Part 5
She didn't care if it was raining. A little water never hurt anyone. Dawn was pretty certain that the others would be looking for her before long. Why couldn't these people understand she wasn't a little kid anymore? Okay, so the town was on a Hellmouth and she had run into a fair share of trouble there, but it wasn't like she couldn't take care of herself.
It wasn't like she was asking for something to come and attack her. She just - just didn't need everyone constantly checking she was okay.
Dawn sighed, sitting down on the bench outside the Expresso Pump. She'd lost a sister who had died to save the world. Sometimes she missed Buffy so much it hurt like a physical pain. That didn't mean she wasn't *trying* to get on with her life.
She stood up, wondering where to go when a sleek black Ferrari pulled up beside her. The window rolled down revealing a guy at the driver's wheel. He grinned, showing perfect white teeth. His eyes were startling amber, shining like gems, long black hair framed an attractive face. "Hey, you're look a little - drenched. Want a ride?"
Dawn almost said no. That was the smart thing to do. She hadn't been in the mood for company, and she would just get a lecture for going off with a stranger. Then again, Dawn didn't feel like doing the right thing at the moment. The right thing sucked, big time.
"Yeah, a ride would be great." The passenger door opened and Dawn got in. The car sped off with a screech of tires. "So who are you, anyway?" she asked.
"Gabriel," he answered.
Dawn's eyebrow rose. "You're kidding."
"Hope." He gave her a sly grin. "I ain't no angel, though."
Dawn couldn't help a smile. "Me neither. Dawn."
They stopped at a red light.
"So Dawn, where'd you want to go?"
The last place Dawn wanted to go was home. "Anywhere. I don't care."
* * *
The rain thudded on the roof of the crypt. A dull leaden sound, echoing in the place, making thinking of anything impossible. Then again, there was only one thing Spike thought of these days.
*Her*. How she'd gone and left him, and she would never have the chance to love him. He was alone. And that...hurt. He remembered his break up with Drusilla, how he had begged to die rather than live without her, wanted her to cut his head off "just a small sign to show she'd cared". He'd thought that was the worst he could feel. Only after Buffy's death that pain he'd felt then was now magnified by ten.
He only helped out in her honour. She would maybe even be proud of him if he assisted her friends in fighting the Sunnydale nasties. And Dawn needed someone to watch her back. The kid still managed to get herself into all sorts of trouble and needed rescuing. And he sort of liked playing the hero. He was pretty certain she had a little crush on him.
And speaking of whom, Spike hadn't heard anything in nearly a weak. This was still Sunnydale, right?
It wasn't even like he could go out and feed to ease the pain anymore.
Sighing angrily, Spike reached for the bottle of Vodka sat on the lid of the tomb, only to realise it was empty and tossed it roughly to one side, smashing it.
"Can't I ever get a bloody break?" he muttered, gripping the edge of the tomb.
"So this is what has become of the great William the Bloody. Reduced to mooning over Slayers and having temper tantrums."
Spike turned and the unexpected and unwelcome female voice. He scowled at the purple haired vampire in her tight leather and lace black dress. "Phyre. What the hell are you doing in town?"
"On the search for the new Slayer. Thought I'd stop by." She smirked.
"New Slayer?" Spike asked, faintly interested.
"Yeah, we've got the word she's coming here. You're the current Sunnydale vamp up on the annoying bitches. Know anything?"
Spike's laugh was hollow. "Even if I did, why would I waste my breath telling you? Now get out or get staked. Your choice."
"You always did have a temper, William." Phyre smirked. "And you're still beneath me. I'll see you round." And she left.
Spike scowled. If things weren't bad enough as they were, Phyre had to pick now to return? The stupid bitch still thought she could walk all over him. If Phyre was there, it was a safe bet that Gabriel and Elias would be following shortly.
Maybe it was time he paid a few old friends a visit.
* * *
She didn't care if it was raining. A little water never hurt anyone. Dawn was pretty certain that the others would be looking for her before long. Why couldn't these people understand she wasn't a little kid anymore? Okay, so the town was on a Hellmouth and she had run into a fair share of trouble there, but it wasn't like she couldn't take care of herself.
It wasn't like she was asking for something to come and attack her. She just - just didn't need everyone constantly checking she was okay.
Dawn sighed, sitting down on the bench outside the Expresso Pump. She'd lost a sister who had died to save the world. Sometimes she missed Buffy so much it hurt like a physical pain. That didn't mean she wasn't *trying* to get on with her life.
She stood up, wondering where to go when a sleek black Ferrari pulled up beside her. The window rolled down revealing a guy at the driver's wheel. He grinned, showing perfect white teeth. His eyes were startling amber, shining like gems, long black hair framed an attractive face. "Hey, you're look a little - drenched. Want a ride?"
Dawn almost said no. That was the smart thing to do. She hadn't been in the mood for company, and she would just get a lecture for going off with a stranger. Then again, Dawn didn't feel like doing the right thing at the moment. The right thing sucked, big time.
"Yeah, a ride would be great." The passenger door opened and Dawn got in. The car sped off with a screech of tires. "So who are you, anyway?" she asked.
"Gabriel," he answered.
Dawn's eyebrow rose. "You're kidding."
"Hope." He gave her a sly grin. "I ain't no angel, though."
Dawn couldn't help a smile. "Me neither. Dawn."
They stopped at a red light.
"So Dawn, where'd you want to go?"
The last place Dawn wanted to go was home. "Anywhere. I don't care."
* * *
The rain thudded on the roof of the crypt. A dull leaden sound, echoing in the place, making thinking of anything impossible. Then again, there was only one thing Spike thought of these days.
*Her*. How she'd gone and left him, and she would never have the chance to love him. He was alone. And that...hurt. He remembered his break up with Drusilla, how he had begged to die rather than live without her, wanted her to cut his head off "just a small sign to show she'd cared". He'd thought that was the worst he could feel. Only after Buffy's death that pain he'd felt then was now magnified by ten.
He only helped out in her honour. She would maybe even be proud of him if he assisted her friends in fighting the Sunnydale nasties. And Dawn needed someone to watch her back. The kid still managed to get herself into all sorts of trouble and needed rescuing. And he sort of liked playing the hero. He was pretty certain she had a little crush on him.
And speaking of whom, Spike hadn't heard anything in nearly a weak. This was still Sunnydale, right?
It wasn't even like he could go out and feed to ease the pain anymore.
Sighing angrily, Spike reached for the bottle of Vodka sat on the lid of the tomb, only to realise it was empty and tossed it roughly to one side, smashing it.
"Can't I ever get a bloody break?" he muttered, gripping the edge of the tomb.
"So this is what has become of the great William the Bloody. Reduced to mooning over Slayers and having temper tantrums."
Spike turned and the unexpected and unwelcome female voice. He scowled at the purple haired vampire in her tight leather and lace black dress. "Phyre. What the hell are you doing in town?"
"On the search for the new Slayer. Thought I'd stop by." She smirked.
"New Slayer?" Spike asked, faintly interested.
"Yeah, we've got the word she's coming here. You're the current Sunnydale vamp up on the annoying bitches. Know anything?"
Spike's laugh was hollow. "Even if I did, why would I waste my breath telling you? Now get out or get staked. Your choice."
"You always did have a temper, William." Phyre smirked. "And you're still beneath me. I'll see you round." And she left.
Spike scowled. If things weren't bad enough as they were, Phyre had to pick now to return? The stupid bitch still thought she could walk all over him. If Phyre was there, it was a safe bet that Gabriel and Elias would be following shortly.
Maybe it was time he paid a few old friends a visit.
* * *