Author: Bitten And Staked

Title: City of Angels - Chapter Three - Soft touch.

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Summary: Dawn finds herself confronted by a Slayer and a vampire when they realise she told her dad that they were dating. Buffy discovers that Spike is putty in her hands and all it takes is a soft touch to get him to come to LA.

Timeline: set in between season 5 and 6, in my alternate world where Buffy didn't die. Spike's crypt is trashed during the final showdown and Dawn convinces Buffy to let him stay since he protected them both.

Series: Part 3 of ?

Pairing: Buffy and Spike. Romance, love and nooky.

Rating: PG13

Disclaimer: everyone else owns Buffy and all associated with her.

Feedback: always welcome so email me - webmaster@talesoftheslayer.com

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Spike looked at her with an air of confusion. "Where do I come into this?"

Buffy turned her frown on Dawn who was edging towards the door. In three strides Spike had caught her arm and was hauling her back into the room.

"Niblet?" Spikes voice was deadly; the thought of having to go to LA sickened him.

"Well, remember the time you answered the phone?" Dawn saw Buffy had moved to stand beside Spike with her arms folded, she didn't look like she had understood what her father had just told her.

"Yes. You two had buggered off out and left me here alone." Spike was confused and it showed.

"Well when I spoke to dad the next day he asked me who you were and why you were living in the house."

"Dawn what did you tell him?" Buffy looked furious.

"I may have panicked and told him you two were an, um, you know." Dawn fidgeted with her shirt, Spikes hand was cold on her arm and it was starting to hurt.

"Spit it out Dawn." Spike stared her down angry as hell at her, she could tell by the fact he had called her Dawn and not a pet name.

"Oww." She retaliated at him and it triggered the chip, sending him reeling backwards and falling onto the couch clutching at his skull.

"Dawn!" Buffys look had turned to pure disgust at her sister's action.

"Sorry, I forgot and you were hurting my arm." She had come to kneel beside him.

Spike had his eyes screwed shut and was rubbing his temples, legs dangling over the arm of the couch.

"S'okay niblet. Didn't mean to hurt you."

"I may have told dad you two were an item. He wanted to know who you were so I told him you're William and you've been going out with Buffy for a few months now."

"Dawn! How could you?" Buffy flopped into the chair opposite them, Spike thought she looked exhausted but it was hard to tell through all the pain rocketing around his brain.

"Buffy, better than saying 'He is actually the undead, a vampire and your daughters are the Slayer and a now defunct key.' Isn't it?" Spike tried to smile but it made little stars appear in front of his eyes.

Buffy appreciated that Spike was trying to make light of the situation, Dawn took this opportunity to sneak towards the door.

"Back before dark niblet. Then you are grounded until Monday missy." Spike did his best to sit up but his head was spinning, so he flopped back down again.

Dawn just smiled at him as she shut the door behind her. Buffy moved to sit on the couch next to where Spike lay, his head practically grazing her thigh. She absentmindedly looked down at him and ran her fingers through his hair.

"You okay?" She tried to hide the concern in her voice but knew he had already picked up on it.

"It'll pass." He lay motionless on the couch with his blue eyes upturned to face her.

"Want some aspirin?" Buffys fingers continued to work his hair into intricate little swirls, it was still wet from his shower this morning and she decided it looked better messed up when his roots were showing.

"Doesn't do much for my brain. Besides you'd leave the couch and what you're doing is making the pain go." He liked the way she weaved her fingers into his hair, it felt intimate like they were both on a level footing. Spike closed his eyes and felt his headache subside under her touch.

"Spike?" Buffy smiled at how relaxed he was just because she was playing with his hair, two months ago she wouldn't have sat within ten feet of him, now she was actually enjoying how her presence made him feel.

"Mmm pet?"

"Come to LA. I know you don't want to and I can't make you but…" She had started rubbing his temples in circular patterns with her warm fingers; he was smiling lazily with his eyes firmly shut.

"I'm driving. If it's okay with my girlfriend that is, Buffy?" Spike grinned like a Cheshire cat and Buffy was actually thankful that he would be happy to go along with this ludicrous charade.

"Thanks William." She planted a kiss on his forehead and stood up.

Spike felt a warm feeling in his stomach and opened his eyes, she was standing looking down at him. Buffy felt a weird familiar warmness in her belly, as he caught her eye it flared up into a small volcano of heat.

"Better now?" She said quietly.

"Think I'm going to have a nap. Dawnster gave me a hell of a headache, you know I didn't mean to hurt her." He stood up slowly and headed towards the door with a slight wobble.

"Have you eaten?" Buffy sounded concerned again but this time had a cover up ready. "Just testing out the concerned girlfriend act." Yeah, all an act.

"No, but I'll be fine. We need to go over some stuff later if you're going to convince your dad."

"What do you mean me? What about you?"

"Buffy, be serious, I know everything about you already. Ask yourself what you know about me?" With that he headed up to the master bedroom.