The next day, Dawn stayed in her room, recounting the previous day's events in her journal, and, of course, studying her magicks. Finally, at dusk, Buffy came in.
Still hurt from what her sister had said the day before, Dawn commented, not raising her eyes, "Spike's right. Don't you ever knock?"
Buffy sighed. "Dawnie, listen. I'm sorry. It's just that I've been worried about you. You've been so...distant, lately. Dyeing your hair black, always in your room, hanging out with Spike...I just wanted to know if you're upset about something. If you ever need to talk, I'm here. Know that."
Dawn's eyes welled up at her sister's concern. She came across the room and wrapped her arms around Buffy. "I'm fine. My hair...I just wanted something different, and I've just liked being alone lately. Plus, I always hung out with Spike. Why's it barely bothering you now?"
Buffy sighed again. "It isn't. It's just that I know he can't hurt you, with the chip...but when I saw you crying....I don't trust him. I can't. He doesn't have a soul. I guess I just overreacted yesterday. I'm sorry." She hugged Dawn again and left, saying. "I'll be back in a couple of hours."
Dawn smiled, knowing Buffy was no longer angry at her. She walked over to her dresser and stared at her reflection, thinking, I have changed. Even Buffy notices.
She stared at her necklace, reflected back at her, and reached up to touch it. As she watched in the mirror, suddenly her hair lifted on its own accord, as if by an invisible hand, and she felt a cool breeze on her neck. She shrieked and whirled around to see Spike laughing at her.
"Spike," she whispered, breathless. "I-I didn't see you. Well, duh, the mirror..." she trailed off.
"Everything alright, Dawn?" Willow called from downstairs.
"Yeah," Dawn replied loudly through the closed door. "I'm just watching a movie...."
"What are you doing here?" she asked, lowering her voice and turning back to him. "How did you get in?"
He gestured towards the open window.
"Oh..." then, "you came to see me? What about Buffy?"
"What about her?" he asked, stepping closer.
"Well...I thought you loved her," she said, once again becoming flustered by his nearness.
"Remember what I told you? About love being pain?" he was referring to the conversation they had had more than a month ago, when she had gone to see him and realized she was in love with him.
"Yeah," she said, puzzled.
"Well, a fellow can only take so much of it. Now me, I like pain. But why suffer when there's a beautiful. sexy. young. girl," he punctuated his words by stepping closer with each one, "who wants me?" he finished, his voice barely a whisper. He traced the tip of her ear with his tongue, and she gasped.
"I-I-don't," she protested weakly, embarrassed.
"Oh, but you do," he breathed, his voice low and seductive...enticing. He grabbed her hips and pulled her roughly against him, so she could feel his hardness. She whimpered with fear and pleasure. "And I want you."
Then, with lightning speed, he bent his head and pressed his lips to hers. Dawn thought she would die from sheer bliss. If he hadn't been holding her to him, she would have fallen to the floor. She moaned softly, her eyes closed, and Spike pulled her to him even more tightly. When she felt his tongue brushing against her lips, she lifted her arms and entangled her fingers in his hair. It was so soft...she pulled his head down so that his lips could press more firmly against hers, then parted them so that he could invade her mouth with his tongue. As he did, another shock of pleasure rolled through her. His kisses became more savage and he lifted her up against him to carry her over to her bed. He fell onto it, still holding her, then pulled his mouth from hers to pepper he jaw and throat with light kisses. At the absence of his tongue, she opened her eyes, disliking the emptiness she felt.
Seeing Spike on top of her in her bed, she knew she wasn't ready for this. From the feel of him, and what she had learned in Sex Ed, she could tell he was, but she was afraid. She didn't want him to stop, but when she felt one of his hands undoing her jeans and the other go up her shirt, she knew it was enough. "Spike," she whispered. This felt so good she couldn't even speak, but she knew it had to stop. "No," she said, a little louder. At this protest, he looked up. His lips were now at her navel, and see could see where he was going. "Spike, this is...bad" she murmured, still breathless. "I'm not ready."
"I am bad." He flicked his tongue over her stomach, then began to move lower, saying, "And you. know. you love it," pausing occasionally to brush her skin with his lips.
When he began to tug on her unzipped jeans to expose more of her to his mouth, she placed her hands on his head. "No, Spike." She spoke more firmly this time, then, "please."
He paused. Dawn breathed a sigh of relief; if he hadn't stopped then, she couldn't have made him, she wanted him that much. She didn't know it was the "please" that had done it. Didn't know he'd heard countless other girls beg for their lives, for their purity, and that from her, it meant something. If she had, she would have realized how much he cared for her.
He sighed, then crawled slowly back up her body, resting himself on top of her. She noticed that somehow, his leather coat had come off and was tossed haphazardly across the floor. Also that his belt and the top button of his black jeans were undone. She quivered with wanting, wondering if she was making the right choice. He was so hot.
He sat up, his muscled legs planted on either side of her. She glanced down, and seeing that he was still 'up', gasped once more, wriggling against him, hoping to escape, and trying desperately to regulate her breathing.
Seeing the direction of her gaze, he rubbed slowly against her and said in a teasing voice, "All for you, Dawnie," mimicking her nickname.
Knowing that he was enjoying her torment, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to think of what it would be like if she let him have his way. She'd had so many fantasies about this...and even though he had stopped, it didn't mean he had given up.
She jerked when she felt his thumb brush between her thighs and touch her there. "Ohh," she said quietly, opening her eyes.
"Imagine what that would be like without these," he said, gesturing towards her jeans. Dawn bit her lip, trying not to moan again knowing that he really didn't need any encouragement. She looked up to see him studying her face; he seemed captivated by her innocence..by her confusion as these new sensations coursed through her body.
"But," he continued, with a mocking hint of regret, "no means no..."
He leaned down, brushing his lips against hers in the most delicate of kisses, a mere feather of what he had done earlier, and said softly, "Until we meet again, luv..."
Then, in a flash, he had gathered up his coat and was gone, leaving Dawn in wonder.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hey, you all wanted a kiss so much, you softened my hard heart and I relented...I HOPE you're happy. And you can tell me if you are by reviewing!! So review! Hurry! You know you want to!
And to Chelsea, who asked what Dawn would do when she found out about Buffy and Spike...I set this before Smashed, so it hasn't happened yet. I figured Dawn suffers enough in my fic without her having to deal with that, too. I hope that isn't a bad thing!!
Thanx, thanx, thanx! More reviews, please!!