Title: Forgiving Evil
Chapter Three: Master Of Forgiveness
(see chapter one for more detail)
Dawn hurried home from her job at the Magic Box on Friday afternoon and ran straight to her room. She changed into her 'slaying clothes' and quickly pulled her hair into a ponytail. After expertly hiding a few stakes on her body, she grabbed her keys and ran back out the front door. As she reached the cemetery the sun was setting and she cursed herself for being so slow. With the crypt in view she sped up and came to an abrupt stop at the door. Politely, she knocked and entered when she heard a British voice invite her in.
"Hey Nibblet." He said without turning around to see her.
"Cool. How'd you know it was me?" she asked.
"Well, apart from the fact that I invited you here, I can smell you." He turned around to face her and she noticed the tears in his eyes that he tried to hide.
"That's really creepy, Spike." She said as she withheld her own tears. After a moment of silence she dropped the act and ran into his arms, hugging him tightly. He returned the embrace, letting the tears come.
"I missed you, Platelet." He said.
"I missed you, too." She pulled back to look at him. "Never leave again, you hear me? Never."
He chuckled and sat down on the couch. "We'll have to ask your sister about that one."
Dawn nodded in a silent agreement and took a seat next to him on the couch. "So, where've you been all summer?"
"Did some soul searching." He laughed and she looked at him in confusion. "Okay," he took a deep, unneeded breath, "After that night in the bathroom with your sister, I realized what a monster I was. I ran out, came back to my crypt, and I convinced myself that it was the chip making me love her. I told myself that nothing was right, and that it was all because of the chip."
"So you got the chip out?" she asked, unafraid.
"No. I thought I was going to, but it turned out a little differently. I went to Africa and sought out this demon that grants your heart's desire, one wish. So I'm in this cave with him and he tells me I have to pass all these bloody trials. I say bring it on, right? Next thing I know there are flaming fists and bug and…" Dawn's nose scrunched up in disgust "…other things. When it was all finished, I was still standing, figuratively speaking, and I got my wish. I asked that he make me what I was, give me what I want, so Buffy can get what she deserves. Then he stuck his hand in my chest and I lit up like a bleedin' firefly and I got-"
"Your soul."
"Yup. That's about it."
"That's so awesome! I knew you wouldn't leave for no reason, and now I get why you didn't say good-bye. 'Cause you got your soul! Ahh! You are so much cooler than Angel." She smiled and hugged her friend.
"Nibblet, I want you to promise me something."
"Sure, what is it?"
"Promise me you won't tell Buffy about the soul. If I'm gonna fix things with her, I don't want it to be about that. I want it to be real."
"No prob sugarbob." Dawn answered.
"Sugarbob?" he asked.
"It's… a thing. Don't ask."
"Okay. Well, I have something for you." He reached into his duffel bag and pulled out a necklace and a box. He handed her the necklace. "I got the necklace in Nigeria. Nothin' special." He held up the box. "Now this is something special."
Dawn took the small wooden box in her hands, and she felt a sense of power. She ran her fingers over the carved words and pictures, not understanding what they all meant. But it was really pretty.
Spike explained, "I was passing through a small village in… I don't even know where… and I heard about this legend that circulated the area. It was about a God who was sentenced to live in our world because of her cruelty. She shared her body with her alter ego, a man. This God searched for a way back to her world, but could not accomplish it without the Key. This tribe hoped to capture the key and keep it in this special box, where the God could not find it."
"Wow." The box fascinated Dawn. "All this for little old me? Cool! Thanks Spike."
Spike was relieved when she liked his presents. He could only hope that Buffy would be so understanding. When Dawn finally looked up from her box she saw the look on Spike's face.
"Spike, don't worry about Buffy. She's really not mad at you, just really confused. Just tell her what you told me and I'm sure she'll forgive you."
"Does that mean you forgive me?"
"Yup. All hail Dawn, Master of Forgiveness."
For the next hour they talked about Tara's death, Willow's descent into black magic and Xander's rescue. Spike still couldn't believe it was the Whelp who saved the day. Dawn looked at her watch and realized it was already eight o'clock.
"Spike, I gotta go. I don't want Buffy to worry." Spike offered to walk her home, but she declined. She liked the feel of power when she walked through the cemetery alone… and armed. As she left Spike watched her go, but when she was out of sight he went back into the crypt. He only had a little while to practice begging for forgiveness.
Author's Note: c'mon… you know you wanna review…