Disclaimer, summary, ect.: See chap one.
Author's Notes 1, Tigerwolf: I have to give special thanks to my b/f Toby for a couple of the ideas in this chap. And to tell all the girls out there who want a boyfriend who's as into Buffy (especially S/B) as they are to SOD OFF! He's mine. lol. Kidding. Well, kidding about the meanness. But he is mine. =)
AN 2: Tequila: Thanks so much LML! You're a doll and you're officially on my 'God, I love to hear from her' list. : ) Stick with me, guys!!!! I'm stepping to update... lol
Spike glanced at the dashboard clock. Five thirty. Time to get the Watcher up. He looked around for a suitable place to stop. Ah. Good. A rest stop. He pulled off the road and followed the signs through a park to the RV parking places. Parked, got up, headed for the back room.
Buffy had changed into pajama shorts, and a tank top when she had went to brush her teeth, and was asleep when Spike came in. She was comfortably cuddled to her Watcher's side, one arm slung across his middle, being held to him by the heavy arm around her shoulders.
Spike took in the scene, and jumped to the wrong conclusion. He shook the Watcher, none too gently, causing him to start awake.
"Huh? What?", Giles asked, jumping slightly, and unseating Buffy. Buffy felt jostled and disgruntled, so she tightened on hand on Giles' shirt, snuggling closer a small frown on her face, followed by a slightly more contented sigh.
"You. Driving time." Spike said curtly, snorting at the Slayer's seeming comfort. The vampire shut the door, walking back to the booth and sitting down opposite where Willow, Tara, Xander, and Anya were waking up.
The Wicca's moved apart slowly, getting up, stretching, and going into the bathroom to clean up and get ready for the day, figuring if they did it at the same time, they'd leave quicker, and have more time for the others. Anya looked a bit put off by the early wake up. Xander just yawned, and glanced around with post sleep fuzziness.
Buffy stumbled out, stretching in her pajamas, then with a sigh, gave a sleepy , "Mornin'." to the whole crew.
The sentiment was echoed all around, with the exception of the vampire, who seemed to be sulking for some reason. He had, however, noticed Buffy stretching. God, how could he possibly miss it? Tight pj's, muscles... Bad Spike.
Buffy came out of her stretch slowly, giving her shoulders one slow roll, then smiled.
Xander shifted a little next to Anya, stretching his back, grinned at Buffy. "How'd you sleep? Considering that you had a bed while the rest of us shared a booth all night."
Her smile got bigger. "Great. Best I've slept in forever."
"I bet.." Spike grumbled.
"Aw, someone's cranky," Xander directed at the vampire. Was surprised when it was ignored.
Buffy just gave him an odd look, then shrugged, and went to root through the kitchenette. "What're we doing for breakfast?"
Giles passed by, heading for the drivers seat. "I think McDonalds."
Spike gave a slight growl at the Watcher's passing. Giles gave him a look.
Huge grin crossed Buffy's face, and she said, "Sausage Egg McMuffin!"
Tara smiled, "Pancakes and scrambled eggs." Willow echoed the sentiment.
"DELUXE BREAKFAST!", Anya and Xander said in unison.
Giles chuckled. "I believe I'm with Buffy."
Spike growled again.
Giles looked around. "Spike, where are the keys?"
No answer. Quiet rumbling growl.
Xander looked at him, then at Buffy. "What's with the Evil Dead?"
She shrugged, "*I'm* supposed to know?"
"He's your vampire."
Spike snorted. "I belong to no one, Harris. And if you call me that one more time, I'll demonstrate it. Personally." The growl carried through his words. He was pissed about something.
Buffy recoiled slowly. "God, go to bed, Spike."
"I don't want to sleep in that bed, Slayer."
She rolled her eyes and threw her hands in the air. "Sorry. It's the only one we've got. We have to share. Get over it."
"Yeah. Like you 'shared' with your Watcher last night?" Snarled. Openly.
"Ummm... Yeah. Ok. I slept with Giles... where's the big?"
" 'WHERE'S THE BIG'? WHERE?" He stood, shaking with anger, growls rolling through his words. "He's your bleedin' WATCHER! You shouldn't be.... With HIM!!?"
Understanding. The lightbulb went off. WITH Giles, with Giles? eeeeuch. But... still... Pulled a seriously insulted face. "Why not?"
Giles came back, looking for the keys, just in time to hear Spike let out a sound that mimicked the T-Rex in Jurassic Park. "WHY!!? First of all he's your WATCHER for Christ's sake! That's against Council rules, I'm sure."
Giles stared at Spike. "What is his problem, Buffy?"
She stepped back against him, his chest to her back, and lifted on hand to stretch and play at the back of his neck. "Spike has a problem with us." She drew his head down, where it appeared that she was nibbling his ear. "Play along," she whispered so low there was almost no sound.
Giles' eyes got wide for a moment, then he mimicked Buffy's movements, letting a hand slide down her back. "I wonder why? I mean, do you think he never noticed before?"
Spike was bristling, shaking with the growl that seemed to be vibrating his whole body.
She shrugged. "I guess not." She frowned. "People don't think you're available do they?" She turned into his body slightly to pout. "You're not."
Xander, Anya, Willow, and Tara were stunned for a moment, then they caught Buffy winking at them. Xander gave a grin. "God, Spike. You're dense. They've been a couple since before Riley left. Why do you think he was goin' to vamp hoes?"
Spike's eyes flashed gold, then back to blue.
She moved her hip to make Gile's hand slide along it.
The corner of Giles' mouth twitched. Willow hid a giggle with a cough. Spike took a step toward Buffy and Giles, open hostility in his body language. "Watcher... You can't be serious... You don't deserve her... She needs more than you can possibly give..." Trailed off into a snarl.
Buffy saw the hostility, moved a little more in front of Giles. "Of course he deserves me. He trained me. Made me what I am." Smiled up at Giles. "Didn't you, baby?"
Giles swallowed a chuckle. "I certainly did, darling."
"But.. but.." Spike was jealous, confused, hurt, and angry. But mostly jealous. So pissed that he didn't even notice that Xander, Anya, Willow and Tara were on the verge of cracking up.
A smile was started to twitch at the corner of Buffy's mouth, so she turned against Giles more, a pretend nuzzle, then she had herself under control again. "You really never knew?"
Spike was speechless, fish-mouthing.
Buffy grinned then frowned. Got it unnnnder control.
The vampire sank back onto the edge of the booth. "I.. don't believe it.."
Xander snorted out a laugh, stopped. Coughed.
One more shot. "I mean, I thought you'd have guessed. The late nights, the 'research'..." She gave Giles a sexy grin. "The research..."
Giles fake-coughed violently to hide a very real laugh. "A-hem. Yes. Very memorable... Especially that first time..."
Spike sagged deeper into the booth, as if trying to disappear into the upholstery.
Buffy giggled. "Who needs books, right?"
"Who indeed?", Giles said in a husky voice, a hand sliding over her shoulder and down her back.
Tara's face was on fire, her lips trembling with barely suppressed laughter. But Giles' last remark set Willow off. In gales. GILES was talking like Barry White! Willow set Xander off, and Xander set Anya off. Tara had her hand clapped over her mouth to suppress her quiet laughter.
" 'Who.. indeed..'," Willow choked out around her laughter. "Oh, god.."
Spike looked around at the laughing group, a horrible reality starting to dawn on him. He looked at Buffy and Giles.
A helpless smile was taking over her lips, and a giggle escaped. At the same moment, Giles began chuckling. In no time at all, the chuckle had given way to full fledged laughter. He was leaning on the little counter.
Buffy had moved away, cuz... No. Sex with Giles was a NO. She didn't think ANYONE had ever thought of them like that, until this morning. And it amused her. Xander and Anya were leaning on each other, laughing so hard they were crying. Willow and Tara weren't in much better shape, and Giles was gripping the counter as if he was about to fall over.
Dawn stumbled out of the room, clutching the blanket, a frown marring her sleepy face. "WHAT is so funny before morning?"
A memory rose to the surface in Spike's mind. The last time a group of his 'friends' had laughed at him. He stood, shaking with rage and embarrassment, shouted at the top of his lungs, "IT'S NOT BLOODY FUNNY!" Threw the keys at Giles and ran out the door, slamming it behind him, running into the forest just as he had run into a livery stable so many years before. Only this time, Dru wasn't there to stop him. He stopped about a hundred feet into the forest, dug out a cigarette. Last one. Followed it with his lighter, and lit the cigarette.
Dawn looked around, confused, and, since she saw the look on Spike's face, mad. "WHAT did you guys do??"
Most of the group was still laughing slightly and it fell to Buffy to answer Dawn's question.
She steadied her voice and said, with a quiver of laughter still in it, "Spike thought.... that Giles and I..." Cough. Laugh. "Were... um... together. So.. we played it up a bit, and he totally wigged."
This set everyone off again.
Dawn stood, fish-mouthing at them. "You guys are SO mean!" She glared at the others, but focused her anger on Buffy. "He LOVES you, and... and you DO that? That's... God, he has to feel like shit." With a disbelieving look on her face, Dawn slammed out of the camper, in her short PJ's, socks, and blanket.
Everyone stopped laughing, looking around at each other as Dawn ran after Spike.
Spike was sitting on a log, his back toward the Winnabago. His puffs on the cigarette were shaky, as if he was having trouble breathing.
Dawn came up behind him, arms crossed over the blanket, hands by her neck. She sat down beside him.
He didn't look at her. Said quietly, "Go back inside, Bit. You'll catch your death of cold out here."
She shrugged, took the cigarette from his cold fingers, and gave a good imitation of holding her smoke, then blowing it out expertly. Placed it back in his hands. "I'm sorry they were mean to you."
"Nothin' new." He scratched at his nose, or was he wiping at his eyes? Took another shaky puff.
Stole his cigarette again, drew hard off it, mostly just to waste it. She didn't like him smoking. Blew it out. Leaned her head on his shoulder, the cigarette smoldering in her fingers, warming them. "If I had been awake, I wouldn't have let them."
He took the cigarette back, stomped it out. "Thanks for caring, Bit." Looked at the burned out cigarette. "That was my last one."
She frowned. "Come on back with me. You can get a shower, and change your clothes and you'll feel better." She paused. "You didn't have stuff. You didn't bring any."
Gave a quiet chuckle. "That's right. The crypt was too far out of the way. We needed to get you out of town. My stuff was a small sacrifice."
She frowned, curling her cold toes in her thin duckie print novelty socks. Put her blanket over his shoulders. "I don't like you sacrificing for me."
He looked at her, thinking he'd gotten rid of whatever remnants of tears had been on his cheeks. Removed the blanket, wrapped it around her. "You need to be warm. I don't, Bit. And it's not much, really. I've lived under a bridge. Giving up my wardrobe is the least I can do."
Her eyes kindled as she reached out a gentle hand to sweep across his cheek, moving a small spot of wetness from it. "She's a bitch."
He twitched away, wiping violently at his eyes. "Bloody hell." Looked at her. "Dawn. Don't talk about your sister like that. She would give her life for you. You mean more to her than anything in this world or any other. Don't ever say that about Buffy again. Hear me?"
She pouted. "I know. I know all that. But it doesn't make her a nice person." Mumbled the obscenity under her breath again.
"Dawn." Warning tone. "Your sis is the most wonderful person I know. Just because she's a bit of a bully doesn't change that."
"Well it should. Mom would kick her stupid ass for being like that to you. To anybody."
Spike sighed. "I know. Joyce even got after ME for cursing. But I probably deserved it... For something. I just don't know what. Besides, it does show that everyone's feeling pretty safe and..." Trailed off, the tell tale feeling in the pit of his stomach telling him that it was VERY close to being hazardous to his health to be outside. "Bloody HELL!" Got up, took off for the Winnabago.
Dawn hopped up, followed him quickly, shouting, "Spike!!" She caught him, which said something for her speed, and shoved the blanket to him.
Spike slowed and gratefully pulled the blanket around him. "Thanks, Bit. Could you run ahead and open the door? I don't want to set my hand on fire. It's been through enough lately."
She shot forward, ahead to the Ohana, waiting for him to catch up, the door open. Spike caught up quickly and shot through the door, the blanket smoking slightly. The Ohana was tensely quiet. Dropped the blanket when Dawn closed the door. Looked at the group. Started to stalk past them to the bedroom.
"I'm sorry." The words came awkwardly from Buffy's lips. "I... we were just kidding."
Spike paused, turned around. Stared at them.
Dawn stood, arms crossed, feeling very much judge and jury.
Anya, with a sincere look and tone said, with a feeling of demon- fellowship, "Sorry, Spike." She rammed an elbow into Xander's ribs. With an audible crack.
"OW..." Paused. Sucked in a deep breath. "..sorry." Spat it out. Not looking at the vampire. Anya grabbed the back of his neck and squeezed. "Ahh! Ok!" He looked at Spike. "I'm sorry, ok?" Looked at Anya. "Are you happy now?"
Giles cleared his throat. "I must.. apologize as well, Spike." His voice was strained.
Spike just continued staring.
Willow looked up at him through her lashes. She was honest, and hoped he believed her. "I didn't... I didn't think it'd hurt your feelings." Met his eyes fleetingly. "I'm sorry."
His stare softened slightly at the witch's tone. At least one person actually meant it.
Dawn was still giving every person there frosty looks. She directed one at Giles. Added a disgusted lip curl. The Watcher winced, and looked away.
Tara looked up at Spike, her head nonetheless bent, tucked her thick blonde hair behind her ear. "I'm-m sorry, too." Bit her lip.
Spike turned slightly, headed for the back, turned around again. "Next time, don't do me any bloody favors." He didn't slam the door. Let's just call it a loud closing.
"We're going to Wal-Mart," Dawn announced sonorously. She would brook NO argument. "Since we were all in such a hurry to leave, Spike didn't get to grab anything. No clothes, no money, no blood. Nothing. For me." Gave a good glare, piercing every one of them, lingering on Buffy and Xander. "CERTAINLY not for any of you. So we're stopping to get him clothes." Her eyes glinted. "Any problems?"
Head shakes and guilty feelings all around.
She sat in the booth, head held high. She didn't think so.
Tara leaned over, whispered gently at Willow a moment, shaking her head when Willow tried to pull her back into the booth. "Fine," she sighed. "But... be careful? He's a vampire, ya know."
Tara stood, made her way to the bedroom door. Cracked it open.
Spike was laying on the bed, wishing he had a blank piece of paper and a pen, because he had a really mean poem rolling around in his head.
Tara stepped inside, closed the door behind her just as silently as she had opened it.
"What do you want, Witch?", Spike asked in a tired voice. Up most of the last two days, driving all the last night, he was exhausted. Physically and emotionally.
"I really am sorry. I wouldn't have... l-laughed if I knew it was going to hurt your feelings."
He sighed. "I know, Tara. I'm sorry too. For being short with you two Wiccas. You were the only ones of the bunch to mean your 'sorry's." Waved a hand at the couch. "You can stay, if you want."
She sat on the couch, drawing her knees to her chest. "Why did it bother you that much?"
"I'm in love with Buffy. What do you think?"
"That it explains the jealousy, not the hurt."
He rolled over to look at her. "It brought up a bad memory. From a long time ago. Before I was turned."
She nodded. "Did they make fun of you?"
He sat up slightly. "That's not your concern. Doesn't matter, anyway. The lot of 'em are dead, now."
She said without blame, "You killed them, huh?" She took a deep breath. "Sometimes I still wish I could kill Bobby Johansen."
He glared at her. "As a matter of fact. I didn't." Gave a half grin. "Well, not all of them, anyway." Sat cross-legged on the bed. "Who's Bobby Johansen?"
"All through school, elementary, high school, middle school, I stuttered. A lot worse than I do now." She seemed proud of her triumph. "But he would make fun of me, every day."
Spike snorted. "Bastard. Humans like that should have been born demons."
She nodded in agreement. "His dad beat him, and that makes it a little easier to forgive him, but... it doesn't make it stop hurting, you know?"
He nodded. "Yeah. I know. When I was little... Nevermind. I don't wanna bore you."
She gave a gentle smile. "Come on. I bored you with Bobby. It's only fair."
Her demeanor and presence was comforting to him, relaxing. "You won't tell anyone? Not even Red?"
Another of her graceful smiles, but genuinely confused. "Why would I tell them?" He realized then, that there was no inclination in her to hurt others. A pure, true kindness in her soul.
Spike's posture relaxed completely and he stretched out on his stomach, facing her, the soft bed cushioning his still sore ribs. "Good point." Took a deep breath. "Well.. There was this guy when I was little, Frederick was his name. He made fun of me... Seems like forever. Pushed me in the mud, embarrassed me in front of teachers, basically tormented the hell out of me. You see?"
A small frown marred her features, thinking about a mini-Spike being tortured.
He continued. "This went on for so long, I finally gave up on having any real friends. Every time I though someone would be my friend, Frederick would turn 'em against me. Make 'em members of his anti-William posse." He paused, remembering. "So I turned to the one thing that I felt good about. Writing. Every thought that came into my head found it's way to paper sooner or later. I had an uncle, who was a published poet, and I decided that he was who I wanted to be like." He rolled on his back, a gesture of trust, and regarded the Witch upside down. "You gotten bored to death yet?"
A slightly bigger smile, and a head shake.
He gave her a half grin. "Ok then. Well. I began composing poems on a regular basis. But I never showed them to anyone, for fear of rejection. One day, my father found my stash and confronted me about it." He made his voice deeper, added a growling undertone. "Get your head out of the clouds, William, and back down here where you belong! Your uncle is enough of a disgrace to this family without your pathetic attempts to imitate him." Spike's voice returned to normal and he wiped a tear away from his eye, and still continued. "He burned my whole poetry book that day. Threw it in the fire place."
Tara's heart broke for the poor boy he described.
"I was thirteen when that happened." He paused, drew in a breath, visibly steadying himself before continuing. "I kept writing, of course. I was just more careful about who saw it. Also, a year later I got shipped off to live in London with my Gram and Grampa. Things got a little better then. Then I saw Cecily for the first time."
A romantic's smile tugged at Tara's lips. "And Cecily was..?"
He sighed. "A beautiful young woman. Upper class. Out of my league." He looked at her. "My family was struggling middle class. So I knew I could never be with her." He inhaled again, continuing. "But that didn't mean that I couldn't admire her from afar. All my poems began to be about her in some way. A reference to her hair, her eyes, her smile..." He sighed, his undead heart catching in his chest.
She knew this wasn't going to end happily.
He shook his head, returning to the present. "Anyway, I watched her for nearly ten years. Getting up the nerve to talk to her a couple of times, but nothing major. Then Frederick moved to London. My street, no less. If I hadn't known it was impossible, I'd have thought he'd planned it."
A slight mean streak went through her. "Did you end up killing him?"
He grinned. "Funny you'd ask. He's the one who gave me the idea for... I'm getting ahead of myself here." Breathed in and out a couple of times.
Tara leaned forward, wondered if she'd lose her hand for it, but reached, and ran a hand over his curls. Just once, the gesture full of affection and caring. To her surprise, he leaned against it as he continued. "Then one night, we were at this party..."
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Dawn was currently having a staring contest with Xander. And she was winning. The glare on her face was intimidating as she gazed at him indolently. Xander broke the look, finally leaning back against the booth. "Ok, Dawn. You win. When he comes out, I'll mean it, ok?"
She just shrugged. "You had better. I'll make you regret it if you don't."
Buffy's head jerked up. "DAWN!"
"Shut up, Buffy."
Giles looked at Dawn. "Alright. That's it, Dawn. We are all here for you. You will not speak to your sister in that tone or in those words again."
She just gave him a glance. Almost dismissive. "Fine time to start acting your age."
Giles at least had the grace to look chagrined. "I admit that we were wrong to do what we did, Dawn. But it did not warrant such an overreaction on Spike's part."
Dawn rolled her eyes. Stood. "For the record, the only people that I have ANYTHING to say to are Willow, Tara, and Spike. I want two sausage egg McMuffins, and three hashbrowns and a large orange juice. I'll be in here." She went in the bathroom, the door locking with a determined *click*.
Xander looked at Buffy and Giles. "Boy, did you two screw things up."
Buffy gave him her, 'Drop dead to avoid further injury' glare. Giles gave an eerily similar look to him. And they said in unison, "Shut up, Xander."
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Tara gave a thoughtful frown. "And you got turned that night?"
Spike nodded. When she'd come to be sitting on the bed next to him, and he had maneuvered so that his head was right next to her thigh, neither of them really knew. It was a comforting position for the vampire, finally having someone who'd listen. Who cared. It was the first time since Joyce died that he'd been able to get some of his past emotional baggage off his back. "Yeah. Ran right into Dru in a stable. She bit me. And for all those who say turning is an erotic experience, let me set the record straight. It bloody hurts." Scratched at his neck. "And itches later."
She gave a small laugh. "I would imagine."
He smiled up at her. "Thanks. For listening to me, I mean. I know I shouldn't put this stuff on people.. But sometimes.. You just need to.. Talk. You know?"
Understanding smile. "I know." And she did.
Spike sat up, stretching. "Well. I feel slightly better now. What do you say we go see how the others are doing?" He got up, and offered the Wicca a hand.
She took it gingerly, not quite used to the guyness of the contact. "Ok." He pulled her to her feet with surprising gentleness, especially for someone who had recently put finger-sized dents in a sword. She smiled, and ducked her head when he opened the door for her. Spike followed her through the door, going to lean against the minifridge, avoiding eye contact with anyone.
Tara went out first, letting Willow take her hand and pull her into the booth, whispering at her, "You were in there forever! You're ok, right, sweety? No... thrall or anything?"
Tara gave her an odd look. "Of course not. I'm fine. We were just talking."
Spike finally glanced around, then looked at Buffy. There was no anger, no hostility in his face or tone. Somehow, he seemed... calmer? "Where's Niblet?"
She ran her tongue along her teeth with her mouth closed. "Your princess in shining armor has seen fit to lock herself in the bathroom." The frustration filtered into her voice.
Spike hid a grin. "No one tried to get her out yet?"
She had. Had been reduced to squashing her breakfast and sliding it under the door, and having the door finally open long enough for a thirsty Dawn to snatch (at the speed of light) her orange juice from Buffy, and slam it shut again, narrowly missing getting her fingers smashed in the door. "Yeah." A good dose of anger in that one word. Buffy held up a piece of paper on which her sister had scrawled, "Sod off till we get to Wal-Mart."
Spike let out a snorting laugh. 'That's my girl,' he thought. "I'll see if I can get her to come out." He walked over and knocked on the bathroom door.
Three rapid kicks to the door, a slight pause, and then one super kick. But not a noise besides.
He knocked again, imitating her rhythm.
One hard kick, obviously angry at the imitation. From her seat, Buffy rolled her eyes. She hadn't heard THAT noise REPEATEDLY for the last few hours, or anything. A slip of paper came out from under the door. "Hello? Pissed at you? Sense, much? I said to screw off." The marks were deep in the paper, apparently written with force.
Spike chuckled quietly. "But what did *I* do, Bit?"
There was a scrambling noise, and the door swung open. She smiled brightly at him. "Hi."
He crossed his arms over his chest. "Some reason you've decided to become the worlds first RV bathroom hermit, Niblet?"
With absolute sincerity, and not looking away from his eyes, she said, "I've decided that outside the bathroom is full of assholes who are mean. I tried to escape before it rubbed off and I became as cold and unfeeling as they are." Innocent blink.
He gave her a look. Then, "Oh dear. What if it's catching?" Ran into the bedroom and closed the door.
Dawn gave a smile and chased after him, slamming the door behind her.
Buffy made a befuddled face. "Is everyone else as frightened as I am?"
Xander raised a hand. "Me too, Buffster."
========================================================================== ======
Dawn stood in the room. A confused look on her face. She couldn't see him. Checked the tiny closet. Not there.
He was crouched, on the far side of the bed, preparing to pounce the moment she came round the end of it.
She crept to the other side of the bed. Squealed when she was hit by a playful vampire and tackled onto the bed. He sat near her, holding her down with a leg across her waist. "Hmm. Look what I've caught... What should I do with this?"
"Nononononono.... Spike.... Good Dawnie."
He shook his head. "No. It'd be no fun to let you go. So..." Hand on his chin thoughtfully. "Whatever will I do?"
Big sweet doe eyes. Which he ignored. Cocked his head. Remembered a reaction from earlier. Poked her side experimentally.
"Nuhhh-hooooooo..." She pleaded. "Spike you promised... *promised*."
He chuckled. "I promised not to tell anyone you snort. At least, that's what *I* was agreeing to.." Fingers wiggled along her ribs, his leg keeping her pinned, his knee crooked over her waist.
She squirmed and laughed, begged all the while. "Spiiiiiike!!!! NOOOO!!!!" The Key squealed.
The door slammed open, revealing a ready-to-kill-Spike Xander, with Buffy right behind him. Spike froze, looked at them.
Dawn tilted her head back, still heaving in laughing breaths. Looked back at Spike. "I'm not talking to them."
He looked down at her, removing his knee from her waist. Leaned against the headboard. Looked at the door. "What's the big idea? We were playing."
Xander, who had been expecting to walk in and find Spike biting Dawn, fish-mouthed.
Dawn rolled over, propped herself up with one elbow and gave him an expectant look, completely ignored her sister.
"Dawn," Buffy started.
"So sorry," Dawn said cheerily. "Still not speaking to you."
Spike squeezed the back of her neck gently. "Niblet."
She sulked, turned her head to him. "Well, I'm *not*," she whispered, even though they could hear her. "She's still being a bi-"
Another squeeze. "Ohana."
Slight whimper.
"Come on, Bit. If I forgive them, how can you not?"
Xander stood stunned. Spike was defending them? What planet had he woken up on?
Her bottom lip thrust out. "They suck."
Squeezed a little harder. "No. I do. Now. I forgive them. All of them. You do the same, if you want me to speak to you." An empty threat... right?
"Yeah, right."
Slight growl. "Dawn. They. Are. Your. Family."
Her pouty bottom lip shook. "I just want them to be sorry for hurting your feelings."
He melted, held her to him in a quick hug. "I'm sure they are." Looked up. "Right?"
Xander, after watching him with Dawn like that, couldn't very well not be sorry. "Yeah, Dawn. I'm sorry." Sincerity. It was there for sure.
She looked up at him, saw it in his eyes, and knew he saw forgiveness in hers.
Buffy sighed. "I really am sorry. We didn't... we're were just... It seemed a lot funnier at the time." She gave a small laugh. "I mean... me and Giles?"
Dawn did see her point. Giles and Buffy were... ugh... no mental pictures.
Spike nodded to both of them. "Apologies accepted." Looked down at Dawn. "Bit?"
"Yeah. Ok. Accepted."
Spike smiled, giving her a quick hug. "Good girl." He felt the Ohana stop. "I think we might be at a Wal-mart now."
Dawn grinned and hopped up. "Yup! We're here!"
Spike got up slower, his quick movements from earlier having brought some of the pain back to his sides and hands. "Why are we at a Wal-mart, anyway?"
Dawn wrinkled her nose. "Because you need new clothes."
He cocked his head. "We're making a stop to get ME clothes? What's wrong with these?" He gestured at himself. Then made a slight face at the wrinkles and creases. Also the dried blood from his hands. "Oh."
"You might wanna wear your duster, ya know, so the employees don't think they've got a murderer in the store." This, from Buffy.
He nodded, then chuckled. "Uh, Slayer? I AM a murderer."
She shrugged. "Well, YEAH, but I think the statute of limitations kinda ran out on you."
He sighed. "Don't remind me." Fished his duster out from the other side of the bed, slipped it on. "Ok. Let's go."
========================================================================== =====
Buffy said, parroting Giles, "They'll be back in two hours to pick us up, and... Shit."
Spike paused, looked at the Slayer. "What shit?"
"Money. Giles forgot to give us money."
Spike shrugged. "No problem." Trotted off down an aisle.
Buffy tore after him. "*No* problem?"
Nodded, perusing the shelves of stuff. "Yeah. We'll just nick the stuff we need."
Dawn chirped. "Steal it?? How cooool." The last syllable of the elongated 'cool' went up in pitch. "For real? We ARE gonna steal stuff?" Dawn was properly thrilled. Saw the look her sister was shooting her. "But.... um.... of course, it's wrong." She was going through a rack of men's shirts and gave a gasp, pulled it out: A skin tight nylon deep red short sleeved shirt. Thrust it at Spike. "Steal it."
Spike looked at the shirt. "That? No chance in hell, Bit."
Small pout, whiny tone. "I like it."
Buffy hung back, watched with interest, and lay her money on Dawn.
Spike sighed. Looked at the shirt again. It wasn't really THAT bad. "Alright."
Dawn quelled her smile, and pranced to the jeans. She pulled out a pair of dark blue jeans, held them out to him.
He gave her an incredulous look and turned to walk toward Buffy.
Indignant squeal. "Hey!"
He kept walking. "I don't wear *blue* jeans, Bit. You know that."
Buffy just watched the exchange, feeling kind of bad, because Dawn lost that round.
"They'll look good with the shirt, Spike!"
"No. Get black ones."
She stood silent, looking very hurt, and very lost. Her head drooped a bit, till it was almost resting on her chest.
Spike knew what she was trying to do. He turned his back on her. Stared at a can of Spagetti-o's that someone had left on a shelf of shirts. Browsed the ingredients label. What the hell is 'Xanthan gum', anyway?
Buffy mentally arched a brow. Maybe Dawn wasn't down for the count.
"Ok." It almost wasn't spoken it was so quiet. She gave the jeans a longing glance, then resignedly pulled out a pair of black ones. She had to give herself snaps: her performance was flawless. Walked heavily to where Spike was standing, handed him the black jeans. Her head was still drooped down.
Spike took the black jeans, seemingly ignoring her. Inside, he was chanting, 'evil thing, can't feel guilt, evil thing, can't feel...'
"You think I have horrible taste in clothes." It was quiet, tearful, and accusatory. Not too much, of course. Just enough.
'Evil things can't feel love either, you git.' He sighed, deep and loud. Kept the black jeans, but dragged his feet back to the rack, and picked up the blue ones as well.
She did a snoopy dance in her head. Gave Buffy a sidelong glance, and received a disbelieving grin in answer. Buffy grinned at Dawn. Major snaps. Her baby sister had a Master Vampire wrapped around her little pinky. In knots. Lots of them. Amazing. Color her proud.
Spike, walking like his dog had just died, headed into the shirt rack. He had to find something that he actually liked, before Dawn turned him into Joe Normal.
Dawn walked away, to return quickly, holding a plastic wrapped package. She handed it like a peace offering to him. Three black athletic tee's. Everyone at her school called them beaters.
He gave her a half grin, and added them to the pile on his arm. Looked around. "We need a basket. Could you go get one, Bit?"
She nodded and went off to do as he asked.
Spike sank down onto one of the bases of the shelves, placing his pile of clothes on the shelf to his left. "Bugger. She's gonna kill me."
Buffy wandered over, absently leafing through a rack. "Why's that?"
Deep sigh. "Because. I can't say no to her. One of these days, she's gonna ask me to... I dunno. Swallow a toothpick, or something. I'm gonna wind up dust because of that girl. One way or another."
Buffy grinned. "We'll have to start a club. She's got us all pretty well whipped."
He looked up at her, giving a grin of his own. "You really want to know what scares me about this? I think I like it."
She made a face. "You're the only one today. She's running a tight ship. Even gave Giles a hard time."
He chuckled. "I know. I'm sorry 'bout that. I overreacted and got all of you in the Wrath Of Dawn."
Buffy sighed, joined him on the bottom rack. "You missed it."
"Missed what?"
"Dawn threatened Xander, so, me, disciplinarian figure that I must be, start to say something, and she just looks at me and oh-so-coolly says, 'Shut up, Buffy.' I just... sat there. So, Giles, he gets on her, never talk to me like that again, blah blah, and just gives him this look, like she's dismissing him and goes, 'Fine time to start acting your age.' THEN came the bathroom."
Spike looked at her in disbelief. "Lil' Bit did all that?" He shook his head. "For me?" Rubbed absently at his aching side.
Buffy snorted. "It wasn't for my mental health."
He studied the feet passing in the aisle. "I didn't mean to start a family fight, luv. I'm sorry."
She shrugged. "She was right, in a way. Not to her extent. But... she had a point. She just wanted to make sure we got it."
Looked up. "And the point was?"
"Playing jokes on Spike equals a world of hell no."
He looked at her, a half grin. "No. I don't mind the joke being on me sometimes, luv. I just.. Can't stand it when people I ca-.. When people make fun of me."
She nodded. "It was just so... outrageous. Me and Giles?"
Spike chuckled quietly. "Blame it on my injured body and sleep deprived brain, luv."
"I think I will. Cuz I do NOT want to believe that we give off that kind of vibe. He's like... thirty years older than me."
"How much older than you was Angelus?"
She rolled her eyes. "But, Giles is HUMAN. He even LOOKS at LEAST twenty years older than me."
No hurt in her tone at the mention of his Grandsire. That was good. "True." He looked around. "Where's Dawn, anyway? She should have found a cart by now."
Dawn rounded the corner with a cart and a basket, with a hair bleaching kit in it. "I couldn't remember what kind you wanted." She shrugged. "We can abandon one."
He looked at the cart, then at Dawn, then laughed out loud. "S'ok, Bit.. I'll take whatever.." He looked at the hair kit and ran a hand through his curls. "Actually, I was thinkin' of takin' you up on your little thought of leaving it this way." Backpedaled. "On a trail basis only, you understand." Put his stuff in the cart. "We'll use this one. No more stuff to carry."
Dawn dimmed her eager smile. "We need gel."
Buffy spoke up, "I brought some."
He looked at her. "You wouldn't want to waste it on me, luv. I'll find something here. If I'm right, we might not have to sneak this stuff out. Let's pick up a few more things, then go back to the automotive check out."
Dawn nodded then set off for the pajama's.
Spike pushed the basket toward the men's sleepwear department. He couldn't very well sleep naked in a Winnabago full of women. He still had a bit of his Victorian Era chivalry and candor, after all.
Buffy went with him, and picked up a pair of baby blue boxers, and a package of white shirts, exactly like the ones Dawn had handed Spike and tossed them in the cart.
He cocked his head at her. "Picking out my underwear now, eh, luv? Are curtains next?"
"Again... wet dreams, much? I like them. For me. Jamma's." She frowned. "I'll have to roll the waist for it to fit, but... Oh, well."
Gave a slightly skeptical nod. "When did you get in the habit of sleeping in boxers, Slayer?"
Shrugged. "Summer we moved to Sunnydale. Since when do you inventory my sleepware?"
Became intensely interested in some flannel pj's. "Never. Uh. Can you help me find something that won't hurt my sides?"
She felt out for the softest flannel pants, a deep blue, and handed them to him.
He grinned, not even arguing the color, and put them in the basket. "Any other fashion ideas you'd like to share, Slayer?"
"Yeah... black is over." She pulled out a large white button up shirt that would hang on him, put it back. Picked up a soft black tee-shirt, kind of big, but not too. Handed it to him professionally. "This won't irritate your ribs when you sleep. Too much."
He smirked. "Aw, luv. I didn't know you cared."
"Amazing," she said coolly. "Still don't."
Slight disappointment, hurt look for an instant, then the cocky smirk returned. "Figured as much." Headed off in the direction that Dawn had gone earlier.
She trailed after him. The pajamas were next to the fitting rooms, and since a quick look hadn't produced her anywhere, Buffy called into the dressing area, "Dawn?"
Dawn's head peaked out of a door, with a devilish grin on her face. She couldn't see Spike from where she was leaning. "Buffy!! This is the coolest thing EVER!" She walked out in a red lace top, LACE being the operative word, and short short short boycut almost-panties joined the ensemble in red silk. It was sexy, and about ten years too old for her, if the onlookers knew her real age.
Spike's jaw dropped when he came around the corner. He froze in midstep, staring at Dawn. Began shaking his head violently when the word 'NO' wouldn't come out of his mouth.
She struck a hopeful pose. "Like?"
Buffy knew she should be appalled, but man! The look on Spike's face... In about two seconds, he'd be wanting to kill anything in a two-aisle radius. Buffy gave her a thumbs up. "They got that in my size?"
Spike let out a cross between a growl at Dawn, and a whimper at the mental image of THAT on Buffy. Continued with the head shaking. If he kept it up, he would probably leave Wal-mart with a new wardrobe and a self inflicted concussion.
Buffy shook her head at Dawn. "Not today, Lolita."
Dawn pouted. "But Buffy!!!!"
Spike let out a 'WHOOSH' of breath that he hadn't even been aware that he was holding. Buffy to the rescue.
Buffy shook her head. "No, Dawn."
Dawn pouted and skulked, then came out of her dressing room a few minutes later, to hang the lingerie back on its rack. Sighed.
Spike, other than being slightly dizzy from his brain being repeatedly tossed from one side of his skull to the other, was feeling better, and ready to put his 'Operation Single Cashier' into effect. "Do we have everything?"
Buffy was busy slipping the lingerie off the hanger, yanking all the tags off and stuffing it in her purse to answer right away. "... Oh. Yeah."
Spike chuckled, having caught her movement out of the corner of his eye. "Think you might model that for me later?"
"Only in-"
"My wettest dreams. I know." He chuckled and started heading for the automotive department.
Dawn was fish-mouthing. Then, "EWW!" She scrubbed her hands over her eyes, and repeated, loud enough for both of them to hear, "He's undead.... no body fluid. No wet dreams. Undead, no body fluid, no wet dreams..."
Called over his shoulder. "Come on, Bit! I've still got to explain what I need for the two of you to do."
She followed, still making an 'I might get sick on your shoes' face.
Once they were in a deserted isle, Spike turned to the sisters. "Ok. Here's the plan. Do your best impersonation of vampiress', got it? We're gonna walk right out of here without even setting the alarms off."
"Like.... ho-Dru?" Dawn was confused.
He chuckled. "Just act, ok? Let's work on it." He began stalking up and down the isle, his walk giving off more than a hint of predatory danger. "First you got to get the walk down. Both of you."
The sisters tried, Buffy getting it right away, the Slayer rising to the fore. Dawn did a darn good bear impression.
Spike gave a half groan. "Dawn. I said vampiress, not bear in heat." He demonstrated again. "Use your hips, keep your back at a slight slant, like you're ready to pounce."
She tried again, and liked it. She was slinking, her hips swaying like she owned the place, her back tilted slightly forward, like she was ready for anything.
He grinned. "Whoa, Bit. You're getting it faster than the last fledgling I trained."
She tossed her hair cockily, walking towards him. "I vant to suuuuck your bluuuuuud."
He ducked behind the basket. "No. Please. I'm just an innocent human out for supplies... Please, oh powerful vampire... Don't hurt me.."
Buffy gave her sister a grin. And laughed at Spike's pitiful impression of a whimpering human. Spike was never a whimpering anything. Dawn giggled. "So. What now?"
Spike straightened up. "First of all, curb the giggles. It may look funny when we get going, but you can't laugh, or the clerk is gonna guess that we're not all what we seem, got it?"
Twin nods.
"Next thing. That clerk is a Big Mac. A steak. A cheeseburger with everything. A pizza right out of the oven. Make sure he or she knows it." He leaned against a shelf. "Practice on me. I'm snack food."
Dawn did a passable Druscilla impression, complete with a half snarl. "I want a snack," she intoned, reaching out a hand to ALMOST touch him.
The wince that Spike gave was not entirely acting. He shook his head. "Ok. That's... good, Bit." Looked to Buffy. "Your turn, luv. I'm a double chocolate sundae with whipped cream on top." Kept a straight face, surprisingly.
And Buffy looked. Hard. A treat. And indeed he was, abs she could use to scrub stains out of clothes, chiseled cheekbones, a tongue that could deliver the sharpest barb, eyes that pierced and soothed, and infuriated... A treat indeed.
The look she gave him was... incredible. Ok. Don't look at her. "Ok.. luv.. Good." Slight squeak on the last syllable. He was suddenly glad that the basket was between them, or he might have attacked her right in the middle of Wal-mart. Dawn or no Dawn. Cleared his throat, tried to focus.
She snapped from her lusty-haze, looked around, anywhere. Dawn was growing impatient. "Ok! What now?"
Spike gave a grin to Dawn, solely for her benefit. "Ok. Final thing. Don't touch the cashier. If he or she feels that you're warm, we'll lose credibility. Don't get close enough that the person can hear, see, or feel that you are breathing. Just hang in the background. Maybe hang on me a little. I'm the Master, you're the Minions, got it?"
They nodded. "Check!"
Spike grinned. "OK, then. Let's go." He began pushing the basket through the final aisles to the counter. As he suspected, the automotive cashier was all alone. And there wasn't even a security camera pointed at the counter. And... The cashier was female. Perfect set up. All traces of William vanished as Spike approached the desk. He was a predator. Sleek, dangerous. He hoped the girls caught on. Show time.
They did indeed, their walks swaggering, slow, predatorial, arrogant. They flanked him, his loyals.
Spike fought down an urge to grin. He was the Big Bad again. Albeit for show purposes only, but.. Old times sake.
"Can I help you folks... Sir?", the cashier asked, suddenly noticing their demeanors.
Dawn simply looked at the girl, like she would a box of Godiva chocolates on her rag. Buffy looked at the poor cashier, thinking only of the features she had studied a few minutes ago, a deeper hunger than -hunger- stirring her.
Spike flashed a dangerous grin. "Actually, ducks, you can. You can open that back door, turn off the alarm, and let us through." His eyes flashed gold for an instant. "Now."
The cashier blanched, but wasn't sure that she'd really seen what she thought she'd seen. It was her first day on the job, after all. "I'm afraid I can't do that, sir."
Spike looked at Buffy, then at Dawn incredulously. "She says she can't do that. What do you girls think?"
Buffy ran her tongue along the edges of her top row of teeth. Said huskily, still gazing at the girl intently, "That foolish girls taste the best."
Dawn almost gaped, but covered, sizing the cashier up. An indolent eyebrow raise. "For a snack."
Spike gave a nod to the girls, then turned back to the cashier, game face fully in place. "I agree with them..." The growl that came from him was unlike anything either of the sisters had heard from him in years. Like a starving tiger, inching toward a steak.
The girl did exactly what Spike hoped she would: She fainted.
Spike's human mask slipped back into place and he grinned at the Summers girls. "Ha. What'd I tell you? Easy." He reached over the desk, found the alarm, and switched it off. Then used his lockpick set to open the door. Gestured to the girls to push the basket through.
Buffy pushed the buggy through the doors, Dawn close on her heels. Spike shut the door after he went through, allowing the lock to click back. Then they sat on the curb, waiting for the Ohana to return. Which would probably be within the next fifteen minutes.
Spike turned to his companions. "So? What'd you think of the perks of bein' undead?"
Dawn crowed. "It was SWEEEET! I was just like.... grrrrrrraawwwwwwrrrr... I want this. I'm taking it. Toooo cool."
Buffy gave her a look. "Fun as a ONE TIME DEAL. NOT for anything else, at any other time, EVER."
Dawn rolled her eyes, mouthed 'blah blah blah' the whole time.
Spike gave Dawn a look. "Your sis's right, Bit. This was a special circumstance."
"Blah, blah," she told him. "It was fun, ok? Let me bask in the glow."
Spike chuckled, then looked at Buffy. "You have to admit, luv. That was fun."
Buffy gave a grudging nod. "Kinda. I bet she peed herself."
He chuckled. "Naw. But she's gonna wake up, and think that it was a dream. Tell you the truth, I have no clue what I would have done if she hadn't passed out. Normally, I'd have eaten her, but with the chip, it's not an option." Cleared his throat. "I'm not hungry, anyway."
Just then, the Ohana drove up, and the door opened revealing Xander. "All aboard for Mt. Rushmore. Giles got a map, and we have supplies, and extra food, and cots now!" He looked at the trio on the curb. "Uh, guys?"
"Yeah, Xander?" Buffy answered as they began piling in with their prizes.
"Why is none of your stuff in bags?"
Author's Notes 1, Tigerwolf: I have to give special thanks to my b/f Toby for a couple of the ideas in this chap. And to tell all the girls out there who want a boyfriend who's as into Buffy (especially S/B) as they are to SOD OFF! He's mine. lol. Kidding. Well, kidding about the meanness. But he is mine. =)
AN 2: Tequila: Thanks so much LML! You're a doll and you're officially on my 'God, I love to hear from her' list. : ) Stick with me, guys!!!! I'm stepping to update... lol
Spike glanced at the dashboard clock. Five thirty. Time to get the Watcher up. He looked around for a suitable place to stop. Ah. Good. A rest stop. He pulled off the road and followed the signs through a park to the RV parking places. Parked, got up, headed for the back room.
Buffy had changed into pajama shorts, and a tank top when she had went to brush her teeth, and was asleep when Spike came in. She was comfortably cuddled to her Watcher's side, one arm slung across his middle, being held to him by the heavy arm around her shoulders.
Spike took in the scene, and jumped to the wrong conclusion. He shook the Watcher, none too gently, causing him to start awake.
"Huh? What?", Giles asked, jumping slightly, and unseating Buffy. Buffy felt jostled and disgruntled, so she tightened on hand on Giles' shirt, snuggling closer a small frown on her face, followed by a slightly more contented sigh.
"You. Driving time." Spike said curtly, snorting at the Slayer's seeming comfort. The vampire shut the door, walking back to the booth and sitting down opposite where Willow, Tara, Xander, and Anya were waking up.
The Wicca's moved apart slowly, getting up, stretching, and going into the bathroom to clean up and get ready for the day, figuring if they did it at the same time, they'd leave quicker, and have more time for the others. Anya looked a bit put off by the early wake up. Xander just yawned, and glanced around with post sleep fuzziness.
Buffy stumbled out, stretching in her pajamas, then with a sigh, gave a sleepy , "Mornin'." to the whole crew.
The sentiment was echoed all around, with the exception of the vampire, who seemed to be sulking for some reason. He had, however, noticed Buffy stretching. God, how could he possibly miss it? Tight pj's, muscles... Bad Spike.
Buffy came out of her stretch slowly, giving her shoulders one slow roll, then smiled.
Xander shifted a little next to Anya, stretching his back, grinned at Buffy. "How'd you sleep? Considering that you had a bed while the rest of us shared a booth all night."
Her smile got bigger. "Great. Best I've slept in forever."
"I bet.." Spike grumbled.
"Aw, someone's cranky," Xander directed at the vampire. Was surprised when it was ignored.
Buffy just gave him an odd look, then shrugged, and went to root through the kitchenette. "What're we doing for breakfast?"
Giles passed by, heading for the drivers seat. "I think McDonalds."
Spike gave a slight growl at the Watcher's passing. Giles gave him a look.
Huge grin crossed Buffy's face, and she said, "Sausage Egg McMuffin!"
Tara smiled, "Pancakes and scrambled eggs." Willow echoed the sentiment.
"DELUXE BREAKFAST!", Anya and Xander said in unison.
Giles chuckled. "I believe I'm with Buffy."
Spike growled again.
Giles looked around. "Spike, where are the keys?"
No answer. Quiet rumbling growl.
Xander looked at him, then at Buffy. "What's with the Evil Dead?"
She shrugged, "*I'm* supposed to know?"
"He's your vampire."
Spike snorted. "I belong to no one, Harris. And if you call me that one more time, I'll demonstrate it. Personally." The growl carried through his words. He was pissed about something.
Buffy recoiled slowly. "God, go to bed, Spike."
"I don't want to sleep in that bed, Slayer."
She rolled her eyes and threw her hands in the air. "Sorry. It's the only one we've got. We have to share. Get over it."
"Yeah. Like you 'shared' with your Watcher last night?" Snarled. Openly.
"Ummm... Yeah. Ok. I slept with Giles... where's the big?"
" 'WHERE'S THE BIG'? WHERE?" He stood, shaking with anger, growls rolling through his words. "He's your bleedin' WATCHER! You shouldn't be.... With HIM!!?"
Understanding. The lightbulb went off. WITH Giles, with Giles? eeeeuch. But... still... Pulled a seriously insulted face. "Why not?"
Giles came back, looking for the keys, just in time to hear Spike let out a sound that mimicked the T-Rex in Jurassic Park. "WHY!!? First of all he's your WATCHER for Christ's sake! That's against Council rules, I'm sure."
Giles stared at Spike. "What is his problem, Buffy?"
She stepped back against him, his chest to her back, and lifted on hand to stretch and play at the back of his neck. "Spike has a problem with us." She drew his head down, where it appeared that she was nibbling his ear. "Play along," she whispered so low there was almost no sound.
Giles' eyes got wide for a moment, then he mimicked Buffy's movements, letting a hand slide down her back. "I wonder why? I mean, do you think he never noticed before?"
Spike was bristling, shaking with the growl that seemed to be vibrating his whole body.
She shrugged. "I guess not." She frowned. "People don't think you're available do they?" She turned into his body slightly to pout. "You're not."
Xander, Anya, Willow, and Tara were stunned for a moment, then they caught Buffy winking at them. Xander gave a grin. "God, Spike. You're dense. They've been a couple since before Riley left. Why do you think he was goin' to vamp hoes?"
Spike's eyes flashed gold, then back to blue.
She moved her hip to make Gile's hand slide along it.
The corner of Giles' mouth twitched. Willow hid a giggle with a cough. Spike took a step toward Buffy and Giles, open hostility in his body language. "Watcher... You can't be serious... You don't deserve her... She needs more than you can possibly give..." Trailed off into a snarl.
Buffy saw the hostility, moved a little more in front of Giles. "Of course he deserves me. He trained me. Made me what I am." Smiled up at Giles. "Didn't you, baby?"
Giles swallowed a chuckle. "I certainly did, darling."
"But.. but.." Spike was jealous, confused, hurt, and angry. But mostly jealous. So pissed that he didn't even notice that Xander, Anya, Willow and Tara were on the verge of cracking up.
A smile was started to twitch at the corner of Buffy's mouth, so she turned against Giles more, a pretend nuzzle, then she had herself under control again. "You really never knew?"
Spike was speechless, fish-mouthing.
Buffy grinned then frowned. Got it unnnnder control.
The vampire sank back onto the edge of the booth. "I.. don't believe it.."
Xander snorted out a laugh, stopped. Coughed.
One more shot. "I mean, I thought you'd have guessed. The late nights, the 'research'..." She gave Giles a sexy grin. "The research..."
Giles fake-coughed violently to hide a very real laugh. "A-hem. Yes. Very memorable... Especially that first time..."
Spike sagged deeper into the booth, as if trying to disappear into the upholstery.
Buffy giggled. "Who needs books, right?"
"Who indeed?", Giles said in a husky voice, a hand sliding over her shoulder and down her back.
Tara's face was on fire, her lips trembling with barely suppressed laughter. But Giles' last remark set Willow off. In gales. GILES was talking like Barry White! Willow set Xander off, and Xander set Anya off. Tara had her hand clapped over her mouth to suppress her quiet laughter.
" 'Who.. indeed..'," Willow choked out around her laughter. "Oh, god.."
Spike looked around at the laughing group, a horrible reality starting to dawn on him. He looked at Buffy and Giles.
A helpless smile was taking over her lips, and a giggle escaped. At the same moment, Giles began chuckling. In no time at all, the chuckle had given way to full fledged laughter. He was leaning on the little counter.
Buffy had moved away, cuz... No. Sex with Giles was a NO. She didn't think ANYONE had ever thought of them like that, until this morning. And it amused her. Xander and Anya were leaning on each other, laughing so hard they were crying. Willow and Tara weren't in much better shape, and Giles was gripping the counter as if he was about to fall over.
Dawn stumbled out of the room, clutching the blanket, a frown marring her sleepy face. "WHAT is so funny before morning?"
A memory rose to the surface in Spike's mind. The last time a group of his 'friends' had laughed at him. He stood, shaking with rage and embarrassment, shouted at the top of his lungs, "IT'S NOT BLOODY FUNNY!" Threw the keys at Giles and ran out the door, slamming it behind him, running into the forest just as he had run into a livery stable so many years before. Only this time, Dru wasn't there to stop him. He stopped about a hundred feet into the forest, dug out a cigarette. Last one. Followed it with his lighter, and lit the cigarette.
Dawn looked around, confused, and, since she saw the look on Spike's face, mad. "WHAT did you guys do??"
Most of the group was still laughing slightly and it fell to Buffy to answer Dawn's question.
She steadied her voice and said, with a quiver of laughter still in it, "Spike thought.... that Giles and I..." Cough. Laugh. "Were... um... together. So.. we played it up a bit, and he totally wigged."
This set everyone off again.
Dawn stood, fish-mouthing at them. "You guys are SO mean!" She glared at the others, but focused her anger on Buffy. "He LOVES you, and... and you DO that? That's... God, he has to feel like shit." With a disbelieving look on her face, Dawn slammed out of the camper, in her short PJ's, socks, and blanket.
Everyone stopped laughing, looking around at each other as Dawn ran after Spike.
Spike was sitting on a log, his back toward the Winnabago. His puffs on the cigarette were shaky, as if he was having trouble breathing.
Dawn came up behind him, arms crossed over the blanket, hands by her neck. She sat down beside him.
He didn't look at her. Said quietly, "Go back inside, Bit. You'll catch your death of cold out here."
She shrugged, took the cigarette from his cold fingers, and gave a good imitation of holding her smoke, then blowing it out expertly. Placed it back in his hands. "I'm sorry they were mean to you."
"Nothin' new." He scratched at his nose, or was he wiping at his eyes? Took another shaky puff.
Stole his cigarette again, drew hard off it, mostly just to waste it. She didn't like him smoking. Blew it out. Leaned her head on his shoulder, the cigarette smoldering in her fingers, warming them. "If I had been awake, I wouldn't have let them."
He took the cigarette back, stomped it out. "Thanks for caring, Bit." Looked at the burned out cigarette. "That was my last one."
She frowned. "Come on back with me. You can get a shower, and change your clothes and you'll feel better." She paused. "You didn't have stuff. You didn't bring any."
Gave a quiet chuckle. "That's right. The crypt was too far out of the way. We needed to get you out of town. My stuff was a small sacrifice."
She frowned, curling her cold toes in her thin duckie print novelty socks. Put her blanket over his shoulders. "I don't like you sacrificing for me."
He looked at her, thinking he'd gotten rid of whatever remnants of tears had been on his cheeks. Removed the blanket, wrapped it around her. "You need to be warm. I don't, Bit. And it's not much, really. I've lived under a bridge. Giving up my wardrobe is the least I can do."
Her eyes kindled as she reached out a gentle hand to sweep across his cheek, moving a small spot of wetness from it. "She's a bitch."
He twitched away, wiping violently at his eyes. "Bloody hell." Looked at her. "Dawn. Don't talk about your sister like that. She would give her life for you. You mean more to her than anything in this world or any other. Don't ever say that about Buffy again. Hear me?"
She pouted. "I know. I know all that. But it doesn't make her a nice person." Mumbled the obscenity under her breath again.
"Dawn." Warning tone. "Your sis is the most wonderful person I know. Just because she's a bit of a bully doesn't change that."
"Well it should. Mom would kick her stupid ass for being like that to you. To anybody."
Spike sighed. "I know. Joyce even got after ME for cursing. But I probably deserved it... For something. I just don't know what. Besides, it does show that everyone's feeling pretty safe and..." Trailed off, the tell tale feeling in the pit of his stomach telling him that it was VERY close to being hazardous to his health to be outside. "Bloody HELL!" Got up, took off for the Winnabago.
Dawn hopped up, followed him quickly, shouting, "Spike!!" She caught him, which said something for her speed, and shoved the blanket to him.
Spike slowed and gratefully pulled the blanket around him. "Thanks, Bit. Could you run ahead and open the door? I don't want to set my hand on fire. It's been through enough lately."
She shot forward, ahead to the Ohana, waiting for him to catch up, the door open. Spike caught up quickly and shot through the door, the blanket smoking slightly. The Ohana was tensely quiet. Dropped the blanket when Dawn closed the door. Looked at the group. Started to stalk past them to the bedroom.
"I'm sorry." The words came awkwardly from Buffy's lips. "I... we were just kidding."
Spike paused, turned around. Stared at them.
Dawn stood, arms crossed, feeling very much judge and jury.
Anya, with a sincere look and tone said, with a feeling of demon- fellowship, "Sorry, Spike." She rammed an elbow into Xander's ribs. With an audible crack.
"OW..." Paused. Sucked in a deep breath. "..sorry." Spat it out. Not looking at the vampire. Anya grabbed the back of his neck and squeezed. "Ahh! Ok!" He looked at Spike. "I'm sorry, ok?" Looked at Anya. "Are you happy now?"
Giles cleared his throat. "I must.. apologize as well, Spike." His voice was strained.
Spike just continued staring.
Willow looked up at him through her lashes. She was honest, and hoped he believed her. "I didn't... I didn't think it'd hurt your feelings." Met his eyes fleetingly. "I'm sorry."
His stare softened slightly at the witch's tone. At least one person actually meant it.
Dawn was still giving every person there frosty looks. She directed one at Giles. Added a disgusted lip curl. The Watcher winced, and looked away.
Tara looked up at Spike, her head nonetheless bent, tucked her thick blonde hair behind her ear. "I'm-m sorry, too." Bit her lip.
Spike turned slightly, headed for the back, turned around again. "Next time, don't do me any bloody favors." He didn't slam the door. Let's just call it a loud closing.
"We're going to Wal-Mart," Dawn announced sonorously. She would brook NO argument. "Since we were all in such a hurry to leave, Spike didn't get to grab anything. No clothes, no money, no blood. Nothing. For me." Gave a good glare, piercing every one of them, lingering on Buffy and Xander. "CERTAINLY not for any of you. So we're stopping to get him clothes." Her eyes glinted. "Any problems?"
Head shakes and guilty feelings all around.
She sat in the booth, head held high. She didn't think so.
Tara leaned over, whispered gently at Willow a moment, shaking her head when Willow tried to pull her back into the booth. "Fine," she sighed. "But... be careful? He's a vampire, ya know."
Tara stood, made her way to the bedroom door. Cracked it open.
Spike was laying on the bed, wishing he had a blank piece of paper and a pen, because he had a really mean poem rolling around in his head.
Tara stepped inside, closed the door behind her just as silently as she had opened it.
"What do you want, Witch?", Spike asked in a tired voice. Up most of the last two days, driving all the last night, he was exhausted. Physically and emotionally.
"I really am sorry. I wouldn't have... l-laughed if I knew it was going to hurt your feelings."
He sighed. "I know, Tara. I'm sorry too. For being short with you two Wiccas. You were the only ones of the bunch to mean your 'sorry's." Waved a hand at the couch. "You can stay, if you want."
She sat on the couch, drawing her knees to her chest. "Why did it bother you that much?"
"I'm in love with Buffy. What do you think?"
"That it explains the jealousy, not the hurt."
He rolled over to look at her. "It brought up a bad memory. From a long time ago. Before I was turned."
She nodded. "Did they make fun of you?"
He sat up slightly. "That's not your concern. Doesn't matter, anyway. The lot of 'em are dead, now."
She said without blame, "You killed them, huh?" She took a deep breath. "Sometimes I still wish I could kill Bobby Johansen."
He glared at her. "As a matter of fact. I didn't." Gave a half grin. "Well, not all of them, anyway." Sat cross-legged on the bed. "Who's Bobby Johansen?"
"All through school, elementary, high school, middle school, I stuttered. A lot worse than I do now." She seemed proud of her triumph. "But he would make fun of me, every day."
Spike snorted. "Bastard. Humans like that should have been born demons."
She nodded in agreement. "His dad beat him, and that makes it a little easier to forgive him, but... it doesn't make it stop hurting, you know?"
He nodded. "Yeah. I know. When I was little... Nevermind. I don't wanna bore you."
She gave a gentle smile. "Come on. I bored you with Bobby. It's only fair."
Her demeanor and presence was comforting to him, relaxing. "You won't tell anyone? Not even Red?"
Another of her graceful smiles, but genuinely confused. "Why would I tell them?" He realized then, that there was no inclination in her to hurt others. A pure, true kindness in her soul.
Spike's posture relaxed completely and he stretched out on his stomach, facing her, the soft bed cushioning his still sore ribs. "Good point." Took a deep breath. "Well.. There was this guy when I was little, Frederick was his name. He made fun of me... Seems like forever. Pushed me in the mud, embarrassed me in front of teachers, basically tormented the hell out of me. You see?"
A small frown marred her features, thinking about a mini-Spike being tortured.
He continued. "This went on for so long, I finally gave up on having any real friends. Every time I though someone would be my friend, Frederick would turn 'em against me. Make 'em members of his anti-William posse." He paused, remembering. "So I turned to the one thing that I felt good about. Writing. Every thought that came into my head found it's way to paper sooner or later. I had an uncle, who was a published poet, and I decided that he was who I wanted to be like." He rolled on his back, a gesture of trust, and regarded the Witch upside down. "You gotten bored to death yet?"
A slightly bigger smile, and a head shake.
He gave her a half grin. "Ok then. Well. I began composing poems on a regular basis. But I never showed them to anyone, for fear of rejection. One day, my father found my stash and confronted me about it." He made his voice deeper, added a growling undertone. "Get your head out of the clouds, William, and back down here where you belong! Your uncle is enough of a disgrace to this family without your pathetic attempts to imitate him." Spike's voice returned to normal and he wiped a tear away from his eye, and still continued. "He burned my whole poetry book that day. Threw it in the fire place."
Tara's heart broke for the poor boy he described.
"I was thirteen when that happened." He paused, drew in a breath, visibly steadying himself before continuing. "I kept writing, of course. I was just more careful about who saw it. Also, a year later I got shipped off to live in London with my Gram and Grampa. Things got a little better then. Then I saw Cecily for the first time."
A romantic's smile tugged at Tara's lips. "And Cecily was..?"
He sighed. "A beautiful young woman. Upper class. Out of my league." He looked at her. "My family was struggling middle class. So I knew I could never be with her." He inhaled again, continuing. "But that didn't mean that I couldn't admire her from afar. All my poems began to be about her in some way. A reference to her hair, her eyes, her smile..." He sighed, his undead heart catching in his chest.
She knew this wasn't going to end happily.
He shook his head, returning to the present. "Anyway, I watched her for nearly ten years. Getting up the nerve to talk to her a couple of times, but nothing major. Then Frederick moved to London. My street, no less. If I hadn't known it was impossible, I'd have thought he'd planned it."
A slight mean streak went through her. "Did you end up killing him?"
He grinned. "Funny you'd ask. He's the one who gave me the idea for... I'm getting ahead of myself here." Breathed in and out a couple of times.
Tara leaned forward, wondered if she'd lose her hand for it, but reached, and ran a hand over his curls. Just once, the gesture full of affection and caring. To her surprise, he leaned against it as he continued. "Then one night, we were at this party..."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------
Dawn was currently having a staring contest with Xander. And she was winning. The glare on her face was intimidating as she gazed at him indolently. Xander broke the look, finally leaning back against the booth. "Ok, Dawn. You win. When he comes out, I'll mean it, ok?"
She just shrugged. "You had better. I'll make you regret it if you don't."
Buffy's head jerked up. "DAWN!"
"Shut up, Buffy."
Giles looked at Dawn. "Alright. That's it, Dawn. We are all here for you. You will not speak to your sister in that tone or in those words again."
She just gave him a glance. Almost dismissive. "Fine time to start acting your age."
Giles at least had the grace to look chagrined. "I admit that we were wrong to do what we did, Dawn. But it did not warrant such an overreaction on Spike's part."
Dawn rolled her eyes. Stood. "For the record, the only people that I have ANYTHING to say to are Willow, Tara, and Spike. I want two sausage egg McMuffins, and three hashbrowns and a large orange juice. I'll be in here." She went in the bathroom, the door locking with a determined *click*.
Xander looked at Buffy and Giles. "Boy, did you two screw things up."
Buffy gave him her, 'Drop dead to avoid further injury' glare. Giles gave an eerily similar look to him. And they said in unison, "Shut up, Xander."
========================================================================== ===========
Tara gave a thoughtful frown. "And you got turned that night?"
Spike nodded. When she'd come to be sitting on the bed next to him, and he had maneuvered so that his head was right next to her thigh, neither of them really knew. It was a comforting position for the vampire, finally having someone who'd listen. Who cared. It was the first time since Joyce died that he'd been able to get some of his past emotional baggage off his back. "Yeah. Ran right into Dru in a stable. She bit me. And for all those who say turning is an erotic experience, let me set the record straight. It bloody hurts." Scratched at his neck. "And itches later."
She gave a small laugh. "I would imagine."
He smiled up at her. "Thanks. For listening to me, I mean. I know I shouldn't put this stuff on people.. But sometimes.. You just need to.. Talk. You know?"
Understanding smile. "I know." And she did.
Spike sat up, stretching. "Well. I feel slightly better now. What do you say we go see how the others are doing?" He got up, and offered the Wicca a hand.
She took it gingerly, not quite used to the guyness of the contact. "Ok." He pulled her to her feet with surprising gentleness, especially for someone who had recently put finger-sized dents in a sword. She smiled, and ducked her head when he opened the door for her. Spike followed her through the door, going to lean against the minifridge, avoiding eye contact with anyone.
Tara went out first, letting Willow take her hand and pull her into the booth, whispering at her, "You were in there forever! You're ok, right, sweety? No... thrall or anything?"
Tara gave her an odd look. "Of course not. I'm fine. We were just talking."
Spike finally glanced around, then looked at Buffy. There was no anger, no hostility in his face or tone. Somehow, he seemed... calmer? "Where's Niblet?"
She ran her tongue along her teeth with her mouth closed. "Your princess in shining armor has seen fit to lock herself in the bathroom." The frustration filtered into her voice.
Spike hid a grin. "No one tried to get her out yet?"
She had. Had been reduced to squashing her breakfast and sliding it under the door, and having the door finally open long enough for a thirsty Dawn to snatch (at the speed of light) her orange juice from Buffy, and slam it shut again, narrowly missing getting her fingers smashed in the door. "Yeah." A good dose of anger in that one word. Buffy held up a piece of paper on which her sister had scrawled, "Sod off till we get to Wal-Mart."
Spike let out a snorting laugh. 'That's my girl,' he thought. "I'll see if I can get her to come out." He walked over and knocked on the bathroom door.
Three rapid kicks to the door, a slight pause, and then one super kick. But not a noise besides.
He knocked again, imitating her rhythm.
One hard kick, obviously angry at the imitation. From her seat, Buffy rolled her eyes. She hadn't heard THAT noise REPEATEDLY for the last few hours, or anything. A slip of paper came out from under the door. "Hello? Pissed at you? Sense, much? I said to screw off." The marks were deep in the paper, apparently written with force.
Spike chuckled quietly. "But what did *I* do, Bit?"
There was a scrambling noise, and the door swung open. She smiled brightly at him. "Hi."
He crossed his arms over his chest. "Some reason you've decided to become the worlds first RV bathroom hermit, Niblet?"
With absolute sincerity, and not looking away from his eyes, she said, "I've decided that outside the bathroom is full of assholes who are mean. I tried to escape before it rubbed off and I became as cold and unfeeling as they are." Innocent blink.
He gave her a look. Then, "Oh dear. What if it's catching?" Ran into the bedroom and closed the door.
Dawn gave a smile and chased after him, slamming the door behind her.
Buffy made a befuddled face. "Is everyone else as frightened as I am?"
Xander raised a hand. "Me too, Buffster."
========================================================================== ======
Dawn stood in the room. A confused look on her face. She couldn't see him. Checked the tiny closet. Not there.
He was crouched, on the far side of the bed, preparing to pounce the moment she came round the end of it.
She crept to the other side of the bed. Squealed when she was hit by a playful vampire and tackled onto the bed. He sat near her, holding her down with a leg across her waist. "Hmm. Look what I've caught... What should I do with this?"
"Nononononono.... Spike.... Good Dawnie."
He shook his head. "No. It'd be no fun to let you go. So..." Hand on his chin thoughtfully. "Whatever will I do?"
Big sweet doe eyes. Which he ignored. Cocked his head. Remembered a reaction from earlier. Poked her side experimentally.
"Nuhhh-hooooooo..." She pleaded. "Spike you promised... *promised*."
He chuckled. "I promised not to tell anyone you snort. At least, that's what *I* was agreeing to.." Fingers wiggled along her ribs, his leg keeping her pinned, his knee crooked over her waist.
She squirmed and laughed, begged all the while. "Spiiiiiike!!!! NOOOO!!!!" The Key squealed.
The door slammed open, revealing a ready-to-kill-Spike Xander, with Buffy right behind him. Spike froze, looked at them.
Dawn tilted her head back, still heaving in laughing breaths. Looked back at Spike. "I'm not talking to them."
He looked down at her, removing his knee from her waist. Leaned against the headboard. Looked at the door. "What's the big idea? We were playing."
Xander, who had been expecting to walk in and find Spike biting Dawn, fish-mouthed.
Dawn rolled over, propped herself up with one elbow and gave him an expectant look, completely ignored her sister.
"Dawn," Buffy started.
"So sorry," Dawn said cheerily. "Still not speaking to you."
Spike squeezed the back of her neck gently. "Niblet."
She sulked, turned her head to him. "Well, I'm *not*," she whispered, even though they could hear her. "She's still being a bi-"
Another squeeze. "Ohana."
Slight whimper.
"Come on, Bit. If I forgive them, how can you not?"
Xander stood stunned. Spike was defending them? What planet had he woken up on?
Her bottom lip thrust out. "They suck."
Squeezed a little harder. "No. I do. Now. I forgive them. All of them. You do the same, if you want me to speak to you." An empty threat... right?
"Yeah, right."
Slight growl. "Dawn. They. Are. Your. Family."
Her pouty bottom lip shook. "I just want them to be sorry for hurting your feelings."
He melted, held her to him in a quick hug. "I'm sure they are." Looked up. "Right?"
Xander, after watching him with Dawn like that, couldn't very well not be sorry. "Yeah, Dawn. I'm sorry." Sincerity. It was there for sure.
She looked up at him, saw it in his eyes, and knew he saw forgiveness in hers.
Buffy sighed. "I really am sorry. We didn't... we're were just... It seemed a lot funnier at the time." She gave a small laugh. "I mean... me and Giles?"
Dawn did see her point. Giles and Buffy were... ugh... no mental pictures.
Spike nodded to both of them. "Apologies accepted." Looked down at Dawn. "Bit?"
"Yeah. Ok. Accepted."
Spike smiled, giving her a quick hug. "Good girl." He felt the Ohana stop. "I think we might be at a Wal-mart now."
Dawn grinned and hopped up. "Yup! We're here!"
Spike got up slower, his quick movements from earlier having brought some of the pain back to his sides and hands. "Why are we at a Wal-mart, anyway?"
Dawn wrinkled her nose. "Because you need new clothes."
He cocked his head. "We're making a stop to get ME clothes? What's wrong with these?" He gestured at himself. Then made a slight face at the wrinkles and creases. Also the dried blood from his hands. "Oh."
"You might wanna wear your duster, ya know, so the employees don't think they've got a murderer in the store." This, from Buffy.
He nodded, then chuckled. "Uh, Slayer? I AM a murderer."
She shrugged. "Well, YEAH, but I think the statute of limitations kinda ran out on you."
He sighed. "Don't remind me." Fished his duster out from the other side of the bed, slipped it on. "Ok. Let's go."
========================================================================== =====
Buffy said, parroting Giles, "They'll be back in two hours to pick us up, and... Shit."
Spike paused, looked at the Slayer. "What shit?"
"Money. Giles forgot to give us money."
Spike shrugged. "No problem." Trotted off down an aisle.
Buffy tore after him. "*No* problem?"
Nodded, perusing the shelves of stuff. "Yeah. We'll just nick the stuff we need."
Dawn chirped. "Steal it?? How cooool." The last syllable of the elongated 'cool' went up in pitch. "For real? We ARE gonna steal stuff?" Dawn was properly thrilled. Saw the look her sister was shooting her. "But.... um.... of course, it's wrong." She was going through a rack of men's shirts and gave a gasp, pulled it out: A skin tight nylon deep red short sleeved shirt. Thrust it at Spike. "Steal it."
Spike looked at the shirt. "That? No chance in hell, Bit."
Small pout, whiny tone. "I like it."
Buffy hung back, watched with interest, and lay her money on Dawn.
Spike sighed. Looked at the shirt again. It wasn't really THAT bad. "Alright."
Dawn quelled her smile, and pranced to the jeans. She pulled out a pair of dark blue jeans, held them out to him.
He gave her an incredulous look and turned to walk toward Buffy.
Indignant squeal. "Hey!"
He kept walking. "I don't wear *blue* jeans, Bit. You know that."
Buffy just watched the exchange, feeling kind of bad, because Dawn lost that round.
"They'll look good with the shirt, Spike!"
"No. Get black ones."
She stood silent, looking very hurt, and very lost. Her head drooped a bit, till it was almost resting on her chest.
Spike knew what she was trying to do. He turned his back on her. Stared at a can of Spagetti-o's that someone had left on a shelf of shirts. Browsed the ingredients label. What the hell is 'Xanthan gum', anyway?
Buffy mentally arched a brow. Maybe Dawn wasn't down for the count.
"Ok." It almost wasn't spoken it was so quiet. She gave the jeans a longing glance, then resignedly pulled out a pair of black ones. She had to give herself snaps: her performance was flawless. Walked heavily to where Spike was standing, handed him the black jeans. Her head was still drooped down.
Spike took the black jeans, seemingly ignoring her. Inside, he was chanting, 'evil thing, can't feel guilt, evil thing, can't feel...'
"You think I have horrible taste in clothes." It was quiet, tearful, and accusatory. Not too much, of course. Just enough.
'Evil things can't feel love either, you git.' He sighed, deep and loud. Kept the black jeans, but dragged his feet back to the rack, and picked up the blue ones as well.
She did a snoopy dance in her head. Gave Buffy a sidelong glance, and received a disbelieving grin in answer. Buffy grinned at Dawn. Major snaps. Her baby sister had a Master Vampire wrapped around her little pinky. In knots. Lots of them. Amazing. Color her proud.
Spike, walking like his dog had just died, headed into the shirt rack. He had to find something that he actually liked, before Dawn turned him into Joe Normal.
Dawn walked away, to return quickly, holding a plastic wrapped package. She handed it like a peace offering to him. Three black athletic tee's. Everyone at her school called them beaters.
He gave her a half grin, and added them to the pile on his arm. Looked around. "We need a basket. Could you go get one, Bit?"
She nodded and went off to do as he asked.
Spike sank down onto one of the bases of the shelves, placing his pile of clothes on the shelf to his left. "Bugger. She's gonna kill me."
Buffy wandered over, absently leafing through a rack. "Why's that?"
Deep sigh. "Because. I can't say no to her. One of these days, she's gonna ask me to... I dunno. Swallow a toothpick, or something. I'm gonna wind up dust because of that girl. One way or another."
Buffy grinned. "We'll have to start a club. She's got us all pretty well whipped."
He looked up at her, giving a grin of his own. "You really want to know what scares me about this? I think I like it."
She made a face. "You're the only one today. She's running a tight ship. Even gave Giles a hard time."
He chuckled. "I know. I'm sorry 'bout that. I overreacted and got all of you in the Wrath Of Dawn."
Buffy sighed, joined him on the bottom rack. "You missed it."
"Missed what?"
"Dawn threatened Xander, so, me, disciplinarian figure that I must be, start to say something, and she just looks at me and oh-so-coolly says, 'Shut up, Buffy.' I just... sat there. So, Giles, he gets on her, never talk to me like that again, blah blah, and just gives him this look, like she's dismissing him and goes, 'Fine time to start acting your age.' THEN came the bathroom."
Spike looked at her in disbelief. "Lil' Bit did all that?" He shook his head. "For me?" Rubbed absently at his aching side.
Buffy snorted. "It wasn't for my mental health."
He studied the feet passing in the aisle. "I didn't mean to start a family fight, luv. I'm sorry."
She shrugged. "She was right, in a way. Not to her extent. But... she had a point. She just wanted to make sure we got it."
Looked up. "And the point was?"
"Playing jokes on Spike equals a world of hell no."
He looked at her, a half grin. "No. I don't mind the joke being on me sometimes, luv. I just.. Can't stand it when people I ca-.. When people make fun of me."
She nodded. "It was just so... outrageous. Me and Giles?"
Spike chuckled quietly. "Blame it on my injured body and sleep deprived brain, luv."
"I think I will. Cuz I do NOT want to believe that we give off that kind of vibe. He's like... thirty years older than me."
"How much older than you was Angelus?"
She rolled her eyes. "But, Giles is HUMAN. He even LOOKS at LEAST twenty years older than me."
No hurt in her tone at the mention of his Grandsire. That was good. "True." He looked around. "Where's Dawn, anyway? She should have found a cart by now."
Dawn rounded the corner with a cart and a basket, with a hair bleaching kit in it. "I couldn't remember what kind you wanted." She shrugged. "We can abandon one."
He looked at the cart, then at Dawn, then laughed out loud. "S'ok, Bit.. I'll take whatever.." He looked at the hair kit and ran a hand through his curls. "Actually, I was thinkin' of takin' you up on your little thought of leaving it this way." Backpedaled. "On a trail basis only, you understand." Put his stuff in the cart. "We'll use this one. No more stuff to carry."
Dawn dimmed her eager smile. "We need gel."
Buffy spoke up, "I brought some."
He looked at her. "You wouldn't want to waste it on me, luv. I'll find something here. If I'm right, we might not have to sneak this stuff out. Let's pick up a few more things, then go back to the automotive check out."
Dawn nodded then set off for the pajama's.
Spike pushed the basket toward the men's sleepwear department. He couldn't very well sleep naked in a Winnabago full of women. He still had a bit of his Victorian Era chivalry and candor, after all.
Buffy went with him, and picked up a pair of baby blue boxers, and a package of white shirts, exactly like the ones Dawn had handed Spike and tossed them in the cart.
He cocked his head at her. "Picking out my underwear now, eh, luv? Are curtains next?"
"Again... wet dreams, much? I like them. For me. Jamma's." She frowned. "I'll have to roll the waist for it to fit, but... Oh, well."
Gave a slightly skeptical nod. "When did you get in the habit of sleeping in boxers, Slayer?"
Shrugged. "Summer we moved to Sunnydale. Since when do you inventory my sleepware?"
Became intensely interested in some flannel pj's. "Never. Uh. Can you help me find something that won't hurt my sides?"
She felt out for the softest flannel pants, a deep blue, and handed them to him.
He grinned, not even arguing the color, and put them in the basket. "Any other fashion ideas you'd like to share, Slayer?"
"Yeah... black is over." She pulled out a large white button up shirt that would hang on him, put it back. Picked up a soft black tee-shirt, kind of big, but not too. Handed it to him professionally. "This won't irritate your ribs when you sleep. Too much."
He smirked. "Aw, luv. I didn't know you cared."
"Amazing," she said coolly. "Still don't."
Slight disappointment, hurt look for an instant, then the cocky smirk returned. "Figured as much." Headed off in the direction that Dawn had gone earlier.
She trailed after him. The pajamas were next to the fitting rooms, and since a quick look hadn't produced her anywhere, Buffy called into the dressing area, "Dawn?"
Dawn's head peaked out of a door, with a devilish grin on her face. She couldn't see Spike from where she was leaning. "Buffy!! This is the coolest thing EVER!" She walked out in a red lace top, LACE being the operative word, and short short short boycut almost-panties joined the ensemble in red silk. It was sexy, and about ten years too old for her, if the onlookers knew her real age.
Spike's jaw dropped when he came around the corner. He froze in midstep, staring at Dawn. Began shaking his head violently when the word 'NO' wouldn't come out of his mouth.
She struck a hopeful pose. "Like?"
Buffy knew she should be appalled, but man! The look on Spike's face... In about two seconds, he'd be wanting to kill anything in a two-aisle radius. Buffy gave her a thumbs up. "They got that in my size?"
Spike let out a cross between a growl at Dawn, and a whimper at the mental image of THAT on Buffy. Continued with the head shaking. If he kept it up, he would probably leave Wal-mart with a new wardrobe and a self inflicted concussion.
Buffy shook her head at Dawn. "Not today, Lolita."
Dawn pouted. "But Buffy!!!!"
Spike let out a 'WHOOSH' of breath that he hadn't even been aware that he was holding. Buffy to the rescue.
Buffy shook her head. "No, Dawn."
Dawn pouted and skulked, then came out of her dressing room a few minutes later, to hang the lingerie back on its rack. Sighed.
Spike, other than being slightly dizzy from his brain being repeatedly tossed from one side of his skull to the other, was feeling better, and ready to put his 'Operation Single Cashier' into effect. "Do we have everything?"
Buffy was busy slipping the lingerie off the hanger, yanking all the tags off and stuffing it in her purse to answer right away. "... Oh. Yeah."
Spike chuckled, having caught her movement out of the corner of his eye. "Think you might model that for me later?"
"Only in-"
"My wettest dreams. I know." He chuckled and started heading for the automotive department.
Dawn was fish-mouthing. Then, "EWW!" She scrubbed her hands over her eyes, and repeated, loud enough for both of them to hear, "He's undead.... no body fluid. No wet dreams. Undead, no body fluid, no wet dreams..."
Called over his shoulder. "Come on, Bit! I've still got to explain what I need for the two of you to do."
She followed, still making an 'I might get sick on your shoes' face.
Once they were in a deserted isle, Spike turned to the sisters. "Ok. Here's the plan. Do your best impersonation of vampiress', got it? We're gonna walk right out of here without even setting the alarms off."
"Like.... ho-Dru?" Dawn was confused.
He chuckled. "Just act, ok? Let's work on it." He began stalking up and down the isle, his walk giving off more than a hint of predatory danger. "First you got to get the walk down. Both of you."
The sisters tried, Buffy getting it right away, the Slayer rising to the fore. Dawn did a darn good bear impression.
Spike gave a half groan. "Dawn. I said vampiress, not bear in heat." He demonstrated again. "Use your hips, keep your back at a slight slant, like you're ready to pounce."
She tried again, and liked it. She was slinking, her hips swaying like she owned the place, her back tilted slightly forward, like she was ready for anything.
He grinned. "Whoa, Bit. You're getting it faster than the last fledgling I trained."
She tossed her hair cockily, walking towards him. "I vant to suuuuck your bluuuuuud."
He ducked behind the basket. "No. Please. I'm just an innocent human out for supplies... Please, oh powerful vampire... Don't hurt me.."
Buffy gave her sister a grin. And laughed at Spike's pitiful impression of a whimpering human. Spike was never a whimpering anything. Dawn giggled. "So. What now?"
Spike straightened up. "First of all, curb the giggles. It may look funny when we get going, but you can't laugh, or the clerk is gonna guess that we're not all what we seem, got it?"
Twin nods.
"Next thing. That clerk is a Big Mac. A steak. A cheeseburger with everything. A pizza right out of the oven. Make sure he or she knows it." He leaned against a shelf. "Practice on me. I'm snack food."
Dawn did a passable Druscilla impression, complete with a half snarl. "I want a snack," she intoned, reaching out a hand to ALMOST touch him.
The wince that Spike gave was not entirely acting. He shook his head. "Ok. That's... good, Bit." Looked to Buffy. "Your turn, luv. I'm a double chocolate sundae with whipped cream on top." Kept a straight face, surprisingly.
And Buffy looked. Hard. A treat. And indeed he was, abs she could use to scrub stains out of clothes, chiseled cheekbones, a tongue that could deliver the sharpest barb, eyes that pierced and soothed, and infuriated... A treat indeed.
The look she gave him was... incredible. Ok. Don't look at her. "Ok.. luv.. Good." Slight squeak on the last syllable. He was suddenly glad that the basket was between them, or he might have attacked her right in the middle of Wal-mart. Dawn or no Dawn. Cleared his throat, tried to focus.
She snapped from her lusty-haze, looked around, anywhere. Dawn was growing impatient. "Ok! What now?"
Spike gave a grin to Dawn, solely for her benefit. "Ok. Final thing. Don't touch the cashier. If he or she feels that you're warm, we'll lose credibility. Don't get close enough that the person can hear, see, or feel that you are breathing. Just hang in the background. Maybe hang on me a little. I'm the Master, you're the Minions, got it?"
They nodded. "Check!"
Spike grinned. "OK, then. Let's go." He began pushing the basket through the final aisles to the counter. As he suspected, the automotive cashier was all alone. And there wasn't even a security camera pointed at the counter. And... The cashier was female. Perfect set up. All traces of William vanished as Spike approached the desk. He was a predator. Sleek, dangerous. He hoped the girls caught on. Show time.
They did indeed, their walks swaggering, slow, predatorial, arrogant. They flanked him, his loyals.
Spike fought down an urge to grin. He was the Big Bad again. Albeit for show purposes only, but.. Old times sake.
"Can I help you folks... Sir?", the cashier asked, suddenly noticing their demeanors.
Dawn simply looked at the girl, like she would a box of Godiva chocolates on her rag. Buffy looked at the poor cashier, thinking only of the features she had studied a few minutes ago, a deeper hunger than -hunger- stirring her.
Spike flashed a dangerous grin. "Actually, ducks, you can. You can open that back door, turn off the alarm, and let us through." His eyes flashed gold for an instant. "Now."
The cashier blanched, but wasn't sure that she'd really seen what she thought she'd seen. It was her first day on the job, after all. "I'm afraid I can't do that, sir."
Spike looked at Buffy, then at Dawn incredulously. "She says she can't do that. What do you girls think?"
Buffy ran her tongue along the edges of her top row of teeth. Said huskily, still gazing at the girl intently, "That foolish girls taste the best."
Dawn almost gaped, but covered, sizing the cashier up. An indolent eyebrow raise. "For a snack."
Spike gave a nod to the girls, then turned back to the cashier, game face fully in place. "I agree with them..." The growl that came from him was unlike anything either of the sisters had heard from him in years. Like a starving tiger, inching toward a steak.
The girl did exactly what Spike hoped she would: She fainted.
Spike's human mask slipped back into place and he grinned at the Summers girls. "Ha. What'd I tell you? Easy." He reached over the desk, found the alarm, and switched it off. Then used his lockpick set to open the door. Gestured to the girls to push the basket through.
Buffy pushed the buggy through the doors, Dawn close on her heels. Spike shut the door after he went through, allowing the lock to click back. Then they sat on the curb, waiting for the Ohana to return. Which would probably be within the next fifteen minutes.
Spike turned to his companions. "So? What'd you think of the perks of bein' undead?"
Dawn crowed. "It was SWEEEET! I was just like.... grrrrrrraawwwwwwrrrr... I want this. I'm taking it. Toooo cool."
Buffy gave her a look. "Fun as a ONE TIME DEAL. NOT for anything else, at any other time, EVER."
Dawn rolled her eyes, mouthed 'blah blah blah' the whole time.
Spike gave Dawn a look. "Your sis's right, Bit. This was a special circumstance."
"Blah, blah," she told him. "It was fun, ok? Let me bask in the glow."
Spike chuckled, then looked at Buffy. "You have to admit, luv. That was fun."
Buffy gave a grudging nod. "Kinda. I bet she peed herself."
He chuckled. "Naw. But she's gonna wake up, and think that it was a dream. Tell you the truth, I have no clue what I would have done if she hadn't passed out. Normally, I'd have eaten her, but with the chip, it's not an option." Cleared his throat. "I'm not hungry, anyway."
Just then, the Ohana drove up, and the door opened revealing Xander. "All aboard for Mt. Rushmore. Giles got a map, and we have supplies, and extra food, and cots now!" He looked at the trio on the curb. "Uh, guys?"
"Yeah, Xander?" Buffy answered as they began piling in with their prizes.
"Why is none of your stuff in bags?"