Spike lied on his back, more out of himself than in. He was half asleep, but a part of him wouldn't let him fall completely asleep. His mind kept traveling to last night.

He had to admit that it actually had been kind of fun hanging with Dawn's friends. They were nice people, and they didn't prejudge him like the Scoobies did.

But then something happened, Dawn's gang had started to get bored, so to kill boredom they decided to play this little game, so innocent yet so harmful, named Truth or Dare.

Flashback -

"Okay, okay, it's Alicia's turn."

The red-head's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Okay... let's see... Dawn, truth or dare?"

Dawn's eyes grew wider. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Not me."

"Oh, come on."

"Yeah, Dawnie, it's just a game."

Dawn sighed. "Okay... truth, no, wait, dare... no, truth. Yeah, truth."

Alicia seemed to think for a moment. "Okay, so we are your friends, so we basically know all about you... so what can I ask you?" a few seconds went by, everybody staring at the girl staring at Dawn. After a moment she yelled. "I know!" everybody jumped. "I got it! I know what we don't know about you," she continued mysteriously. "So, Dawn Summers, are you ready for this?"

"Oh, Alicia, just shoot!" Dawn said, impatiently.

"Ok... Dawn, when did you first did... it?"

Dawn blushed a deep scarlet. "What?!"

"You heard me."

Spike was staring intently at Dawn, who sensed his gaze and turned to meet his eyes, blushing even darker. "I don't think that's any of your business," she tattered.

"Oh, come on, Dawn!"

"Yeah, you gotta tell us!"

Dawn sighed. "You guys don't know him."

"We don't know half of the people in your life," Lucy joined in, "and you still tell us about them."

"Yeah."

"That's true."

Dawn sighed. "Okay, okay. Before I moved here, I was traveling all around the country with this friend in his car," everybody smirked. "Hey, wait! It wasn't with him! Anyway," she continued, "when we arrived to L. A. he really liked it, so we decided to stay for a couple of months... which turned out to be two years. Anyway, we rented this apartment and we started looking for a job. And I knew exactly where I could find one."

Spike looked at Dawn, like searching for something. He didn't like where this was going.

"I've told you guys about my sister's first love, Angel. You remember? Anyway, he and his gang live in L. A., and they have this kind of hotel, so I decided to check it out. I arrived and after everybody recognized me and gave me a tour of the house, we started catching up, you know. So there we were. Angel insisted on calling Buffy like for about a thousand times, but I wouldn't let him. But I'm getting out of the point.

So we were chatting, and suddenly this guy comes in. I was stunned. He wasn't that cute, I mean, he was cute, but it wasn't that what attracted him to me. There was something about him, you know. I looked at him, and I was about to ask Cordelia -one of the girls in the gang - who he was, when suddenly he goes and says 'hey, dad' to Angel!"

Spike's jaw fell open.

"I looked at the guy, then at Angel and then to Cordelia. They saw my surprised expression, so they decided to introduce me. The guy's name was Connor," she said dreamily, "and since that moment we became really, really close. And eventually... well, you know."

"You did it with your sister's ex's son???" Lucy yelled.

"Lucy, shut up!" Dawn said, blushing.

"How old where you?"

"17."

"Gee, Dawn. I can't believe you. I wouldn't have ever thought it!" Darren said.

"Would you guys shut up?" she said, but she was laughing.

Soon, everybody was laughing.

Everybody, but Spike.

Dawn noticed and shot him a look. But he didn't return it. He just stood up and walked away, muttering some good-byes to her friends and some lame excuse.

*End of Flashback*

Spike hadn't talked to Dawn since. He was shocked. And something else... jealous? No, of course not. He wasn't jealous of the bloody son of the bloody Poof. Why would he? Because he was the one and first to have her? Of course not.

He wasn't jealous at all... was he?

Suddenly, a loud knock got him out of his track of thoughts. He was grateful for a moment, before realizing who was the only one who knew where he lived.

He sat up lazily, before yelling. "Come in, Nibblet."

She came in shyly, her long hair swinging from one side to the other, shining with the shadows.

"How did you know it was me?"

"Well, I don't suppose you've told your friends what I really am and where I live, have you?"

Dawn nodded, embarrassed. "Right."

They stood like there, without saying anything.

"So," Spike said after a moment, "at what do I owe this honor?"

Dawn shook her head, as if clearing her thoughts. "Oh, right. You worried me."

"Did I?"

"Yes. Last night. The way you just left."

Spike was now standing up and walking towards her.

"Yeah, well. I had stuff to do."

Dawn rolled her eyes, avoiding his gaze. "Yeah, right. Like you have a life -unlife- in this town. You didn't back in Sunnydale when the entire dead population knew you, I don't think you have it here."

"Shut up, Lil'Bit. You don't know anything."

"Gee, we're moody tonight," she said, rolling her eyes.

She turned around and went to sit on the couch. "I'm sorry if my concern is a bother."

"Well I didn't think you'd bloody care if I left," he said, a bit hostile.

"And why wouldn't I?" she said, looking at him.

"You seemed too busy telling your little friends about how you hooked up with the bloody son of the Poof."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Spike. Don't tell me you're mad about it. It's not like I slept with Angel."

Spike's eyes widened at the idea. Dawn almost sighed, but stopped as something came to her mind. Something Lucy had said last night, when they had arrived at their dorm. Dawn was complaining about something, and she sighed.

"Don't sigh," Lucy had said.

"Why not?"

"Every time you sigh, it's a kiss not given."

"That's crap."

"Really," Lucy said, raising an eyebrow, "how many times have you sighed lately?"

That had left Dawn thinking, because she had had sighed a lot. But it couldn't been for Spike's cause... right?

"You... you didn't, did you?" Spike said, his eyes still round as plates.

Dawn blushed. "Of course not!" she shivered. "Ew."

Spike was relieved.

"So, why did you really leave?"

"I was bored."

Dawn was a little hurt. "I thought we were having a good time."

"Yeah. You and your friends were. I bloody wasn't. In case you hadn't noticed, Nibblet, Truth or Dare isn't exactly my kind of game."

Dawn let her chin rest on her hand. "Yeah. How stupid of me to think you'd have fun with us." She shrugged, standing up and walking towards the door. "Guess I was just trying to include you in my life."

Whatever Spike was expecting, it hadn't been that.

Dawn had started to leave, when Spike's voice stopped her.

"Why?"

She turned around, confused. "Why, what?"

"Why would you want me to be a part of your life?"

Dawn shrugged. "I don't know." She sighed, totally forgetting Lucy's words. "I guess, you're my friend, so I wanted you to meet my other friends."

"You never introduced me to your friends back in Sunnyhell."

"That was different."

"How?"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "First, you were too busy sleeping with my sister."

"I would've found some time for you if you had asked."

"And besides, Buffy would've killed me. I wasn't aloud to be your friend."

"And you are now," he said, kind of coldly.

"Yes." She breathed. "We are friends, aren't we?"

Spike walked closer to her looking for her eyes, but Dawn kept avoiding his gaze.

Spike couldn't take it anymore, he had to let it out. "Is that what we just are?"

That caused Dawn to look at him. "What do you mean?"

But when Spike didn't answer, she started to walk away again... slightly disappointed.

"Okay," she whispered under her breath, but Spike heard nonetheless, making him wonder...

But when Dawn was about to open the doorknob, she stopped, turning around.

"Spike, I-" she started. Spike looked at her, waiting. She sighed once again and shook her head. "Forget it. It isn't important."

But before she could give another step, Spike grabbed her arm, making her face him.

"No, Dawn," he told her. "Tell me."

"Spike, really," she said, a bit nervous out of his closeness, "it wasn't anything."

Spike didn't push it anymore, but he couldn't let her go just like that. They had been too close...

He grabbed Dawn's arm when she just had taken one step out of the crypt.

She turned around, confusion in her blue eyes.

"What?"

Spike pulled her in again. "Why you never told me that you had slept with Peaches' son?" he asked, softly, without letting her arm go. "I mean, if we're friends, I should've known, right?"

Dawn looked down. "You never brought the subject up," she muttered.

"Like I was bloody going to ask."

"Spike," she said, very aware of the presence of his cold hand on her arm, "it's not such a big deal."

"I dunno, bit," he said, finally letting go. "But the impression you gave me tonight, was that you didn't want me to know."

Dawn frowned. "Spike, that's ridiculous."

"Then, why didn't you want to tell?"

"Because it's private!"

"Well, they bloody know half of your life, don't they? Otherwise your soddin' friend wouldn't have asked! Of course they don't know the other part of your life."

"What part?"

"The part where you're a mystical key that opens hell dimensions portals, the part where you're sister is a vampire slayer and was brought back to death, the part in which two real life witches lived with you.... the part in which I'm a vampire!"

"Of course they don't! That's why I moved away from Sunnydale. I wanted to get away from all that."

"Away from me?"

"No, Spike! I even went to say good-bye to you, didn't I? I wanted to get away from the whole Hell Mouth thing, where I had the risk of being eaten every night!"

"And the son of a vampire was much more calmer than that!" he said, hotly.

"Spike, stop it!" she said. Tears had started to form in her eyes. "Why are you acting like this? I don't wanna fight with you."

Spike turned around, not wanting to see her. "Oh, why would you bloody care?"

"Because I care of you. Because you're my friend. Why wouldn't I, Spike? You've been there for me since forever. Every time I needed you, you were there. Like with Glory, you didn't have to go through all that, too, but you did. That's why I care."

Spike turned around again. If he continued doing this, he would get dizzy. He looked into Dawn's eyes. They were watery, and a small, shiny tear was rolling down her cheek.

He brushed it away with his thumb. "I asked it already, but I'm gonna ask again: are we just friends, Dawn?"

She looked in his eyes. "I don't know what you mean." That was a lie, she knew exactly what he meant, but she was too scared to say anything.

"No, you do. You know what I mean, Dawn. I know you're not stupid. So answer me!"

"I- I," she tattered. "I don't know."

"Well," he said, coming closer to her, "guess there's just one way of finding out."

He walked closer to her, closing the little gap between them.

And then, with no advice, just like that, he leaned down and kissed her.