Disclaimer, Summary, ect.: See chap 1.

Author's Notes 1, Tigerwolf: Ok. There is an extra disclaimer for this chap. If you haven't seen the movie "Signs" with Mel Gibson and Don't want to be spoiled, don't read the end of this chap. For the purposes of this fic, we are pretending that the movie came out two years ago. We go into detail about the movie. Thank you. Also, I live in Texas and Sunrise lives in Ohio. We have never been to Mt. Rushmore, and have no clue what is near there, so just bear with us. I'm sorry to anyone who knows we're wrong about something. lol.



Spike didn't know how long he'd been asleep, but he was relatively sure that Buffy had not been sitting on the edge of the bed when he'd dozed off. Especially not wearing that nightie from Wal-mart and looking at him like he was a snack food... Oh. A dream. He'd gotten used to recognizing them by now.

"Hello, Spike," The lingerie clad Buffy purred at him.

Spike chuckled. "Hello, there, luv. Fancy seeing you here." He noticed that, in the dream, all the wounds and the pain that went with them were gone.

She crawled up his bed slowly. "What do you think?"

He grinned. "Well, for one thing, that this is the nicest dream in awhile." Ran a hand through her hair, and down over a shoulder. "And that you look even more beautiful than usual."

She grinned. "You asked if I'd model it." She backed up a bit, stood, and did a slow turn, her hands running over her body. Said poutily, "I think it's a size too small."

He gave a semi evil smile. "Looks just right to me. Of course... I'll need a closer look to tell properly.."

She inched closer. "Really?"

"Oh yeah." His hands shot out and grabbed her, pulling her back onto the bed with him. "This is better."

She squirmed, edging one leg up over his hip. "Sure this isn't better?"

Feral grin. "Much better." He pulled her into a hard kiss, his hands moving over her shoulders and back. God, why couldn't this happen in reality?

She kissed him back, her hands pulling at his shirt. Made unintelligible noises.

Spike moaned into her mouth, pulling her closer, his mouth wandering down her neck.

She arched against him. "Mmm... God, Spike..."

"...Buffy... I love you..."

"Mmm... God, Spike... I-"

Spike's eyes popped open when the Winnabago stopped suddenly, causing him to fall off the side of the bed. "Ow! Bugger. Bloody stupid Watcher. If I could drive during the day..." Annoyed, he climbed back up onto the bed, got comfortable, and tried to go back to sleep, even though he knew that reentering the same dream would be next to impossible. It never worked when he wanted it to.

In the main room of the Winnebago, Buffy sat up from where she had been napping. Made a sick whimpering noise. "Oh... GOD! What did I EAT last night??"

Xander cocked his head at her. "What's wrong, Buff?"

Buffy gave him a pained look. "Nightmare."

Xander patted her on the back. "Don't worry, Buffy. Dawn's safe here."

Buffy nodded, taking the misguided comfort. "Yeah. Dawn's safe." She stood, and made her way to where Giles was driving. "Hey, Steering Wheel Man."

Giles gave a half chuckle. "Hello, Buffy. What can I do for you?"

She shrugged, sat in the passenger's seat. "Nothing. Can I get you something? Food, water? Company?"

Giles smiled at her, then returned his eyes to the road. "Company would be nice. I've been thinking, now that we're so far from Sunnydale, and are reasonably certain that Glory isn't following us, I think we can actually stop driving constantly. Maybe tonight we can find an RV park and just stop for the night. It might be nice to give Spike a break."

Buffy nodded. Anything for Giles. "That's ok with me." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe we'll stop for a day, too, one day if you want, too."

Giles smiled at her again. "Good. Funny you'd mention that. We are getting close to Mt. Rushmore. We might even be there before sundown. There should be an RV park near there. And theaters and restaurants. We can possibly stop for a couple of days even."

She bit her lip anxiously. "Only if you're sure it's safe."

Giles nodded. "I'm sure. I've been listening to the radio and watching the little black and white TV that we picked up while you were at Wal-mart. There are no stories out of the ordinary being reported. I think we have made the proverbial clean getaway." He gestured to the booth where the others sat with a hand. "I'm sure everyone is getting stir crazy from being in here constantly. I know I'm beginnhng to feel a bit cramped. Going to a movie would be good for all of us."

She nodded. "Oh... okay." She squirmed in her seat. "It's normal to have weird dreams and stuff, I mean... this is a weird situation. Movies would be great. Lots of distraction."

Giles gave her a sideways look. "Who said anything about dreams?"

She backpedaled. "I... uh... Just mean, that ya know, people can't be sleeping too well, and that adds to the stir-craziness of it all."

Giles nodded. "Ah. Yes. I've never been able to sleep well in something that's moving, anyway. These last few nights have been quite annoying."

She nodded. The novelty of the trip was wearing thin, and Dawn was getting to be a handful. Play cards. Listen to N'Sync. Paint my nails.... couldn't she just SLEEP?

Giles nodded. "Good. Ah! Here's the turn off for Mt. Rushmore." Sure enough, there was an RV park with in view of the monument. Giles parked the Ohana, so that everyone could see the monument. Dawn had rushed out the door, and the Wicca's followed, soon, everyone but Spike was out the door.

Xander stared up at the monument. "Whoa. And I thought my boss had a big head."

Anya cocked her head to the side. "Human's flock to see this? I fail to see the attraction."

Xander leaned over to his fiance'. "Look at it this way, if their heads are that big..." He whispered the rest too low for the others to hear.

Buffy just grinned at Dawn's awestruck face. She was loving this, and that made Buffy love it.

Anya's eyes grew wide, and she said, "So... THAT'S the attraction."

Xander chuckled. "Well, that's one way to look at it, anyway."

Dawn and, well, everyone else made disgusted faces. The group filed into the gift shop and museum, but Dawn slipped back into the Ohana. She knocked on the bedroom door.

"Come in, Bit," the vampire called from inside.

She came inside with a shy smile. "How'd ya know?"

He gave a quiet chuckle. Pointed at the window. Giles had seen fit to park under some shade, so that Spike could see the monument through his window. Well, it might not have been intentional, but it was nice to think it was. "You're the only one I didn't see go into the museum."

She grinned. "Boring stuff I've learned three times over in History. How'd you sleep?"

He thought for a moment. "Pretty good. But I got pulled out of a great dream when the Watcher slammed on the brakes awhile back."

She smiled. "What were you dreaming about?"

He thought about lying, and just decided to twist the truth a little. "I dreamed your sister actually liked me."

Dawn nodded. "Oh. I don't think she hates you."

He chuckled. "Try convincing her of that sometime. I know she doesn't hate me, but she doesn't like me either. I'm... confusing to her. Her mortal enemy in love with her. To my knowledge, that's never happened before."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Angel, much?"

Slight repressed snarl. "First of all, he was her mortal enemy AFTER he fell in love with her, not before. And second, do not compare me to that... that.. bloody POOFTER!"

She took a quick step back. Then sat on the bed. "Sorry. But... Buffy doesn't know what to do with you. Doesn't know where you fit in in her head."

He calmed down. "I said I was confusing to her, didn't I?" Snorted. "I'm confusing to me."

She gave him a sweet smile. "You make sense to me."

He chuckled. "That's because you like me." Cocked his head at her. "You're not even slightly afraid of me, are you?"

Puzzled face. "No. Why would I be?"

He vamped, for show. "This."

She gave a small laugh, one finger coming out to touch his fangs. "Grrr..."

Gave a snort. "This isn't funny, Bit." He opened his mouth slightly, to let her see better. "Never seen it up close before?"

She scooted closer, peering in his mouth. "No." She was running her fingers over his fangs, checking out the rest of his teeth. "Spike. Two words."

"Ehat?"

"Crest Whitestrips." She tugged on one fang. "They're not white."

"They're not supposed to be. My teeth are white, my fangs are not."

She gave him a look. "Demonic possession is no excuse for poor dental hygiene." She flashed her pearly whites in a toothpaste ad smile. "Being a mystical Key hasn't kept me off MY game."

He chuckled. "I brush. And floss. I just can't get rid of those stubborn bloodstains." Looked at her, deadpanned. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to get hyper teenager off your teeth?"

She leaned back. "Not funny."

He started to go back to his normal features. "Sorry, Bit."

She smiled. "I know you're playing. It's ok. Can I... look more?"

Paused, changed back. "Ok, I guess. But I'd better not get in trouble for this."

She gave an 'I-swear-I'm-listening-but-I'm-really-not-paying-attention' look. "Right." Her fingers moved over the ridges, down his now pushed up nose. "Does it hurt?"

"Does what hurt?" His nose twitched a little at her touch. "Don't make me sneeze." He supposed he should have felt the way he had when the Initiative had been poking around on him, but he didn't. He felt, content. Happy, even.

"Turning." She had both hands holding his head still so her perusal could be thorough.

"When I was sired, or just vamping to feed?" His gold/yellow eyes regarded her with none of the predators gaze that had been present at the Wal-mart.

"Vamping." She frowned, and poked at the ridges, seeing if they were muscle or bone.

"No. Feels... Good. Strong. Like nothing can hurt me, you know?"

She shook her head. "No. I've never felt like that." Muscle. She pulled on his nose to see if she could make it go back to normal, with him still vamped.

He nearly sneezed. "Quit that, Bit." He cocked his head. "You never feel safe?"

She grew uncomfortable with the topic, giving an almost imperceptible squirm. "Why does your nose squinch up?"

He noted her change of topic, and decided to ignore it. "Well, I think it's so that it doesn't get in the way when I bite, you know?"

She frowned. Tossed her hair over her shoulder, tilted her head. "Well, pretend to bite me, then we'll do it again, but I'll hold your nose down. And we'll see."

He thought about it for a moment. "Bit, I dunno if that's a good idea. What if the Scoobies come in here and think I'm actually biting you? Stake first, ask questions later."

She made a "Pshaw" noise. "They're engrossed in the Boring Museum of Useless Facts. I wanna know." Big puppy eyes.

He sighed. "Ok. But if the chip goes off, I'm stopping. AND I'm never listening to you again, got it?"

She shrugged. "It shouldn't. You don't really wanna hurt me."

He nodded. "I know, I'm just a little... wary. After what happened the other day. I thought it would never turn off."

She nodded. "Ok." Tilted her head to the side.

He leaned forward, held her to him, and just barely allowed the tips of his fangs to brush her skin. Pulled back. "See, no nose."

She grinned, pushed down on the tip of his nose with a finger. "And again."

He repeated the motion, and his nose bumped her ear before his fangs could touch. Pulled back. "I was right. It does get in the way."

She smiled at him. "That's so cool."

Cocked his head to the side, blinked golden eyes. "That my nose gets in the way?"

She made a chomping motion with her teeth. "Grrr... I can suck your blood."

Spike chuckled. "Bit, I am a vampire, and let me tell you, there are more drawbacks than perks."

She frowned. "I think you feel obligated to say that cuz you watch out for me. I think you enjoy being a vampire. It gives you power, and strength. It's ok. You can like it. I'll just be a teenager. Growl."

"Huh?"

She narrowed her eyes, and made a mean face. "Ya know... GRRRRR. Growl for me."

Spike nodded, then a low growl began. The sound he usually used as a warning to other vamps. "Different pitches have different meanings."

"No no... like the.... I'm gonna rip off your head, and play lively games with it, growl."

Loud, roaring growl. Like a pissed tiger.

She jumped, but grinned. "Sweet."

He chuckled. Low pitched, whining sound. "What am I doing now? Guess."

Cocked her head to the side. "Whining? Begging?"

He nodded. "This is how a fledgling begs their sire for food. When vamps are less than two weeks old, sometimes they need more food than they can hunt at night. Then they feed off their sires. This also strengthens the bond between the two."

She nodded, soaking the information up. "What's a happy noise?"

He chirped at her. Then purred like a cat.

She made a delighted noise. "Aww!"

He chuckled. "A purr denotes affection and contentment. The deeper the purr, the more the vamp loves the person or other vamp he's purring to. The chirps are actually kind of a language that is used mainly sire to childe, but they have multiple meanings." He made a deep purr interspersed with chirps. "This purr means family. It's the one I'd use for you."

She made a pleased face, ducked her head a little bit.

"Anything else?"

"Umm... What's a love purr? Do you rumble like kitties do?"

He chuckled. "That's about it. Here, you can feel it better than hear it." He pulled her to him, resting her head on his chest and his chin atop her head. A deep rumble vibrated out of him, quiet chirps here and there. Like crickets.

The sound made her drowsy, and happy. Her eyes closed for a minute. "What's it mean?"

Spike continued the purr. "It means that I love you, and that I'm never going to let anything happen to you, Bit. Remember that when you start feeling like you aren't safe."

She knew a few tears were tracking down her face, but it was honestly the best thing she had heard in too long. Her arms wound around him slowly. Spike held her a little tighter, nuzzling at the top of her head. "It's ok, Bit.. Don't cry.."

She started to respond when Buffy opened the door saying, "Spike, Dawn's ... miss...ing..." She trailed off slowly, a pissed off scowl settling over her face.

Spike looked up, thankful that he'd remembered to lose the vamp face when he'd pulled Dawn to him. Offered Buffy a half grin. "Hey, luv. I found her."

Level gaze. "I see. Holding her tight, making sure she doesn't get away."

Dawn was getting uncomfortable, pulled slowly away from Spike to tuck her hair behind her ears. "We were just-"

Spike instantly released Dawn, the rest of the way, and tried for a nonchalant grin. "Yeah, well, we were talkin', and the Bit wanted me to purr for her, so I was showing her, and she started crying for some reason, and..." He trailed off. "You came in then."

Buffy's anger redirected to concern."Dawnie, why were you crying?" She crossed to her sister. "You're safe here. I promise."

Dawn gave an embarrassed shrug. "I just... felt like a cry."

Buffy glared at Spike. "You were telling her one of your disgusting little stories again weren't you? The one where you tore the head off a little orphan, drank her blood, and threw her body in a woodstove to keep warm??"

Spike growled at her, a decidedly pissed growl. "For your information, Slayer, she wanted to examine a vampire. I gave her one to examine. I was showing her different sounds. No stories, and thank you EVER so much for trusting me." He laid back, staring at the ceiling, then gave Dawn an 'I told you so', glance.

Buffy turned rounded eyes on her sister. "Dawn?"

Dawn nodded.

Spike just stared at the ceiling some more.

Buffy grabbed her chin, jerking Dawn's eyes to meet hers. "That is stupid. Damned, freaking retarded. Vampires are NOT science experiments, Dawn. They are dangerous. They can and WOULD love to kill you. They aren't for petting and examining." Dawn tried to jerk her chin out of Buffy's hands but she wasn't having any of it. "I'm SERIOUS Dawn. You STAY away from them. Spike is the ONLY exception. EVER. Do you understand me? They are NOT strays to bring home."

Dawn's jaw officially hurt and she was wondering if the Initiative wouldn't have been better off chipping Buffy.

"She knows that, Slayer," Spike said to the ceiling. "You don't see her going out with a bowl of blood calling, 'heeeere, vampy, vampy, vampy', do you?"

Buffy dropped Dawn's jaw, rubbed a hand over her eyes, tiredly. "I know. I know. I just... want her to be safe so much. I don't want her to think there are others like you. That leads to hesitation in a kill, and a hesitation means their advantage."

"She wouldn't hesitate, would you, Bit?"

"No." The word was singular and ringing.

Buffy sighed. "All right." She smoothed a hand over Dawn's jaw. "Sorry if I hurt you. I have to go... the other's are looking for you."

Spike looked over at Dawn as Buffy went out the door. "You can go with her if you want, Bit."

She shook her head. "They're gonna be mad. And Giles is gonna frown."

Spike chuckled. "You sure put them in their places the other day, do it again. Or you can stay here, if you want to."

She grinned. "But they were WRONG that day. Today I'M wrong, and quite frankly, I don't like how it feels."

Spike gave her a hurt look. "You mean it's wrong for you to hang out with me?"

"No! I just... kinda walked off, and didn't tell anyone. Not a good thing, considering."

Spike nodded. "Ah. Well, you didn't go to a strip joint. Or an adult video store. Or a NC-17 movie. You just came back to the Ohana. How can they blame you for that? I think you'll get a light sentence."

She hung her head. "Is that a 'Go face the music'?"

"It's a 'Go face the music with a vampire guarding you'."

She stood as she heard the others boarding the Ohana. "Ok... Let's go."

Spike stood behind her, giving her one last quick squeeze before she opened the door. "I'm with you, Bit. If they're gonna be mad at anyone, it'd better be me."

Willow gave Dawn a smile. "Hey, Dawnie. You could have told us you were tired and wanted a nap. We wouldn't have minded."

Dawn made a confused face.

Xander nodded. "Yeah. Buffy told us that you were tired and came back here for a nap. We understand. None of us has been sleeping well, lately."

She gave Spike a look. "Yeah... tired. Sorry I didn't tell you. Didn't want to be a bother."

Spike cocked his head, looked at Buffy, then at Dawn, then shrugged and headed back into the bedroom.

Dawn just decided to sit quietly, and not get in any more trouble. Then. "Can we see a movie tonight?"

Xander perked up. "Yeah! How about that new one, the alien thing?"

"Ooh!" Tara supplied. "Signs?"

Xander nodded. "Yeah! That's it."

Spike came out of the bedroom. "Is that the one on the commercial where the girl goes, 'There's a monster outside my room, can I have a glass of water?'?"

Dawn grinned and nodded. "Yeah."

Spike grinned. "Always up for a.." He made 'air quotes'. " 'scary movie'." Looked at Buffy. "How about you, Slayer?"

She shrugged, even though she hated scary movies. "Oh yeah."

Giles nodded. "Well then, we'd best get a move on. We need time to get seats." He got in the drivers seat and started the Ohana. Drove them to the theater that they'd passed earlier. Parked. By then the sun was down far enough that the only light was indirect, so Spike was safe. They all piled out and headed for the theater.

Dawn, redressed in 'party clothes', tight top, tighter pants, scouted for cute guys. The Wicca's held hands. Spike walked slightly behind Dawn, giving every guy who checked her out a look that could melt concrete. Xander had his arm around Anya and her head was on his shoulder. Buffy and Giles brought up the rear, talking quietly.

"You could go see something else if you want, Buffy," Giles said, knowing of her hatred of scary movies.

She shook her head. No way. She had a point on Spike. She was NOT losing it. "It's ok. It's Mel Gibson. How scary can it be?"

Giles gave a chuckle. "Ok, but that's what you said about Brenden Fraiser in The Mummy, and you nearly broke my arm that time."

She nudged him with an elbow. "Be quiet, Funny Guy."

Giles just chuckled again and headed to the front of the group to pay. They got their tickets and popcorn and drinks... And what seemed like a mountain of candy between the eight of them, and found eight seats in one row.

The seating went like this: Dawn, Spike, Buffy, Giles, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya. Dawn was not particularly happy about this because SHE was squished to the wall. She stole a few of Spike's Reese's Bites. Slurped her coke. If Spike noticed the missing candy, he didn't say anything. The group talked amongst themselves during the commercials and previews, but fell silent when the movie started.

As the green leg snaked out of view, Dawn let out a yelp, her hand a tight vice on Spike's arm. Spike gave a grin, whispering, "It's s'ok, Bit. Only a movie." She didn't even seem to hear him, her eyes riveted on the screen.

Buffy had the same reaction. Yelp, huge-ass jump, landing in a 'grab Giles' arm and nothing will hurt you' grip. Spike let out a quiet chuckle at the Slayer's apparent fright. He returned his attention to the screen, where something was making clicky sounds on a baby monitor.

Buffy was making pathetic noises, and she knew it. Giles put his other hand over her hand that was on his arm, squeezed gently. The noises quieted down a bit, but her free hand was shoveling in popcorn quickly, munching with a desperate look on her face.

The group managed to calm down, until the recording of the actual sighting of one of the aliens on the TV. EVERYONE yelped. Giles, Xander, and Spike included. But still didn't stop their girls from almost jumping in their laps. And then Spike coughed, having sucked a Reese's bite the wrong way. Once again, they showed the alien, but the group had seen it once. It wasn't as scary the second time. Spike took a sip of Mr. Pibb. Dawn still gasped, however. Spike put a hand on her shoulder. "S'ok, Bit. It's a guy in a suit," the vampire whispered. But the clicky sounds had him rather freaked as well. Buffy was trying to take Spike's words to heart too.

Things calmed down again, with them even laughing when the two kids managed to convince their uncle to wear aluminum foil. And then another chorus of jumps and yelps when the alien hand came out of the vet's pantry. Buffy, in a TRUE freaking out manner, grabbed both Giles AND Spike. Spike, unfortunately, was too caught up in the movie to notice her hand on his arm. In fact, the sudden touch of a hand from a direction he hadn't been expecting, nearly made him yelp again. Once again, things seemed ok.. And then the invasion came...

Dawn and Buffy both pulled their feet off the floor, trying to curl into their chairs, away from the screen, away from the movie... The aliens were in the house. The family went into the basement, and the aliens were pounding on the door. LOUDLY! Spike managed to hold himself together only by gripping the armrest hard enough to leave imprints on one side, and letting Dawn hang onto his other arm. Then the arm came through the coal shoot and grabbed the little boy. Everyone in the theater. EVERYONE, screamed. Buffy had one hand on Spike's, the other on Giles'. Waiting. WAITING for bad things to happen. Pathetic noises. Again.

It seemed to be ok. The radio said that the aliens were leaving. Retreating. Everyone relaxed. Now all they had to do was get the little boy's medicine and... ALIEN IN THE LIVING ROOM!!

The whole row of Scoobies jumped and screamed, and this time, Spike grabbed onto Dawn at the same time she grabbed him. Dawn realized this because instead of movie screen, she was faced with Shirt of Spike. He quickly let go, of course. But the damage had been done.

She let out a small laugh.

He snorted at her. "It's not funny. I was... shielding you from it," he whispered.. "Right." A huge grin as she returned her attention to the movie.

Soon, the movie was over, and the group began to file out of the theater, Spike lagging behind. That had NEVER happened before. It was embarrassing.

Buffy was exhausted. Terror took so much out of her. She leaned her head against Giles' arm as they walked. "I hate that movie."

Giles glanced over his shoulder. "Seems you aren't the only one."

She looked back, saw Spike looking troubled. Not even glaring at the guys checking Dawn out. She slowed her pace, fell in step with him. "Hate it, too?"

He started, looked at her. "Huh? Hate what?"

"Movie."

He shook his head. "Naw, it was good. I just... I dunno, got sucked in or something."

"Oh. Yeah."

He looked at her. "Slayer? Can I ask you something?"

A hesitant, "...Sure..."

"Were *you* scared?"

She gave a dismissive wave. "No. Not a bit." Paused. Gave him a look. "Were YOU scared?"

He gave a half grin as they boarded the Ohana. "Who me?" Headed for the back room, turned, caught her eye, mouthed, "Terrified." Shut the door.

She walked quickly to the closed door, cracked it open, said quickly, "Me, too." Door shut.

Spike sat on the bed. "Well," he said to himself. "Maybe things are lookin' up after all."

AN: Tequila: Hey all. No mean notes. We're not going tickle crazy in this one. That was basically a one shot deal. Just wanted you to know. And, I'll be putting up one chap every other day, till we run out of chaps to post, a'right? I hope that's ok. And I'll try a LOT harder than I have been to keep up on it. Always. Tequila