Willow, Xander, and Dawn stand boggled in the living room, confused with the events of the moments past. Mya has shut the door behind her, without even telling them a bit of what had just occurred. She left them, to stew in their juices. They look at each other wondering what just happened.
"What just happened?" Xander asks.
"I-I don't know." Dawn replies.
"Maybe we should get Buffy." Willow suggests.
Just as Willow finishes her suggestion, Buffy walks down the stairs while an uncomfortable Spike follows her. Dawn walks up to Buffy, angrier than ever.
"Buffy, what's going on?" Dawn asks, furiously.
"Why did Mya leave?" Willow adds.
"She's an unnecessary risk. We had to let her go." Buffy answers vaguely.
"That is so not true!" Dawn bursts out.
"Dawnie. . ." Buffy says calmly.
"You're scared of her! You think that she's trying to take your place." Dawn rants.
"Dawn!" Buffy reprimands her.
Dawn glares at Buffy. She knows what Buffy did. Dawn thinks that Buffy is trying to take all the people that she likes away from her. First Spike, and now Mya. They were the only people that hadn't babied her. Mya and Spike both think of Dawn as an adult, not a child as all the others think. Dawn can relate to them, they listen to her. Buffy doesn't want anyone to by happy unless it involves her. Buffy HAS to be the center of attention, Dawn thinks.
"Think before you speak." Buffy states.
"I know what I am saying. Don't try to stop me!" Dawn growls.
"Dawn!" Buffy shouts.
Dawn glares at Buffy one last time before she heads for her bedroom. She clomps up the stairs and slams the door so hard behind her; it makes everyone in the living room cringe. Everyone falls silent. No one has the courage to stand up for Dawn.
Spike feels the urge to run after his Niblet as he has always done. He wants to tell her the truth; Buffy shouldn't be blamed for Mya's absence. She did what she had to do. Mya had left without anyone's consent. She wasn't provoked, or tempted, she just did. Buffy only needs to worry about the mission. Her mission. But he can't just stay silent. He needs to get it off his chest. His best friend had left him once again, but this time she chose to leave.
Spike can't take it anymore; he has to tell Dawn. He turns around and flies up the stairs. No one can stop him from saving his Niblet.
"Spike . . ." Buffy calls, but she doesn't get a response.
Spike knocks on the door of Dawn's room. She doesn't response, so he tries again.
"Niblet, it's me." Spike says.
After a few seconds, Dawn opens the door. She can still see the anger in her eyes and the pain on her face. She lets him into the room. It's been awhile since he's been in there. He can't remember the last time he was here. They sit at opposite ends of the bed, awkwardly.
"Dawn," Spike says.
Dawn is caught off guard. She can't remember the last time that he had called her by her real name. He always had nicknames for her, Dawnie, Niblet, Lil' Bit.
"It wasn't Buffy's fault." Spike finishes.
"Spike, don't try to defend her. I know what –"
"She left." Spike interrupts.
"What?" Dawn gasps.
"She left. She packed her own bags and she left. She chose to leave. She thought it was the best thing to do." Spike tells Dawn.
"Why?" Dawn asks.
Spike hesitates. He thinks about the way he was going to tell Dawn what happened. He doesn't know how to put it. He can't think straight, so he just lets it leak.
"She – She lied to us." Spike says.
"What did she lie about?" Dawn asks.
"Niblet . . . she doesn't have . . . a – a soul." Spike stammers.
A gasp escapes from Dawn's mouth. She couldn't believe it. Mya lied to her. But most of all, she lied to Spike. The woman, in who he confided, did the worst possible thing to hurt him. Dawn looks over at Spike and she sees his head sulking and staring at his feet.
"Spike, it's gonna be ok." Dawn helps.
"You know, the first time she left I didn't think that I'd make it, you know without her. I did, though. But the second time, Dawnie, I won't be able to make it. I just won't." Spike whispers.
"Don't say that. I'll be here for you." Dawn says.
Spike looks over at Dawn, and he finally felt forgiven. For the first time in months, Dawn had actually helped him. He hadn't been able to speak to Dawn after the night he left, after he tried to rape Buffy. Dawn wouldn't even be in the presence of him, she couldn't stand the sight of Spike. But tonight, Spike feels as if he was forgiven, by Dawn. She agrees to help him; she agrees to be there for him. An act that Spike would never have thought that Dawn would carry out, after that dreaded night. But she did, she tells him before his very eyes. This time, the tables have turned. Dawn was going to be Spike's savior.