"Spike, have you seen Dawn? The last time I saw her, she was over by the DJ booth talking to some girl."

"I saw some guy help her outside. She didn't look so good." Kirstie was still trying to come between Dawn and Spike.

"It wasn't Xander or Connor because they're over at the arcade. And Wesley, Giles, Gunn and Angel are all over by the concession stands." Buffy was taking inventory. "Spike, maybe you should step outside and see if you can find her. If she's that sick, she needs one of us with her."

Spike nodded and headed for the door, slipping on his duster that Buffy had been so kind as to bring with her. He reached into the right front pocket and felt the familiar weight of the stake that he kept there.

"Dawn?" The familiar brown hair struck a chord of fear in Spike's heart. Of course, the fact that he couldn't see the woman's face was not helping matters any. He also felt a surge of familiarity toward the vampire that was apparently feeding from her.

His suspicions were confirmed when the vampire looked up from the young woman's neck. "Drusilla!!" he hissed, morphing into game face.

"Hello, Spike. You've been a very naughty boy." She dropped Dawn, leaving her laying in a heap on the ground.

'Dawn, how bad are you hurt?'

'I can't help you, Spike. I can't even move. Help me.'

'Hang on, Bit.' Spike focused his thoughts on the redhead that was still inside. 'Willow, send Angel out here to help me get Dawn to safety. Dru's out here.'

'Got it.'

There was no time to waste. Spike pulled his stake and lunged at Dru, not giving her a chance to hypnotize him.

The fight was short and savage. Dru was just a pile of dust on the ground and Spike was kneeling beside Dawn, holding her, by the time Angel came out the door.

He ran over and knelt opposite Spike. Dawn was clutched tight to his chest but Angel could still see the blood flowing freely from the wound in her neck.

Angel practically tore off the black silk shirt he was wearing. Handing it to Spike, he said, "Press this to her neck. We have to stop the bleeding."

"Help her. I don't know what to do." The tears flowing down his face reminded Angel of the times he had cried after Buffy died.

"You're doing fine. She'll be alright."

"Willow sent me out to see how she was." Oz's voice startled both Dawn's father and her lover.

"We need to get her to the hospital."

"Angel, take her. I - - -" Spike didn't need to say anymore. Angel could see the bloodlust on his face. The smell of the blood had inflamed his senses.

Angel said nothing. He just took Dawn and handed her to Oz. Oz carried her to his car as Angel put his wrist to Spike's mouth, urging him to feed.

Spike got in the car, feeling much better after having been fed from Angel. He pulled Dawn into his arms and held her all the way to the hospital.

"She'll be fine. The bleeding has stopped and it looks like the wounds have already closed pretty much." The doctor was updating Buffy and Angel on Dawn's condition. Spike hadn't left Dawn's side since they had arrived.

"Can we see her?"

"Of course. She's in room 226." Buffy and Angel made their way to Dawn's room. Spike had dozed off with his head resting on his arm on the bed next to where Dawn lay sleeping.

"He staked Drusilla."

"He said he would do that to prove that he loved me. I thought it was just more posturing on his part. I guess it means a lot for a vampire to stake their sire."

"It does. Staking one's sire is the ultimate sin amongst vampires." Angel paused. "It's also the highest proof of power. That's why I had such a hard time after staking Darla. Of course, if I were still a vamp, tradition would dictate that I challenge him because she was my childe."

"You can't do that." Buffy and Angel looked toward the bed to see Dawn looking at them.

"That would only be if I was still a vamp, Dawnie." Angel smiled. "Or if he hurt you."

"He won't." Dawn was so certain of that fact. She reached her left hand over to touch his head. "He loves me."

"Yes, he does." Buffy was surprised that she was so supportive of this whole thing. "He would give his unlife for you."

"He would." Dawn paused for a moment, concentrating. Then she relaxed against the pillow and smiled. "She finally got through to him. I tried to tell him that she didn't blame him."

In his dreams, Spike said one final goodbye to his first dancing queen, who had left him a long time ago.

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A/N: I know it took a while to put this one out and it is kind of short but I'm getting ready to do massive rewrite on the whole thing after the last episode airs. Thanks anyway.