sister came into view, and Buffy started singing.
Spike set the package on the coffee table with the others. "Your sis is right, Niblet. Cake first. Then presents." He and the others joined in the singing. Spike felt a little foolish, but it was for Dawn, so he ignored it.
As the last note was sung, Dawn looked around, and saw all she wished for. But she closed her eyes, made a wish, and blew hard on the candles.
Spike grinned and settled back.
"What'd you wish for, Dawn?", Xander asked, settling down in his chair, close, but not touching Anya's chair.
She smiled. "I can't TELL you, Xander." She slanted her eyes at Spike. "Lipgloss. Lots of yummy flavored lip gloss."
"Strike one," the vampire said.
Buffy was glad of the low light, hoping she wasn't blushing and started to cut the cake.
Dawn protested. "It's my birthday. There can BE no strikes. I'm strike -free."
"Then you start with two tomorrow."
She gave her sister an entreating glance. "Tell him he's ruining my birthday. Make him stop."
Xander looked back and forth between Dawn and Spike. "Strikes?"
"Spike. Help hand out cake, and stop terrorizing Dawn."
"Yes, honey." The vampire handed Giles a piece of cake, then turned back to get another one.
"I seem to have been ignored," Xander said. "So I say again: Strikes?"
Buffy gave him a smile. "Um... we have three opportunities to aggravate eachother before a tickle torture starts. Ice cream?"
Xander laughed. "Sounds fair. Keeps you from annoying Spike, huh?"
Spike stared at Buffy. 'Tell him, and I hurt you.' Unfortunately, Dawn couldn't hear his mental message.
"Not really. No. It's fun, cuz he's like, super-ticklish, too." Dawn smiled benignly and took a bite of her cake.
Xander stared at the vampire, who was trying to sink into the cushions. "Spike? Mr. I'm A Big Scary Vampire is TICKLISH?" He laughed. "Oh, that is too good." He playfully reached toward Spike, who moved to the other end of the couch, closer to Giles and Dawn, letting out a sound that was a cross between a play growl and a real one.
Well, shit. Buffy said loudly, "No tickling without strikes, or you're in on the deal. And... it's present time."
Dawn squealed, and sat on the floor by the coffee table. "Loot, loot, loot!"
Xander nodded. "Fair enough. God knows I don't want in on this game." He looked at Dawn as Spike relaxed again. "Who's are you gonna open first, Dawnie?"
She gave him a smile. "Yours."
Xander grinned. "Go ahead, then. The one with the blue paper. I made it myself. It kind of goes with something I have to go get out of the car." He got up and headed outside.
She unwrapped the blue package, and looked at the rack in front of her with slight confusion. Buffy leaned forward and turned it the right way. "Oh!!!!! HOW COOL!!!!! MY OWN SWORD RACK!!!!"
Xander stuck his head in. "Someone come give me a hand, the stupid dolly's stuck on the stairs."
Spike waved off Buffy's attempt to get up. He was going to be good tonight if it killed him. He got up and went to help Xander.
Dawn was stroking the finished cherry wood, the gleam impressing her as much as the softness of the finish.
Buffy gave a slightly confused, concerned look. "Um... really, I can.. help..." she trailed off as they disappeared out the door. She finally sighed and relaxed against the couch. Her eye caught Dawn's. An effort. They both saw it, and smiled.
Spike backed through the door. "Watch it, Harris! Don't roll over my foot!"
"Sorry. I can't see where I'm going, you're supposed to be steering!"
"Backwards!?", the vampire said, but he was smiling, not even half as angry as he sounded.
"Yes! Backwards," Xander added, coming through the door pushing the dolly. "Unless you want to turn around and let me run you over!" Playful tone of voice.
All four girls, and Giles smiled. Dawn squirmed. "What is it, what is it?"
They rolled the dolly over to in front of Dawn, and Xander removed the cover over the object. "Ta da! It matches Buffy's."
"The family that slays together, stays together," Spike added, chuckling. To his surprise, everyone laughed at his joke. Even Xander.
Dawn was on her knees, running her fingers over the intricate carvings of the weapons chest in awe. She slid the lid open to reveal a gleaming sword. The first for her rack. She picked it up, swung it experimentally. She set it down on the rack with care and respect. Then promptly swung herself in Xander's arms. "I LOVE IT!!! Thank you so much!!!"
Xander laughed and gave the youngest Summers a tight hug. "You're welcome, Dawnie." He rubbed his ribs. "Whoo. Getting your sister's strength already? Spike'd better watch his back."
Spike chuckled. "Uh huh. Yeah, right." He settled back on the couch.
Dawn smiled and sat back down, arranging everything neatly before, "Next!"
Giles smiled. "Who's are you going to open next, Dawn?"
Her grin couldn't get bigger. "Mmm... Yours."
Giles pointed to a large package in gold paper. "That's it."
Dawn grabbed it, almost dropped it, then more carefully slid it over to her spot. "Ok..." She started to unwrap it carefully, aware of the eyes on her, then gave up, shredding it. She blinked. "Books." Fighting her wave of disappointment, she read the titles. "Vampire Theories, the Watcher's Guide, 101." Interesting... Not half as bad as she thought. "And... 'Fighting Techniques: Martial Arts for the Intermediate'. Sweet! I can train!!" She picked up the book to hug, then saw the shirt. The baby blue angora sweater she hadn't told anyone she wanted. She laid a hand toward it tentatively, afraid it'd vanish if she blinked.
Giles smiled. "I saw you looking at that when we were at the mall the other day..." He trailed off with a shrug.
She abandoned her 'almost touching' to give Giles a huge hug. She decided to open the rest of the presents from her spot on his lap. The process went on, a very tentative Willow giving Dawn a necklace that Tara had worn. Dawn held it in her hand, and her bottom lip trembled. Her fingers closed around it, and she gave Willow a small smile. "I love it."
Willow shrugged. "She- T- she would have... wanted it for you." The ex- witch said all this to Dawn's nose, her eyes afraid to go higher.
Dawn reached across the couch to touch Willow's hand. A small gesture, but filled with understanding, forgiveness, and caring. Spike stood up, walking to behind Willow's chair and gently placing his hands on her shoulders. "S'ok, Red. We all miss her." He squeezed her shoulders gently, blinking back his own tears.
Giles cleaned his glasses, and Xander sniffed, trying to make it seem like he had allergies and exaggerating a sneeze.
Buffy's eyes clouded, but she watched with pride the way her sister had grown in grace. Anya broke the slight tension saying, "I wanted to give you a coupon for the Magic Box. But Xander said that was rude." She sighed. "So." Anya handed her a clothes box, wrapped in white paper with pink, yellow and purple ribbons.
Dawn smiled, and took it, saving the bow, because she thought it was pretty. She lifted the lid off the box, and laughed. She looked at her sister. "Camel pants."
Buffy laughed, too, as Anya explained. "Your sister. She whines about you taking those pants. So I thought, I can get Dawn this present AND stop Buffy's whining." She gave a proud smile at her own practicality.
Spike chuckled, and settled back on the couch next to Giles. "Open your sister's next, Bit," he said with a grin at Buffy.
Dawn arched her brow, mimicking her sister so well. "Yeah? And what did Buffy get me?"
Buffy picked up something, wrapped in a tissue-paper cylinder, handed it to Dawn.
Dawn frowned, and peeked at the top. An orange rose. She smiled at her sister. "I love it."
Buffy shrugged. "Well, you might wanna get a vase for it. I think it'd look pretty in that blue one in your room."
Giles couldn't hide his smile. And Spike was grinning like a cat that just ate the canary. "Go on, Bit. Get the vase. We'll wait down here."
Dawn gave them all suspicious looks as she went slowly up the stairs. She kept sending them glances over her shoulder. She finally reached her door and took a deep breath, ready for whatever joke they were playing on her. She opened the door, and the rose in her hand dropped to the floor. To join the seemingly hundreds of other roses littering her room.
Buffy had walked up the stairs behind her. She bit her lip. "Do... um... Do you like it?"
Spike followed Buffy up, leaving the others downstairs. He leaned against the wall, watching the sisters.
Dawn gave Buffy a teary look, and pointed in her room. There were candles, here and there, lit, but the room glowed a soft pink-orange from all the roses. Covering her bed, her floor, her desks, her chairs, her shelves. Finally, Dawn wrapped her arms around Buffy. She swallowed hard and said, "Why?"
Buffy shrugged in the hug, squeezing Dawn back. "Because you like them. Because it's your sweet sixteen, because Mom would have wanted me too. Because you're my sister, and I love you."
Dawn gave her a brilliant smile, and pulled away to walk in the room. She tossed herself backwards onto the bed, and from her position on her back, looked all around, sighing.
Spike grinned at Buffy, wiping at his eyes. He turned and began walking back downstairs, intending to leave them alone.
Dawn called from the bed, "Spike!"
He paused, called back, "Yeah?"
She waved him in the room, patting on her bed of roses.
He came back in, carefully moving the roses out of the way before sitting down. He held out a present. "I thought I'd bring you this, you didn't open it yet." It was his present, with the origami rhino. "It's nothing compared to what your sister's done here, though." He smiled at Buffy. "Although my car's gonna smell like flowers for weeks, now."
She smiled, set his present in her lap. "Lay down first. It's ok to lay on them. It helps." She coaxed him into laying down beside her, on his back.
He glanced at her. "Helps with what?" Closed his eyes, liking the feel of the flowers.
"Now breathe in." She inhaled deeply.
He inhaled, feeling lost in the scent of the roses. His sensitive vampire sense of smell was nearly overloaded. He let out a quiet purr, keeping his eyes closed.
Buffy watched from the doorway, smiling, wondering what her sister was going to say.
Dawn surprised her and Spike both by saying, "I think this is what heaven smells like. Where Mom is."
Buffy blinked back sudden tears, and she said, "It is, Dawnie. Heaven smells just like this."
Spike sniffled, keeping his eyes closed. He rolled over, burying his face in the flowers. His shoulders shook, and he tried to imagine what it was like for Joyce. If she was watching them. He was sure she was. Somehow, that didn't stop the tears.
Dawn curled to his side, crying now, too.
Spike slipped an arm around Dawn, pulling her closer, not even trying to hide his tears.
Buffy stood, her arms wrapped around herself, tears streaming silently as she watched them.
He looked up, and motioned for Buffy to join them, holding an arm out, needing her to be close to him. No words were needed.
She walked in, unmindful of the roses, and into his free arm.
Spike held both the Summers women close, crying with them. After awhile, the tears stopped, and the three of them just laid on the bed, cuddled close together with Spike in the middle. He broke the silence. "I'm in a Summers sandwich," he muttered.
Buffy leaned in to nip his shoulder. "Good filling."
Dawn 'Ewww-ed' appropriately. She sat up. "Mom's watching us, right, Buffy?"
Buffy sat up too, looked straight in her sister's eyes and said, "She always has been."
Dawn nodded, accepting this, and turned her eyes to the package in her lap. "I wanna go back downstairs, finish with the presents."
Spike sat up. "Good idea, Bit." He looked at Buffy. 'Strike two for the bite, Slayer.'
She smiled slowly as Dawn got up and started downstairs. "Come on, you guys."
Buffy nodded. "We'll be right there." As she heard Dawn tromp down the stairs, Buffy held the smile and said softly, "What kind of torture?"
"What do you think? I've got to get you back." He grinned and gave her a sideways hug. "Besides, it's more fun, and less chance of breaking a rule, right?" He nipped at her ear playfully.
Her eyes drifted shut. "Not much for rules these days."
He nibbled her earlobe. 'But that's the BIG rule, luv. Not till we're ready, remember?'
She sighed and gave a big smile. "Right." Kissed him softly, quickly, and stood. "Come on... Dawn wants to unwrap your present."
He gave her a vulnerable look. "Are you sure she'll like it?" He followed her to the stairs.
She began to trudge down them. "Of course she will. I'll have the medical tape ready for broken ribs from hugging." She turned into the living room to smile at Dawn, and arch her brows, waiting for the savage tearing of the paper to begin.
He chuckled and followed. "We're here, Bit. You can open it now." He flopped on the couch next to Giles again.
Dawn carefully, slowly, pulled the origami rhino off, and set it aside. She began the tearing. In about three seconds she held a pink rhino aloft. "AWWWW! It's PINK! And it's a RHINO!" She pulled it close to hug, then gasped, gently touched the necklace hanging on the rhino. "Oh my God." Her eyes flew to Spike's. "Oh my God," she repeated.
He looked away shyly, developing a sudden fascination with the coffee table.
She unhooked it, and stood, walking to Spike, and turned around. He looked up, accepted the necklace, and put it on her, then looked back at the coffee table again.
She gave a huge smile and gave him an aggressive bear hug. Squealed incoherently.
He laughed and tipped over, with Dawn winding up on top of him. "Easy, Bit!", he chuckled.
She grinned down at him. "Thank you." She gave him a quick kiss. "I love it," she continued, fingering it. "It's-" she turned the charm part of the necklace over, squinted at the to her upside down writing.
Spike grinned. "It says, 'To my Lil' Bit'," he said helpfully.
She squealed again, smiling exuberantly. She stood, offering him a hand. All the while, she was squealing at the general party, "Opals! In silver!!!! For ME!"
Anya and Willow gave happy smiles, and Buffy tossed Spike a mental, 'Um... told you, much?'
He took it and sat up. "It's nothing, really, Bit. I just thought you'd like it..." He was on the verge of blushing again. How he had suddenly developed the ability to do that was beyond him. 'Yeah, you were right. I know you love hearing that,' he said mentally to Buffy.
She smirked. 'Oh, but I do...'
"I love it!" Dawn was ecstatic. This was THE birthday of birthday's, and it had NOT disappointed.
Spike chuckled. "I noticed," he said, responding to both Buffy's unspoken words and Dawns excited exclamations at the same time.
Buffy noted the tired faces in the crowd and said, "Well, Birthday Lady, I hate to ruin your fun... but I happen to remember that SOMEONE had a breakfast date with SOMEONE'S family..."
Dawn's jaw dropped. "Oh my gosh. I totally forgot. I have less than.... eight hours before his family is here to get me!!"
Spike and Xander both snorted, then tried to hide it.
Dawn glared at them both. "All right. Enough. He is a NICE boy. He's kind, and he opens doors, and he pays for dates, and he HAS A PULSE! What MORE do you two want from him??"
Spike spoke for both of them. "We don't want him to take away our adopted little sister." Xander nodded.
She winced at their obvious- to her- mental handicap. "He doesn't wanna be my brother, ok?"
"We know that, Dawn," Xander said. "But we feel like he's taking all our time with you. Right?"
It was Spike's turn to nod.
Ok... it was point time. "Ok. I'll stop seeing him." As soon as she saw relief flash over their faces, she continued, "When you stop spending all OUR time with my sister. And YOU stop googling Anya, and only do things with me."
Spike and Xander looked at eachother, knowing when they were beat. "You win, Bit," Spike said.
"Yeah. Ok. We get it."
Spike laid down across the couch, almost putting his feet in Giles' lap. "Just try not to get so caught up in your life that you forget us, ok, Bit?"
She rolled her eyes. "Right. I could possibly forget the biggest pains in my butt since Buffy."
"Hey!" The inevitable protest came.
"Strike three," Spike said. "Right, Buffy?"
"Tomorrow," she reminded him. "It's her birthday. And pooling points is not fair. All you have to do is irritate me twice and Dawn once and we've got you."
His eyes got big. "Uh, what strike AM I on?"
Buffy shrugged, but Dawn said, "You're going on two for me."
He balked. "Huh? Last time you said one."
"And then you started ripping on Andrew! 'Oh, bit... I'm losin' you,'" she mocked in a British accent.
"..grrrrrrr...." Knowing that was probably three, and he did it anyway.
She pointed a finger at him. "You're on my list, boy. Now scamper home. I need beauty sleep."
Spike chuckled. "I'm on a list, luv," he said to Buffy. "Isn't that interesting?"
Buffy sighed, "Yes it is. But seriously. No tickle fights tonight."
Spike grinned. "Hear that, Bit? I'm safe." He stood. "Hey, I know I haven't done it in awhile, but would you like me to tuck you in tonight? A little quality time to make up for your dates lately?"
Dawn smiled and grabbed his hand, leading him up the stairs. "Night, everyone! Thank you so much for everything!!!"
He allowed her to tug him up the stairs, waving to Buffy and the others.
Buffy smiled and started ushering people out the door.
Meanwhile, upstairs....
Spike sat on Dawn's bed, waiting for her to finish getting ready.
She came back out from the bathroom, her Hello Kitty jamma pants in place, along with a black tank top. She shuffled through the roses and smiled at Spike.
He smiled back, carefully moving the roses so that they were piled on the end of the bed, and folding back the comforter and sheets. "Want a song tonight? Or a glass of water?" The routine hadn't changed from when Buffy was gone.
Buffy stood to the side of the door frame, knowing neither one of them could see her. Heard her sister respond, "Both."
He nodded, and got her water in her Scooby-Doo glass from the bathroom. "Want me to do "Stay Awake" this time?"
Dawn slid in between her sheets, and took the glass, sipping at it. "Yeah."
He nodded, closed his eyes, started humming the instrumental part, clearly seeing Joyce singing it to him in his memory.
"Stay awake, Don't rest your head, Don't lie down Upon your bed, While the moon drifts In the sky Stay awake, Don't close your eyes.." Pause for breath.
Buffy smiled softly from her spot by the door, and Dawn set her glass down on her nightstand, laid her head down on the pillow to watch Spike sing.
"Though the world is Fast asleep, Though your pillow's Soft and deep, You're not sleepy As you seem, Stay awake, Don't nod and dream...
Stay awake, Don't nod... And... Dream...."
He trailed off the end of the song, pulling the sheets and comforter up around her and kissing her forehead softly. "Night, Bit. I love you."
Her eyes were drooping heavily, and she smiled sleepily at him. "I love you, too..." It took all her strength to stay awake to question, "Spike?"
"Yeah, Bit?"
Her eyes were closed and she finished softly, "I'm glad Buffy loves you, too..."
He smiled, said softly, "So am I, Bit. So am I." He turned and headed for the door. 'Hope I didn't keep you waiting, luv,' he said mentally, having caught Buffy's scent quite some time before.
She had the grace to be slightly shamed. 'Sorry.'
He grinned at her as he exited Dawn's room and closed the door. 'Don't be. I don't mind.' Put an arm around the Slayer's shoulders and lead her to the stairs.
She walked downstairs with him, one hand moved up to grab the one on her shoulder. "Everybody left," she said softly.
He nodded as they entered the living room. "Yeah. I know. Want me to leave, too?"
She smiled. "You don't have to."
He grinned, settled on the couch. "Stay down here with me, then?"
She sat beside him. "Yup." She smiled, her head on his shoulder. "She had a good birthday."
He smiled. "I gathered." Nuzzled her gently. "I did my best to be a good puppy."
She arched her neck, giving him better access. "I saw. I was very proud of you."
He grinned, puffed up slightly. "Really? Proud of me?" Nuzzled her again, sniffing around in her hair.
One hand drifted to the back of his neck, serving to hold him by her neck, her fingers playing in the hair at the base of his neck. "Very, very proud of you."
He took her hint, and began kissing her neck. 'I was good?', he thought at her playfully.
She laughed. "You were always good." Her own eyes went wide at her innuendo.
He chuckled throatily, and nibbled her earlobe.
She turned slightly, to run her hands over his chest, placed a soft kiss above his collarbone. He purred loudly, and began nibbling his way down the side of her neck.
She smiled, running her fingers through his hair.
'I love it when you do that,' he said mentally, his mouth continuing to play with her neck, pausing to pay special attention to his claim mark.
She did it again, shuddering as he hit his claim, and she tilted her head to nip at his earlobe.
His purring got louder. 'No surprise I'm purring. Petting me like a big cat,' he said, referencing her stroking of his hair. He moaned when her teeth found that spot on his earlobe. He remembered well the day she'd discovered that spot. It had been when she was invisible...
She did too, so while her fingers curled in his hair, her mouth sucked his earlobe softly, then nipped it, finishing by licking at it softly, moving down his neck to her claim. His whole body shuddered when she hit the sensitive spot of her claim, a intense wave of pleasure washed over him, and he let out a deep purring moan. 'God, luv. Take it easy... Wow...'
She fit her mouth to the claim, just as it had been when she first took him. Bit down gently.
His body went limp, caving to the couch with her on top of him. He moaned again, her touches sending chills through him. "*Oh God... Buffy... I love you.... Oh...*" This was followed by incoherent babbling in vampiric.
Her senses were humming, and his words flew at her. She bit again, moving her hands from his hair to his earlobes, moving softly over them, almost tugging, but not quite.
The babbling sped up, the only words that she was catching were her name, and "*love you love you love you*" over and over. Spike was in heaven. His body unable to move, paralyzed with pleasure.
She pulled back, softly panting. Desire was written on her face, in her body. "I love you..."
His eyes were open and on hers. "Buffy... I love you too..." He ran a hand over her back, the other one tangling in her hair. "What do you want me to do?", he asked, sensing her desire, trying to control his own. What she said next would determine what happened. He wouldn't make the decision.
She searched his eyes, hoping for an answer. She knew there wouldn't be one.
He was scared. Didn't want to make the same mistake twice. Watched her, his hand continuing to play in her hair.
She closed her eyes, leaning her head into his hand. "I love you," she repeated. She couldn't do this with her eyes open. Not wouldn't. Couldn't. "But..." She said the last thing she wanted, but the only thing to do. "I think... I think I want you to go home."
He nodded. "It would be for the best, I think." A tear came to his eye, and he attempted to blink it back unsuccessfully.
She forced her eyes open. Wiped at the tear with one finger, touched it to her lips. "I don't know what would hurt worse," she said softly. "Regretting being with you, or sending you home."
"You would.... regret being with me? Even now? After everything we've done for eachother, after... everything?" Another tear came unbidden.
She touched it, too. "Now? On the... couch? With Dawn asleep upstairs?"
Gave a rueful grin. "We could go upstairs. Except that I doubt I can walk very far at the moment. At least, not without doing a duck impression."
She gave a soft smile. Touched her lips to his. "We're not quiet, Spike. Even when we try to be. That's the last thing I want Dawn to see."
He chuckled slightly. "Or hear. Yeah. I get it. But I'm serious about not being able to walk. I'll just sleep on the couch tonight." He grinned at her. "You have quite the potent effect, Slayer."
Buffy physically restrained herself from doing something very naughty with her hips. "You, too."
He chuckled again. "So, are you going to go to bed, or sit on me all night?"
She moved off him, then leaned over him to grab the blanket across the back of the couch. He helped her lay the blanket over him. "Slayer?"
"Hm?"
"Joyce would be proud of you. For what you did for Dawn, and organizing the party, and everything. Your mum would have loved it."
She gave a vulnerable smile. "Really?"
He glanced at the photo at the end of the couch. "In fact, I know she is proud of you. Watching over you. Your guardian angel. You and Dawn. You're both so lucky, Buffy."
She sat on the edge of the couch cushion, one hand cupping Spike's cheek. "She's yours, too."
He nodded, giving the photo one last glance before closing his eyes and nuzzling Buffy's hand. "I know. I've.... Don't think I'm crazy for saying this, okay?"
She nodded. "Ok."
He took a deep breath, keeping his eyes closed and continuing to nuzzle her hand. "I've felt, several times, like she's watching me. When the Hell Bitch tortured me, I felt as if she was giving me strength. When you died, I felt like she was hugging me, trying to comfort me, giving me her strength again to give to Dawn. And a lot of other times. I don't know..." He opened his eyes, looked at her. "You think I'm nuts, huh?"
She shook her head. "Mom is always watching over us. I meant it when I told Dawn. I believe you."
"Have you ever felt it?"
"When I luck out in a fight. Miss smashing my head against a grave stone, when... when I jumped. She was there." She looked at Spike. "She caught me. I never felt the ground."
He felt a wave of comfort wash over him at that bit of information. And he could have sworn that Joyce was right there, hugging both of them right then. He closed his eyes. "Do you... feel her now?"
Buffy breathed deeply, could almost smell what made up her mother- slight shampoo, soap, perfume, and clean clothes. "Yeah."
"Me too."