"Buffy, I thought we agreed. No patrolling until Tirina was six months old."

"No, Giles. You and Angel agreed. I'm bored and need to do something to fill the time until Angel gets back. I'm also really rusty in the slayage department. I've been out of the loop for six months already! Another three and I'll be so far behind on the slayage that I won't even remember which end of a stake to put through the vampire's heart!!" Buffy turned to her best friend. "A little support please?"

"Giles, I have an idea. I mean, things have been really quiet around here lately so maybe we could let her do a quick sweep and I'll watch Tirri while she's gone. Then, she'll report back here and pick up Tirri all at the same time." She looked nervously between her friend and the Watcher. She hoped the Watcher would remember that Spike went patrolling early and then would go again later on. There shouldn't be any fledglings out and about right now.

"All right. One quick sweep and then back here to pick up your daughter." Giles gave in as Buffy knew he would. He always did. "Need I say be careful?"

Buffy just gave him a look which said, 'You just did.' Then, she was gone.

Patrols went just about the same for the next several days. The next thing Buffy knew, Angel was due home and then she would be happy to relax for a couple of days and let him take over.

That night, Buffy went out a little earlier than usual which meant that Spike hadn't had a chance to go out and clear the streets. She was a little distracted by the thought that Angel was coming home tonight and the way she planned to greet him. She had planned a nice quiet evening with just the two of them. Tirri would stay with Aunt Willow.

She didn't even notice the vampires until she was practically on top of them. Then, she noticed that six of them were trying to drag off one young man who obviously hadn't listened to anyone when it came to warnings of Sunnydale at night.

"Oh! Look at the pretty picnic!" She pouted as she continued, "But I wasn't invited!" Four vamps let go of the boy and came after her. She dusted them relatively quickly, not realizing that Spike was nearby watching her. She started to run after the other two but was stopped by the vamp that she hadn't seen. He shot her with a high powered rifle. She fell to the ground immediately and Spike stepped in.

He dispatched the two that held the boy and then the one that had shot Buffy before turning to help the fallen Slayer. He looked her over thoroughly and saw that the bullet had gone straight through. Once he was sure that she would live long enough to get her to the hospital, he picked her up and headed into the night.

"You let her patrol?!?!?!" Angel was furious. He had just gotten back into town and, seeing that Buffy wasn't home, had gone over to Willow's, not knowing that Buffy had been patrolling for several nights now and nothing had happened.

"Spike had already been out and taken care of all the fledglings. Giles and I didn't think it would hurt. She was bored and if we had insisted that she not go, she would have gone anyway." Willow dropped her head and continued. "Angel, Spike came by shortly after Buffy left Tirri here and asked if she had already gone out. I think he was just starting out on his run for the night."

"I'll go run a quick check and see if she's home yet." Angel turned to the door and opened it to find Spike on the other side.

"Angel, you'd better come with me. Buffy's at the hospital."

"What?!?!?!" came the chorus from both Angel and Willow.

"Damned fledglings are getting desparate. They shot her. I have the rifle and took out what vamps she didn't at the site before running her to the hospital but I got her there in time. It looked like the bullet went straight through. Angel, she was crying for you when she came round. She begged me to come here and wait for you. You have to come quickly. I didn't like seeing her that scared."

"She wants me to come to the hospital." Angel was in shock. He followed as Spike led him out to the car.

The car hadn't even stopped completely at the hospital before Angel was off and running for the door. Buffy had been shot and he wasn't sure how to take this. At least, Spike had been there to get her to the hospital.

"Where's Buffy?" He was standing at the nurse's station when Spike caught up to him.

"Follow me, Angel. I know what room she's in." The nurse just stood still, staring off after the two men who were obviously so distraught.

Angel sat in the chair beside Buffy's bed while she slept. He was convinced that she would be just fine and was resting comfortably. He was just about to doze off when the door opened and Giles walked in.

"Angel, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't think there was any danger."

"I know. I don't blame you, Giles. She is a stubborn bit of baggage isn't she?" He had a wry grin on his face and his Irish lilt was back. Since he had shanshued, it always seemed to return when his emotions were running high.

"I just can't help but think that I could have prevented this if I had only been firmer."

"Giles, we should feel lucky that we were able to keep her out of the game for this long." Just then, the phone rang and Angel picked it up before it woke Buffy. "Hello?"

"Angel, is Spike there? Willow told me what happened. Where is he?"

"Easy, Dawn. He's on his way home. He left about five minutes ago. He'll be there shortly." Angel heard yelling and screaming through the phone. "Dawn, what's going on?"

"Vamps. In front of the house. They keep saying that they killed the Slayer and now they want me. I'm scared, Angel. I want Spike."

"Dawn, calm down. I'm sure he's already seen the crowd on the front lawn and is trying to figure a way to get them away from you." Angel hoped he was right. Dawn was crying and if Buffy woke up and found out that her little sister was in danger, . . .

"Angel?" came the tired voice from the bed. "What's wrong with Dawn?"

"It's ok, Buffy. I'm sure Spike has the whole situation under control." He heard more yelling in the background and Spike's voice above the din.

"Now, pet!" Suddenly, it sounded like the phone fell from Dawn's hands and Angel heard a sickening thud as a body hit the floor.

"Dawn! Dawn!" Angel hung up the phone and ran for the door.

Giles just watched Angel run out of the hospital and then took his seat beside Buffy to keep her company while they waited for word.

Angel arrived at the house to find Dawn just regaining conciousness in Spike's arms. "What happened?"

"I - -" Dawn started and tried to get to her feet a little quicker than her head thought wise. Her world spun and Spike set her on the couch.

"Vamps tried to get at her. Thankfully, we had a contingency plan set up. Dawn's been learning a little bit about what she can do as the Key. She used one of her powers. She's not strong enough to use it and stay standing but she can use it."

Dawn smiled weakly. "I dusted all non-souled creatures within the property. Just by thinking about it."

"And impressive it was too. To see twenty vamps all go pouff at once. It took a moment to regain my sight after that. Quite the dust cloud." He seemed quite proud of Dawn.

"And you were scared?" Angel seemed dumbfounded by the fact that Dawn was so powerful and yet for some reason was terrified when she called the hospital.

"I don't like to use my powers without someone I trust around. I never know if I'm going to pass out or stay awake and if I pass out without someone here to take care of me. . ."

"Never happen, luv." Spike refused to think about what could have happened had she tried to use the power and failed without him there. His Dawn would have been a tasty snack for some vamp. "Big sis, Peaches or me. One of us will always be there for you when you need us."

Angel knelt down in front of her. "He's right. The three of us will always take care of you. All you have to do is say the word and we'll be here." He took Dawn's hand. "Buffy never wanted to hurt you. She realizes that she did though and both of us admit that, when it comes to each other, we don't tend to think very clearly."

Dawn giggled. "You think?" Spike laughed as he watched Angel's apology to Dawn progress to a big hug.

Suddenly, Angel pulled back. "Shall we all go see Buffy now? She's probably wondering why I haven't been back yet. After all, I didn't really explain anything when I left."

Spike laughed. "Maybe we should let the bit go in first. That way, she can calm Buffy down before I go in there and get dusted for leaving Dawn alone."

"Buffy's the first to admit she has a tendency to overreact to everything."

The trio left the house with Dawn complaining about having to clean up all the dust on the front porch.

'Dawn, are you quite alright?" Giles asked as they came walking up. He seemed quite flustered.

"Aside from a major big headache, fine, Giles." Dawn quickly reassured Giles that she would fill him in when she told Buffy about the whole situation. He then followed her down to Buffy's room.

"Dawnie! You ok?" Buffy was sitting up while a nurse was trying to convince her that she needed to lay down before she tore stitches.

"I'm fine. Just a major headache." Dawn closed her eyes and held her hand out toward her sister. Buffy seemed to relax visibly and laid down in the bed. "Now, listen to the nurse and the doctors. They want to help you and we want them to help." Dawn's knees almost buckled and Spike and Angel each grabbed an arm, setting her gently in the chair next to Buffy's bed.

Buffy drifted back to sleep as Dawn's eyes closed. Both were exhausted by their exciting night and Spike and Angel watched over the young women as they slept.

The next day, Angel took Buffy home, the stitches having dissolved on their own after Slayer healing kicked in. She was already healed and ready to go home.

"Angel, really. I'm fine." Buffy was sitting on the couch and wanted to get up to take care of Tirina. Angel hadn't let her do anything in almost a week.

"The doctor doesn't want us to take any chances. I don't want you taking any chances right now." He turned to smile at her. "Besides, don't forget that we have dinner at Dawn's tonight."

"I didn't know that Dawn could cook. I wonder who's been teaching her."

"Maybe she's just ordering from someplace and serving it up on plates."

"She said she was actually going to cook. I know it wasn't me. I can't cook to save my life."

"You're getting better at it."

"Yeah. I can actually boil water without burning the pan."

"Buffy- "

"We have to face certain facts, Angel. I can't cook and I'm not getting better at it. Mom could've taught her to cook."

"You've had other things to worry about besides learning to cook. After all, you've had to save the world numerous times.

"You'd think I'd have learned something about cooking just out of necessity after Mom died."

Angel hated to see Buffy like this. "You still could learn. If Dawn knows how, maybe she'll teach you.

"I may just try that. After all, I have two people to cook for now. I can't exactly let you monopolize the kitchen now can I?" She giggled as she pictured Angel in his usual apron and pots steaming all over the place.

"Hi, Dawnie. How are you?"

"I'm fine. How do you feel, Buffy?"

"Better. Now that Angel finally lets me off the couch to take care of things occassionally."

"Don't want her to end up back in the hospital. I have my hands full when I have her at home to help with Tirri. But when she's not there. . . "

"Tirri's a bit of a handful then?" asked Spike walking into the living room from the kitchen. He kissed Dawn on the forehead and draped an arm around her shoulder. "I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm going on an early patrol tonight. It seems that since Dawn here started learning to use her powers, several demons have decided to start crawling out of the woodwork."

"Like what?" asked Angel.

"There's been a few Mohra's hanging about and a couple of baazors. Even been a Leithona or two."

"What? I thought those things were extinct!" Angel exclaimed.

"Apparently not. Lots of things been attracted by the Bit's forays into her powers."

As the two guys sat down to talk about the demons Dawn's powers had attracted, Buffy followed Dawn to the kitchen. "Dawn, who taught you how to cook?"

"Well, you taught me some and so did Mom. Spike taught me the rest of what I needed to know about a kitchen." Just then Buffy realized that Spike's duster was hanging by the back door. "He's been letting me borrow it on those rainy mornings we've had lately." Dawn had seen where her sister's eyes had wandered.

"So, Spike knows his way around a kitchen?" Buffy hadn't even heard Angel come up behind her.

"Well, he can't go out during the day. So he spends a lot of time watching the Food Network. He's learned a lot and quite often cooks for me."

"That doesn't sound like the Spike I know."

"He's changed Angel. You should see him sometimes. He helps me with my homework. I even got a B on my history midterm thanks to him. He's helping me keep the house clean and he's even taken care of me when I was sick. He's also been helping me learn to control my power. He keeps reminding me that unless I control the power, it will control me and then people can take advantage of me and hurt me with my own power."

"It does sound like he's changed some, Angel."

"Thank you, Buffy. He's also really kept Kirstie off my back." Dawn then proceeded to explain their movie experience to Buffy and Angel and got a really good laugh out of it. "I could just see Kirstie's face if she knew who Spike really was!" The image of Kirstie running in fear for her life with absolutely no semblance of her usual cool was totally hilarious.

A little later they were sitting down at the table to eat when there was a crash outside. They all heard a "BLOODY HELL!" and then some more crashing around. Dawn just kept on eating. Suddenly, all was quiet and Spike walked into the kitchen. "Pet, do you mind if I go take a shower?"

"Go ahead. Are you ok?"

"I'll be fine. That Olgark demon though isn't."

"What is an Olgark demon?"

"Nasty creature. Its head looks kind of like a baazor and the body looks like, well, an octopus."

Angel spoke up at this point. "I haven't seen an Olgark demon in at least one hundred years. Maybe longer. I thought they were extinct."

"Obviously not, mate. I just killed one. Like I said earlier, ever since Dawn started exploring her powers, demons have been crawling out of the woodwork. Ones that I haven't seen in years."

"Angel, how bad is that Olgark demon?"

"Usually pretty bad." He looked at Spike. "Was it an older one or a young one?"

"Just a young one. It was too stupid to know when to run." Spike laughed. "I'd love to stay and chat but unlike you, mate, I don't like slime in my hair." He headed up the stairs to the bathroom.

"He's made himself right at home here. Hasn't he?"

"Of course. That's why he's able to check on me when I'm asleep and wake me up from my nightmares."

"Nightmares? About what?"

"From that bad time." Dawn hung her head. "The time I try not to think about."

"It's ok, Dawnie. I try not to think about it either. It wasn't any fun for either of us."

Just then, Spike walked down the stairs drying his hair. He saw Dawn sitting at the table with her head down and went straight to her. "Bit, you ok?"

"We were just talking about my nightmares."

He knelt beside her and looked up at her. "Don't think about that. I told you. Those are just bad memories. They helped make you the person you are now. Let it go. You don't need to worry about that time anymore. Glory's gone and she can't bother you anymore. Just focus on the future and live for now."

"Spike, I can't help it. I hate this whole nightmare thing but ever since I started with the powers they've been getting stronger and more vivid. I just want them to go away." She started crying. She slipped out of her chair and knelt in front of him. He just wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close.

"It's ok. I'm here. Quietly, luv. Take it easy." He stroked her hair. He held her until she calmed down and Angel just watched. He was a little more than uneasy about this whole thing. He could see him and Buffy watching Spike and Dawn together. But Spike's soul wasn't a curse. Maybe that changed things. Maybe that's where their relationship would be different than his and Buffy's. Buffy stepped closer to Angel with a worried look on her face. Angel wrapped an arm around Buffy to reassure her.

Dawn looked up and saw everyone watching the two of them together. She stood up and straightened her shirt and all. "He's here. I guess we Summers women have a bad habit of falling for guys that are just all kinds of not right for us."

Buffy giggled. "How true!" Just then, Angel wrapped his arms around Buffy and kissed her thoroughly.

After dinner, the four of them sat and talked for a while about a lot of different things. In particular the time when Spike was insane and living in the basement ruins of the high school.

"Remember when we blew up the old high school?"

"Do I ever?! It was the hardest day of my life. I had to kill the mayor, nearly getting caught in the explosion. And then I had to watch you walk away from me. Of course, when I started college, I met Riley and went off on the whole weird boyfriend kick again." Buffy shook her head. "Not to mention the whole Parker fiasco. I thought Riley was so normal at first. Almost boringly normal. Then we found out about the Gentlemen and the Initiative. And the whole little Miss Normal routine was a total bust."

Angel interrupted at that point. "What Parker fiasco?"

Buffy blushed. "I guess I forgot to tell you about that one during our long talks. Parker Abrams was the first guy I slept with in college. I thought we cared about each other but come to find out the morning after all he wanted was the sex. He seemed to love rubbing it in my face for a while after that and I was miserable until Riley started chasing me."

"Parker sounds like an ass."

"He is. Was. Whatever."

"Another thing strikes me. You said you nearly got caught in the explosion at the old school?"

"I got hit by a flying piece of debris. Giles thought I had completely cleared the building when he pushed the plunger but one piece of metal smacked into my shoulder pretty hard. I had a bruise for a week."

"Yet you didn't tell anyone?"

"Giles knew. It isn't my fault if he failed to send you a letter all about it." Buffy hung her head. "I'm just kind of surprised that he didn't."

"Hey." Angel pulled Buffy's face to his. "He didn't know where I had gone. There was only one person here that knew where I had gone. And he didn't tell because he even thought it was best that I leave. Especially since not even sending me to Hell could keep me from coming back to you. I wanted you to have a way to get a hold of me if you needed to."

"He didn't even call you when the Initiative damn near got me killed. Or when that Adam thing was going on. Or Glory."

"You know who I told."

"Xander. And the whole time he could have gotten us some extra help. Spike did what he could against Glory but --" Buffy's voice trailed off.

"I'm only one bloke and I was trying to protect the Nibblet here."

"Buffy, Xander did call me when Glory was hunting Dawn. He told me what was going on and told me that if I came it might help or it might make things worse."

"What? Worse? They couldn't have gotten worse!"

"Yes. They could have. If I had been here, you would have been distracted and Dawn would have been unprotected at some point or other and Glory could have taken her long before she did." When Buffy tried to protest, Angel hushed her. "You have to admit when we were together, there wasn't a whole lot of thinking clearly going on."

"True."

"And if I had been here, Glory might have killed you sooner and then Dawn would have died and the world wouldn't be the place it is now." Angel brushed the tear on Buffy's cheek away with his thumb. "If it makes you feel better, Cordy was on a rant for weeks after she got over her grief. When Willow came to tell us what had happened, I was in full brood for almost two months. I went through the motions of my unlife. Maybe part of me was hoping that I would slip up and get myself dusted because it was so hard to go on, thinking that I would never see you again. I figured shanshu wasn't even worth it anymore. I didn't care if it happened or if it didn't anymore. Between Wes and Cordy nagging on me to, and I quote Cordy, "Pull my head out of my ass and get back to work", I finally figured that you wouldn't have wanted me to give up like that."

"At least you got that right." Buffy lay her head on Angel's shoulder. She loved Angel so much that, if, when she had come back, they had told her that he was gone, she probably would have killed herself just to avoid living without him.

"I love you, Buffy."

"I love you too, Angel."

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A/N: Sorry it took so long to do the update on this chapter but I ran into a case of big time writer's block. Guess it's a good thing that I don't write for the show, huh? Well, read and review folks. You know the drill.

I'm working on the next chapter's update and will hopefully have it out soon.