Chapter Ten

The next morning Buffy came down the stairs and found Dawn curled up on the couch with a bag of Cheetos. Buffy couldn't help but be horrified. "Cheetos for breakfast?"

"What?" Dawn looked up at her, her eyes finally leaving the TV. "It's nutritious. It's got cheese, and fiber. I'm sure it has fiber." She turned the bag around to look at the nutrition content. "It's just like having a bowl of Raisin Bran, just without the bland, horrible taste."

"Yeah, whatever you say. Just promise me you'll eat something later that doesn't have the shelf life of a Twinkie. Okay?"

"Sure. Whatever." Dawn looked back up at her sister. "Uh, Buffy? Are you okay?"

"What? Me? Yeah sure, I'm fine. Why?" Buffy sat down on the coffee table in front of Dawn.

"Because you look like you've been hit by a truck. What's wrong? Bad patrol last night?"

Buffy sighed. "Yeah, really bad patrol."

"What happened?" Dawn pulled her feet over the side of the couch and sat up, turning toward Buffy.

"I don't know quite how to say it."

"It's okay Buffy. What? Was it some extra bad demon? A new Big Bad in Sunnydale?"

"More like an old Big Bad. Try a hundred-and-twenty-two years old."

"Spike?"

Buffy stared up at her sister, surprised that she had gotten it that quickly. "Yeah."

"Spike's back in town? Where is he?"

"I don't know. I saw him last night when I was on patrol. He followed me home and . . ."

"He followed you home?"

"Yeah, but not in a stalker-like way." Buffy couldn't believe she was defending him, but she couldn't seem to stop herself.

"So, what? He followed you home and . . .?"

"And nothing. I told him to leave, and apparently he did."

"Did you check for cigarette butts outside?" Dawn asked.

"Please, Dawn." Buffy rolled her eyes at the absurdity.

"I mean it Buffy. What if he was here all night? What if he's stalking you again?"

"He's not."

"How do you know?"

"I just know, okay?" Buffy got up and walked toward the kitchen. She couldn't take Dawn's questioning anymore. She just knew that Spike had left. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew.

"Buffy?"

Dawn's voice stopped her.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah Dawn. I'm fine. I'll be careful. I promise. After all, if he does go all stalker-serial killer again, I can always stake him," she offered lamely.

"Are you sure that's what you want?"

Buffy opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't. She shook her head, and turned to walk away. Over her shoulder she said, "I'll kill him if I have to."