Dawn met Spike's eyes, looking deep into the icy blue pools and shook her head, "Spike, you're not an evil bastard. Not anymore."
He shook his head, "A chip doesn't equal a soul, luv."
"That doesn't matter. A soul doesn't mean anything. It's what you do, Spike. And you've proven that you're not evil anymore."
"Take that back." He said, weakly.
"The truth is, I trust you. I just wonder, sometimes, if you deserve to be stuck looking after me, is all."
Spike stared at her for an eternity, then leaned up and pressed his lips to hers. Dawn's eyes fell shut and she leaned into the kiss, careful not to lean on the burns. Spike knew he probably shouldn't be doing this. Not only would the Scoobies (The originals, not the band members) kick his ass, but this was Dawn. She was supposed to be like his little sister. Or something. But this was what he'd been longing for weeks now. Just to kiss her. Because at some point he had started wanting her so badly he could taste it, and now he was getting a little piece of what it would be like to really be with her, to feel like she could ever want him that way.
Dawn pulled away and quickly hopped off Spike's lap, "I'm sorry." She blurted, "I am sooo sorry."
"Dawn--"
"No. It's my fault. I shouldn't have--I mean...I don't know." She looked around the room, anywhere but at Spike, so he wouldn't see the tears of panic welling up in her eyes, "I should go."
Spike struggled to get up, but the effects of the acid were still making him clumsy. "Dawn, don't."
"I'll...I'll just be at Mia's ok?"
"But--"
"I'll be home by midnight."
Spike tried to say something, but she was gone and he could hear her car start in the driveway before he could struggle over to the door. He slumped against the wall and shut his eyes. How could he have screwed up like that? He banged his head repeatedly against the wall.
"Ow." He said to the empty house, then sat still. He had just ruined three years of trust. Dawn was probably in her car right now, thinking about how he had taken advantage of her. Or something equally horrible. Spike close his eyes and wished himself a thousand horrible deaths.
