Dawn blinked slowly and sat up. She was in Spike's crypt, on his couch. Looking around, she saw no one. "Sp-spike?" she called out tentatively in the quiet room.
She heard a rustling sound from behind her and turned to see Spike standing with his back to her, fiddling with something. He glanced up at her. "Well, you're awake," he said, coming over. He sat beside her a placed a hand on her shoulder. "So, I'm guessing you weren't just throwing a fit for the hell of it. Wanna tell me what happened?"
Despite his unsympathetic words, his voice was gentle, and filled with concern. She leaned against him, surprisingly at ease. "I-it was Robert," she whispered. "He-he said he'd give me a ride, and we were walking and he....he kissed me." She felt Spike stiffen. "So, I told him no, and that it was wrong, and he wouldn't stop. So, I...made him. It-it was so scary Spike. I didn't think he was like that, that he would hurt me...I didn't know..."
She buried her head in his chest as he stroked her hair. When he still didn't say anything, she looked up at him and saw rage and compassion in his eyes. She could tell he was torn between the two emotions; nothing but hate and fury for Robert, and nothing but empathy and concern for her.
"D-don't tell Buffy,' she pleaded. "She-"
"I won't. 'S ok, Nibblet," he place a soft kiss on her forehead. It was so gentle that she wasn't even surprised by it.
He held her for what seemed like hours, but his strong arms were so protecting, so reassuring, that she felt no desire to leave. Finally, he said, "Nibblet,'s getting late. I think I oughta get you home. Big sis'll have a fit."
"Can't, can't I just stay here, Spike? I...what if Buffy finds out?"
"Nibblet, y' know the Slayer would stake me good and proper if she found you here. Always suspecting the worst, that one is..."
Dawn turned her head sadly and Spike paused.
"Flip on the TV, luv," he said after a brief moment. "Passions is on."
Now that Dawn felt better, awkwardness settled in. She could tell that the bleached blonde vamp didn't even notice the fact that his arm was around her, but it seemed to be all that she could think about. Cursing her continually blushing cheeks, she moved to the opposite end of the sofa.
"S'matter, luv?" he asked, his cockiness returning, an evil gleam in his eye. "Bein' so close to the big bad got you all hot'n bothered?" He grinned wickedly at her. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, pet. I do have that affect on most women..."
Willing herself not to blush, Dawn looked determinedly back at him while thinking, Women? He called me a woman!!
Forcing herself not to act as naive and stupid as she felt, she said, trying to match his grin and respond to his obvious flirtations, "I wasn't uncomfortable. I just thought you were."
Then, taking a deep breath and gulping, not believing what she was about to do, she asked, "If I were uncomfortable, would I be able to do this?"
With that, she moved back over to his side of the sofa and slowly placed her leg over him to straddle him. Standing on her knees, she placed her hands on his shoulders and grinned down at him, holding her breath, waiting for his reaction and praying that her insecurities didn't show on her face.
What am I doing? she asked herself. I'm flirting with Spike? She was amazed at her own bravado. Breathe, Dawn, breathe. And whatever you do, don't blush. Oh, god, oh god, he's sooo hot. He's gonna think I'm an idiot. He could do so much better than me...and when did I get this brave? Once more, she blamed her newfound confidence on her hair.
"Well, it's a good thing you aren't uncomfortable, Nibblet...because if you were..." he place his hands on her hips, fully aware of her quickened breaths. "Then you'd never be able to handle this..."
Once his hands touched her, he could see the pulse in her neck begin to race and for a moment he had to work to control the urge to vamp out and sink his fangs into her beautiful throat. But his carnal lust won out over his blood lust and he smiled, pleased at the affect he was having on her, knowing she was unaware of the affect that she was having on him.
He pulled her down so that she was actually on his lap, and Dawn licked her lips apprehensively, thinking, Spike? Spike actually wants to do things like this to me? Me??
Now that she was actually sitting on his lap, his hands gripping her...legs, she felt something hard poke into to front of her jeans and her eyes widened. She tried to crawl off of him but he didn't let her go. When she wriggled like that on top of him, he had to bite his tongue to keep from moaning aloud.
"Spike..." she squeaked.
"Yeah, baby?" he purred, his voice husky.
Dawn felt her stomach clench and she inhaled sharply. Baby? Spike had called her baby? And that voice...oh, god she wanted to melt. She felt the area between her legs moisten and her protests died in her throat. She wanted him so much...
Just as Spike, his eyes filled with hunger, leaned forward, and Dawn closed her eyes in unbelieving ecstasy, the door to the crypt burst open. Horrified, Dawn leapt off of Spike's lap and looked up to see her sister, who, thankfully, hadn't noticed anything.
"H-hi, Buffy," her voice wavered. "Me and Spike were just hanging out, watching TV...what's up?" she asked in a panicked voice.
"Y' know, Slayer," Spike said in an agitated voice. "There's this thing some people do...I believe it's called knocking. Ever tried it?"
"Shut up, Spike. I was looking for Dawn, and now I can see she's here..so, search over. Come on Dawn. It's getting late. And what's with your eyes? Have you been crying? What did you do Spike?" she asked, her eyes flaring.
"Oh, righ'. Everything's my bloody fault now, isn't it? For your information, Slayer, the little bint and I were watching Passions, season finale. It's a very emotional show, y' know.."
"Right," she said in a hard voice. "If you said something to her..."
"It-it wasn't him, Buffy," Dawn interrupted. "It was the show." She grinned embarrassedly to prove her point. "I can be such a sap sometimes."
"Oh, ok then," Buffy said, taken aback. "Well, let's go then."
"Bye, Spike!" Dawn called, waving cheerfully, trying to sound like her usually chirpy self so as not to arouse Buffy's suspicions.
"So," Buffy asked, once they had exited the cemetery. "You were here the whole time?" Buffy glanced sideways at her sister, noticing that Dawn was almost a full inch taller than she was.
"No...shopping and stuff," the younger of the Summers girls replied absently, thinking of Spike back in the crypt, and what might have happened of Buffy hadn't shown up. I almost kissed Spike. It actually happened! He was gonna kiss me! She gave a little hop, startling Buffy.
"Dawn, I don't know if you should be hanging out in a cemetery so much...it isn't healthy," she said as they walked.
"You do," muttered Dawn, turning towards her sister. "You seem perfectly fine to me."
"I-I don't wasn't you around Spike all the time. He's a bad influence."
"Well, maybe I like Spike," Dawn countered, her voice rising. "Maybe it isn't your decision."
"What do you mean, not my decision? Dawn, I'm just trying to protect you."
"I'm not a little girl anymore, I don't need protection. I can take care of myself better than you think. Spike is...my friend, and you can't take that away."
"Dawn," Buffy started, her voice almost as loud as her sister's. "You-"
But Dawn cut her off. "Whatever. You can't control me." Her voice was filled with barely suppressed rage as she gritted her teeth and her eyes held something dangerous inside of them.
Buffy felt a chill, not sure why, but then it was gone as Dawn turned and sprinted the rest of the way to their house.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Hey, I hope everyone liked this chap.. I know the last one kinda sucked...depressing and all....well, please R&R and tell me what you think!!