Severed Ties

Chapter 30

Shallow Cuts

June 14th, 2002

Late night patrol

"Buffy, down!" Faith shouted and the blonde slayer didn't hesitate to comply. The pipe whooshed over her head and Buffy countered, ramming her elbow into the vampire's gut. He dropped the weapon, doubling over in pain and she followed up with a leg sweep that put him onto his back. Not wasting time, she slammed the stake home and watched the yellow eyes widen before bursting into soot and ash. She brushed the residual dust away from her eyes, coughing a bit as she stood up.

"Not bad, B, but you know you're cuttin' it close. He almost took your head off with that pipe there."

Buffy shrugged and walked away from the scene not looking back to see if Faith was behind her. "I got the job done," she said and slid the stake into the band of her jeans. "No big."

"No big? B, if it wasn't for my big ass mouth, that vamp would've been playin' cricket with that noggin of yours. And your brat of a sister would whine me to death, not to mention that blondie boy of yours; he'd find a way to kill me even with that chip lodged into his skull."

At the mention of Spike, something in Buffy's stomach clenched and she bit down on her lip to prevent a sob from escaping. It had been four days since Spike had shown up at Casa Summers and been unceremoniously cast aside. Four days since Buffy's heart, ripped and shredded, had slunk behind the near impenetrable wall of her slayer spirit. She hadn't cried since she had watched him walk away and any mention of him was met with casual indifference. She was not going to let him break her heart. And if she went to him now and welcomed him back into her arms, it would only be a matter of time before he'd lose interest and do it again. After all, he was a demon.

"Earth to Buffy," Faith said and snapped her fingers in Buffy's face.

"You don't have to get all up-close and personal," Buffy said, slapping her sister slayer's hand away.

"Well I wouldn't have to if you didn't go all Slayer Space Cadet on me." When she didn't respond, Faith jumped in front of Buffy and she gave the brunette an annoyed glare.

"Do you mind?" Buffy asked and put her hands on her hips.

"In fact," the other slayer said and mimicked Buffy's pose, "I do mind."

"Well, you're young," Buffy muttered and swerved around Faith, "you'll get over it."

Faith grabbed Buffy's arm and the blonde cocked her fist back, ready to strike but the surprise in Faith's brown eyes was enough to shock her back to reality. She pulled her arm away and lowered her head, refusing to let Faith see the confusion and fear that hid behind her hazel jewels.

"Are we back to that now, B?" Faith whispered and the hurt was unmistakable in her usually confident tone. "Damn, thought we were better than that."

"Well you thought wrong," Buffy spat and stalked away with false certainty. She walked faster when she heard Faith jogging up behind her.

"It's not gonna work, B."

Buffy sighed. "I know it won't. Cause, already, two minutes in and you talking in riddles is getting old."

"You know what I'm talkin' about," Faith said and cut her off again.

"I know that the brunette roadblock routine is really getting old. Don't you have a job as, oh I don't know, a Chosen One?"

Faith laughed and Buffy stepped back, unprepared for that particular reaction. Faith slid her fingers through her hair and glanced up at the sky, puffing out a weary breath before she found Buffy's gaze. "Are you gonna ever talk to him?"

Fire spread through Buffy's chest and she consciously stilled her hand that wanted to push away the pain still inside her. She tried to put on the cloak of indifference--hell, she'd done it for the past week--but it was too late. Faith saw the chink and she pounced on it like some blood starved vampire.

"He still loves you." Buffy laughed and it sounded forced, even to her. She looked at Faith and the compassion in the other woman's eyes was almost enough to undo her. She inhaled sharply, and sat down on the nearest headstone.

"Doesn't matter," she whispered and Faith plopped down next to her.

"Why not?"

"Cause, he's a demon, a vampire. It's in his nature to be bad and it'll only be a matter of time before he does something worse…something to…"

"Something to what, B?"

"Something to make me kill him. That chip's not gonna last forever and when it goes the way of the hula hoop, he's gonna be right back to looking at humans as nothing more than 'Happy Meals with legs'."

"That's bullshit, B and you know it."

Buffy was taken aback at the vehemence in the other woman's voice and too a few moments to right herself. "If you think that much of what I have to say, then why are we sitting here…" Buffy started to rise but stopped when Faith lightly touched her hand.

"B," Faith said and there was no mistaking the pleading in her tone. Buffy capitulated, making a show of it, concealing the way her legs had started shaking at Faith's outburst.

"Listen, B, saying that we've never been close is kinda/sorta the understatement of the, well, of the Hellmouth."

"I'll say…"

"And though we may never be buddy-buddy like you and that Red head Wicca lover of yours, I think we can…"

"We can what, Faith?" Buffy said and stood up. Her heart was racing and Faith's words and actions, so unlike the brunette bad ass, unsettled Buffy more with each passing second. "You think we can go to the mall, try on each other's clothes? How about we sit in bed and eat ice cream, dishing about our guy problems. I'm pretty sure that as much as you've gone after my men, you'll have something to say."

The pain returned to Faith's eyes but it was quickly covered with understanding. "It's not gonna work, B. You ain't gonna set me off with that barbed tongue of yours. If prison's taught me one thing that's to look past the talk and go for the real meaning. Well, that and watch for the bitches that lick their lips when you walk by."

An unbidden chuckle escaped Buffy's lips and she sat back down next to the other woman. They said nothing for a few minutes, allowing a comfortable silence to fall over them. Buffy gazed at the partly cloudy sky; she could still make out Orion's Belt, Cassiopeia and a few other constellations that she couldn't remember the names of. Spike had taught her their names one warm December night. They had fuc…been intimate on top of the crypt and lay there for hours afterwards. It had been one of the few times she had let Spike hold her. That night she had felt like they were a real couple…and it had scared the shit out of her.

"You still love him, Buffy," Faith said and at the sound of her full name, Buffy whirled around. "Don't deny it. You can give everyone this tough girl attitude and they might buy it but I sure as hell don't. Shit, I'm the queen of tough talk to hide the shit I don't want nobody to know. And I know you're hurtin', B, hurtin' real bad."

Buffy shrugged. "It's not like I shouldn't have expected it. After all…"

" 'He's a demon'. Yeah, whatever. You say you should've expected it, B, but the real bitch is that you didn't expect it." Buffy's shoulder's slumping was her answer and Faith took it as such. "You say these things about what you expect from Spike but they're only words; in truth, you trust him and expect him not to hurt you."

"Yeah," Buffy murmured. "Real bright."

"No," Faith countered, "Real human. And for all your talk, that's what you see Spike as and you know what? That's how you should."

"Are you forgetting the lumpies he gets? The slight allergy to the sun? The pointy teeth?"

"Doesn't matter, B. Spike may be the walking dead--or, undead, I guess--but he's more human than ninety-five percent of the swine that inhabit this floating rock we live on. And if I know that, then you sure as hell do.

"What Spike did, Buffy had nothing to do with him being a vampire. That was just him being an ass and thinking with his dick. And as pissed as I am at him for doing that to you--as much as I wanna pummel him for hurtin' my girl, I know he's sorry, B. I may not have offered him much support the other day but I could see how bad he ached from hurtin' you. Even more, I see how much his absence is affectin' everyone. Not just you but Jay and Dawnie are hurtin big time. They put Spike on this pedestal where he could do no wrong and when he shows that he is human--more or less--they don't know what to do. You have to help 'em with that."

"What can I do?" Buffy whispered.

"Everyone's waiting for your lead, B. Hell, even that cutie pie of Willow's is waiting for the green light to do the empathetic comforting'."

Buffy didn't reply and she tumbled Faith's words over in her head. She was right; Jay and Dawn were both obvious in their pain. In fact, the former had disappeared for two days after the initial revelation, complete with a new tattoo and several piercings. She was up and down; often blowing up at the gang for the smallest things while Buffy had heard her crying when Jay thought no one was around. She'd tried to comfort her but Jay would only pull away, making herself scarce for another hour or two.

Dawn, when she was around, treated Buffy like a goddess and it made the slayer uncomfortable. Her doting reminded Buffy of that first night back from the grave where Dawn led her around, making sure she was taken care of. She knew her little sister meant well but it was often a relief to her when Dawn would go out with CJ. Although Buffy was still leery about the young man, she couldn't deny his positive effect on the teen and Buffy vowed to have a chat with the two young people soon.

When Faith stood, stretching her arms to the sky, Buffy realized she had purposely drifted off from the real problem: Spike. Even the thought of his name was accompanied with the feel of being gutted. Seeing him in another woman's arms--a woman much prettier than her--had crippled Buffy's confidence and she didn't know how she could face him without it. He loved her because she was strong, Buffy knew that much. How would he be if she went to him and fell apart? He'd probably placate her with false words and, yeah, he may try to make an effort to make it work but in the end, he'd leave her. They always did.

"I think it's time to go, B, don't you think?"

The slayer shook her head. "Nah, not yet." She smiled at Faith and it almost reached her eyes. "No way in hell I'm gonna let you out do me tonight."

The brunette bounced on the balls of her feet with a renewed vigor. "Well, we still got half the night; think you can make up the three dust deficit in that time?"

"Damn straight," Buffy said and brushed off her jeans.

"Then whatcha waitin' for? Let's get crackin!" Faith shot off into the darkness, a blur of leather and attitude. Buffy swiveled her neck from side to side before taking off after the other woman. As her legs carried her through the cemetery, Buffy couldn't help but realize the truth in the brunette's words. She did expect Spike to be there for her, not to hurt her. She didn't look at him as a vampire but a man. And as a man she loved, he had the keys to her heart and regardless of his love for her, he would hurt her. There was no way around that. The thing she had to understand was that people that loved you hurt you all the same as those that didn't love you. The difference was that it took much less for someone in your heart to cause pain. In the grand scheme of things, it was only a kiss. But that kiss had cut Buffy deeper than any betrayal she could remember. It may have been a shallow cut, but Buffy Summers knew all about those.

They always ran deepest.

~~~

Stars danced behind Spike's closed lids when his head slammed against the unforgiving concrete pillar. When he opened his eyes, feral crystals stared at him, replacing the usual brown orbs that accompanied Peaches' holier than though glower.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't bash your face in."

Spike wiped the back of his hand against his lips and stared at the blood that tainted his alabaster flesh. His eyes met Angel's and the blonde slowly ran his tongue along his blood-coated knuckles. As he suspected, the ensouled one pushed him away in disgust.

"Knew that'd get you," Spike said and slid down to the floor, his legs no longer able to maintain the weight of fatigue and guilt. Angel's boots clicked against the crypt floor and Spike forced his eyes up. He wasn't disappointed at the contempt-filled sneer that greeted him and it didn't take much hypothesizing to know that Angelus was uncomfortably close to the surface. Course bein' all souled up as he was, the ponce wouldn't do much at all. He'd talk tough, throw a few punches but nothing that the slayer hadn't done to him last year. Hell, Peaches probably wouldn't even break the skin.

"Did you hear me?" Angel growled and Spike refocused. He hadn't slept in four days, prowling the cemeteries at night and the sewers by day, trying to find the bitch that had ruined his unlife. Well, that and the small fact that he was desperately trying to avoid any of the Scoobies. He couldn't face them, not after the last meeting. How they had glared at him…how his Bitlet had ran out without another word. They didn't even listen to what he had to say…just…

"So what do you have to say Spike?" His eyes widened at Angel's question and he realized he'd spoken aloud. Angel approached, hands clasped behind his back and stopped a foot from where Spike had his knees drawn up.

"Don't make me repeat myself, William."

"Oh, sod off, Peaches." For some reason, the use of his given name had struck the wick of his ire and Spike sprang to his feet. He stood toe to toe with the larger man, fists balled at his sides. "What do you want, anyway?"

Something in his voice must have resounded with the brunette because Angel's eyes softened. "Why'd you do it, Will? I know what happened when Hank was there, what Buffy said. But were you hurt that bad--was your pride so damaged that you had to hurt her, get even with her?"

"You don't get it, do you Peaches?" Spike shook his head and turned away, his anger fading as he remembered the icy hazel glare he last saw four days ago. "When it comes to her, I have no soddin pride. Yeah, I was 'urt that she didn't think I was good enough to listen to but not enough to get back at 'er. Bloody fuck, Angel, she nearly beat me to death in an alley a few months ago! If anything, I'd 'ave gotten 'er back for that."

"No you wouldn't, Will," Angel whispered. "You can take pain, you can take punishment but when someone hurts your heart, that's when you hurt back."

"You should know," he mumbled and Angel turned away, shame clouding his eyes.

"Yeah, I should. And after all the…things I did to you those first few years, the only times you really tried to kill me were the times when I cut you with my words."

Wasn't that the truth! After the first few weeks of physical torment, Spike had grown used to the pain but words? He'd never been able to block them out, turn off his emotions. He'd done it then and he'd done it recently…but he'd never…

"I'd never fool around on Buffy, Peaches, never." He walked over to the sarcophagus and leaned on it. He laid his head against the cool stone and stared at the ceiling. The sting behind his eyes refused to dissipate but he wouldn't let them fall. Not in front of the poof. He'd run out at noon completely starkers before he did that.

"So what did Buffy see? Did she just, I don't know, imagine it all." Spike nearly laughed at Angel's turnaround. All sympathy was gone from his voice and back was the accusatory tone of Buffy's knight in shining bloody armor. And poofy hair.

"I'm not Buffy," he replied indignantly, "so I don't know what she saw." Spike doubled over when the knee slammed into his stomach and his spine shivered when a powerful hand cuffed him in the back of the neck. Angel grabbed the collar of his duster, yanking him backwards and Spike looked into the face of white-hot rage.

"Don't you ever sass me like that again, boy."

"Or you'll what?" Angel's hand slammed across Spike's eyes and everything disappeared into a brilliant haze of pain and distorted light. He pushed away from Angel's grasp and the elder vampire let him go and Spike flopped to his knees. "Buggerin' 'ell, Peaches. What the fuck is wrong with you?" Angel answered the blonde's question by slamming him back against the pillar. Spike's first instinct was to fight back but, given his exhaustion and constellation-seeing vision, he didn't stand a chance. Of course a part of him would have welcomed an ass kicking and more.

"Why did you do it, you prick? You have the most wonderful girl in the world giving you her love--why I don't know--but she is…and you throw it away by doing something like this. You're dumber than I originally thought, William."

"Oh my," Spike said and snorted. "Buffy Summers own knight, riding in on his high horse. Whatcha gonna do, hero? Come to 'er rescue again before gallivanting off into the sunset again, making sure she can't follow?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I know you better than you think, Peaches. You're tryin' ta pin your mistakes on me."

"You don't know what you're talkin' about."

"Don't I? Yeah, I hurt her and I probably won't forgive myself for it…"

"You don't feel guilty. Hell, you don't have a soul…"

"…But you haven't even tried to hear what I have to say. You just come in and shove me around. Oh, you ask the questions but you don't wanna know the answers, do you? You already know 'em."

Angel shook him but Spike could tell his heart wasn't in it. "You were always good at distraction, Spike. Guess some things never change."

"Just like you always doin' the selfish thing? Face it, Angelus, the soul didn't change that. You're still the self-involved, self-centered prick you were back before the gypsies mojoed you with that shiny, happy soul of yours. But now you do it under the pretense of atonement."

Angel dropped his hands and for a minute Spike thought he was going to be having an intimate conversation with Mr. Fist. But Angel never struck; he stood in front of Spike, his body quivering from anger.

"Shut up, Spike, before I shut you up permanently."

"Admit it, Angel face, if it weren't for the chance of becoming human--oh yeah, I know about that Shanshu; 'm not as dumb as you think--if it wasn't for that, how much life savin would you really do?"

Silence settled over the crypt and blue eyes battled brown. A myriad of emotions crossed Angel's face and Spike didn't know what to expect. He'd been comfortable in assuming that Angel wouldn't harm him too much because of Buffy--but now? He knew enough about Angelus to know that even that foul beast, so calculating and in control even in his madness, had certain breaking points. And it sure as hell as Spike had splintered that right over his knee.

But nothing happened. After several long minutes, Angel whirled on his heels and walked to the door. He stopped and glanced over his shoulders and even at this distance Spike knew he shouldn't listen to what was going to be said but he couldn't help it.

"You're wrong, Spike. I help people because it's the right thing to do." Even as he said it, Spike heard the sliver of doubt in Angel's tone but his next words harbored no such reservations. "But you're right about one thing. I am Buffy's hero. It's not you, Spike. It will never be you. You're beneath her."

Rage flooded Spike and he roared, slamming his fists into the stone pillar repeatedly. Concrete crumpled under his fists along with bone but he didn't care. All he felt was the jagged knife that Angelus wielded like a surgeon. After several minutes, he fell to his knees, oblivious of his shredded knuckles. His breaths came in heavy gasps and as the weariness crept back upon him, he gave up the battle and allowed the tears to flow freely.

Fucking Angel. Always had to get the last word in; always had to push the knife in a bit deeper. Oh, he knew how to hurt with maximum efficiency but what tore at Spike the most was that, despite the cruelty of Angel's parting shot, the souled vampire was right. Spike was beneath her. Always would be. He knew it'd be best to stay away from her; he could only bring her down. But he wouldn't--couldn't--do that. She was in his blood deeper than anything he thought possible and he would be there for her till the end.

And Spike had the nagging feeling that the end, at least for him, was closer than he was willing to admit.

~~~

"See?" Dawn asked, holding her shirt up. CJ's eyes studied the flat expanse of her taut flesh and she shivered when his fingers traced the minute remnants of that night on the tower.

"I see," he replied and pressed his lips to the faint scars. Dawn shivers had the makings of full-blown convulsions if he kept doing that, especially when his hand pressed into her back like that.

Dawn closed her eyes as his tongue carved a path up her body and she barely registered her top being pulled over her head. She groaned when he stopped touching her but that was quickly rectified when he latched onto her pulse point. She laid back into his bed and he plastered himself next to her, never breaking his ministrations. One hand stroked her hair and the other journeyed across the peaks of her breasts to the valley of her navel. He toyed with her waistline and her hips had a mind of their own and she slowly thrust upward until he got the hint and…Hello!

"CJ," Dawn whispered, unable to do more than grunt his name as he did such--ohboyohbohyohboy! --good things to her. Her pulse hammered through her body and she was torn between succumbing to the foreign yet completely natural feel of his touch, and her terrified mind that screamed that she wasn't…

"Oh, God," she moaned when his deft fingers found that spot. Her thighs quivered and squeezed his hand between them as she rode the unfamiliar crest of something that was indescribable with words. Her entire body was inundated with wave after wave of pleasure, crashing against her sex, desperate to smash through the barricade that held them back. When CJ's lips closed around the base of her neck and tweaked her sex, Dawn fell…

Darkness surrounded her yet she didn't need sight to tell her that this was hell. This was a hell unlike any other. It was eternal and no Key could help her escape. But that thought didn't scare her. It was the knowledge that she'd never seen them. As painful as that was, however, she would do it all again. To save those closest to her, to prevent them from dying, to know they would be proud of her. To be rid of the pain of living. She was free…

She frowned when the void that pulled and tugged at her, the shroud that tore at her conscious mind and the hands that eagerly groped at her disappeared. A light unlike any she'd ever seen shone a lifetime away and she reached out to it. As if sensing her, the light brightened, expanding until it illuminated the nothing that surrounded her. She floated towards it, ignoring the hideous shapes in the darkness that cowered under the emerald glow. Two figures did draw her attention, however. She smiled at the image that was presented: two bodies writhing together in love and grief. It was beyond personal yet she knew that it was meant for her to see, to know, to become.

And with an understanding that she couldn't describe, she was pulled into the light…

"…Hear me?" Dawn opened her eyes, squinting at the harsh light that blared from the candles that lit the room. It took a minute for her to adjust but she finally did and turned her attention to the figure gently shaking her.

"Baby, are you all right?" CJ asked. Her eyes focused on his face and she smiled lazily. She touched his smooth chocolate skin with her fingertips, feeling the ignition of another fire within her as the coarse bristles of his facial hair scratched against her palm.

"I'm more than all right," she said and tried to kiss him but when he pulled away she frowned. "What's wrong?"

CJ dropped his eyes and when he looked back up for her, for a split second, she felt it. The pain and rage behind his evil, the cruelties he had beset upon the woman she had been not thirty seconds ago in a premonition of…

And just like that, it was gone and she was staring into the eyes of her concerned boyfriend.

"I don't know," he admitted and pulled her into his lap. "One minute you were crying my name and the next…it was like you were gone."

"Well," she said, the flame of embarrassment coloring her cheeks, "is that, like, supposed to happen after…you know? I, um, you know?"

"But it wasn't that," he said. "It was, I don't know." He shrugged. "Forget I said anything. Besides," he nuzzled her neck, "ya never know. Could've been the artful hands just touching you right."

"Whatever," she said and pushed away from him. She stood up and when the jelly legs hit her, she plopped back down. "Whoa, feeling kinda noodlish right now."

"Yep, it was me," he said and threw his arm around her shoulders. "Just don't my own powers."

"And I bet you wouldn't know how far you could fly if Spike were here and he smelled…" It was a simple slip, nothing more. How many times had they joked about not going to far? Most of it had been because she wasn't ready yet and the other part? She didn't want her former crush/pseudo-brother finding out. And now the mere thought of him hurt her in ways that even Buffy's death didn't.

"Dawn, it's okay." CJ stroked her hair and, oh, how she wanted to believe those words. But she had seen too much in her young life to look at things with a blind eye now.

"No, it's not. It's not okay and it won't be again." She shrugged his arm away and pulled her shirt on. All the merriness and joy she'd felt on their day together had melted as the cold wind of reality had made itself known again.

"Baby, I know things are getting hard, how much this Spike thing must be hurting you…"

"Hurting me?" She couldn't compress the anger that welled up inside. Other than her outburst at Spike four days ago, she'd kept everything else in. She had talked to CJ earlier about it but there had been no anger, only sadness. But now, the more she thought about Spike, her rage knew no borders. "You have no idea. Spike was there for us for so long, even after everyone treated him like shit. He was always there. He said he'd never leave us and then he does this. How could he, CJ? He said he loved m…her. And he does this. Wasn't Buffy good enough for him? Or now that he had her did he not want her anymore…"

Her tirade dissolved into tears and she fell into CJ's awaiting arms. She still didn't get how Spike could do this to Buffy; after all she had sacrificed to be with him, withstanding her friends and mentor, never giving in to their reservations. She loved him, she'd told him that and yet he could do this. Guess this is what I have to look forward to in love, she thought bitterly as the tears subsided. Just goes to show that you can't trust anyone.

She rested in his arms for several minutes, comforted by the warmth of his flesh against her and his hand gently stroking her hair. In fact, as she lay against him, the warm blanket of slumber slowly made its way over her shoulders, enshrining her in its promise of peace. Before she could give in completely, however, CJ's voice sounded in her ear.

"Do you think that your anger at Spike is more about you and less about Buffy?"

Startled, she pulled away from him, her forehead split in confusion. "What do you mean?"

He shifted on the bed so she could see his entire face. "It's just that a lot of what you told me about you and Spike's relationship, it…"

"It what?"

"It's sorta like hero worship."

"And that's a bad thing?" She asked, unable to keep the irritation out of her voice.

CJ raised his hands in surrender. "Not trying to accuse you of anything, Dawnie."

"It sounds like you are," she bit back, "and don't call me Dawnie."

"What I mean," he said, ignoring her mini tantrum, "is that when we look up to someone, regardless of how close we are to them, we often fail to see the dirt under their shoes."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Spike's human, Dawn--well, more or less. And humans make mistakes."

She shook her head. "Not like that. You don't hurt someone you love like that. Not if you love them."

"But don't you get it?" He grabbed her by the shoulders and she fought the urge to pull away. "You know how much easier it is to hurt someone that loves us? The more you have invested in something, in someone, the easier it is to get scuffed up on the small twigs."

CJ got off the bed and knelt in front of her and for one quick (and psychotically terrifying) second, she thought he was going to propose. "Love is a wonderful thing, Dawn. It can make you fly places your feet never would've reached. You feel invincible when that person you love allows you to hold her in your arms.

"But it's not easy. There's always the chance of rejection." He lowered his eyes and Dawn couldn't help the rapid pacing of her heart. It almost sounded as if he was talking about her. "That the other person doesn't love you as much as you love them. Or that they may find someone else to love more than they love you. So many pitfalls to love, but its worth it. Even the pain."

Dawn didn't know she was crying until CJ's thumbs brushed her tears away. He pulled her close and kissed her on the forehead. "But it hurts, CJ. It hurts so much."

"I know it does, baby. But don't you think he's hurting just as much as you are? As much as Buffy. Think of what he's lost: Buffy, Jay, and acceptance from the others. Your love…"

"But he hasn't," Dawn said and pulled away. "I…I still love him. I love him so much. He's always been there for me, always made me feel special." CJ's eyes darkened for a moment and Dawn smacked him in the shoulder. "Not like that, silly."

"Huh? Oh, I know," he replied and averted his gaze.

"Whatever."

"Does he know that?"

"Know what?"

"That you still love him? That Buffy and Jay still do…"

"He's got to," Dawn said, a bit unsure of her response. "He knows we…"

"That you what? That you kicked him out? That you didn't even give him a chance to explain? That, in the four days since he delivered himself into your hands to be judged, no one has gone to see him?"

Dawn wanted to deny the accusations but she couldn't. They had done nothing to find out what had happened, if it had been an error in judgment or something more. Although the former was most likely the case, Dawn couldn't deny the possibility that there were more sinister forces at work here. This was the hell mouth after all.

"I…I didn't even think about it. He must feel so alone." Guilt thrashed at her and she turned a watery gaze to CJ. "I have to go see him. I'm sorry, I have to go." Dawn stood and started out the door when and hand touched her shoulder.

"I can't, CJ. I need to do this alone."

"I know," he said and turned her around. She nearly melted when his lips brushed across hers in the softest kiss. "Just here to provide an escort for my girl."

Dawn couldn't hide the smile that bubbled within her and she wrapped her arms around CJ's neck and plundered his unsuspecting lips. She pulled away reluctantly and entwined her fingers in his.

"Well, boyfriend of mine, let's hop to it." He offered her a melodramatic bow and led the way out the house and onto the bike.

As they rode over to the cemetery, Dawn realized the anger that had clouded her mind about Spike's actions were gone. In its place was the unwavering love she would carry for the vampire for the rest of her days. She just hoped that Spike would allow her to be there for him because, even if she had forgiven him, he still had a ways to go with Buffy. And Mt. Slayer was a tall order to climb. But with her help, she'd navigate her big brother through the more perilous obstacles and get the two lovers back on their feet and back together.

After all, it didn't bode well for her duties as the One if she couldn't do a little matchmaking.

~~~

She watched the little girl dismount from the bike and sneered at the power that radiated from her. This was Gabriel's precious Emerald, all right. Except there was something else about her that Emerald never possessed…

"No matter," Morrigann said from her perch in the tree as the young girl disappeared into Spike's crypt. She had sat in the tree for the last hour, waiting for the other vampire to leave and not ten minutes after he does this little bitch shows up. She shrugged, deciding to put Spike's seduction off until a later date. After all, his little slayer slut wasn't here to catch the festivities.

"Of course," she said as she watched the brown-skinned man on the motorcycle ride off, "this night doesn't have to be a total loss." Closing her eyes, she focused on the nerves in her back and the tattoos burst forth, the wings spreading out from her crouched form. Without another thought, she leapt from the tree and flapped her wings. She climbed into the sky, leveling out a few hundred feet from the ground, her eyes never leaving her target.

When he pulled up into a driveway, killing the engine, Morrigann licked her lips. She fell to the ground, landing effortlessly and folded her wings back into place. She ran a hand through her hair, initiating the change from multi-colored to black. Adjusting her breasts, she walked up towards the unsuspecting young man as he did something to his bike. When he saw her, his chocolate eyes nearly burst from his sockets. He stared at her until she reached him and, resting her hands on the seat of the bike, she leaned over and slid her tongue over her crimson painted lips.

"Hey," she said and purposefully raked her eyes over his tank top covered torso.

"Hey," he whispered and her sex tightened when his Adam's Apple bobbed in sync with the rising bulge in his pants.

"I'm Morrie," she said and offered her hand. Energy crackled around them when their hands met and Morrigann thought she saw familiarity behind his gaze but she shook it off.

"CJ," he said and seemed to gain a modicum of control back. "What are you doing out here?"

She shrugged and gave him an innocent smile. "My car, it broke down about a mile back and, well, I saw you drive past and followed you, hoping that you could help me out."

He frowned and she spotted the suspicion in his eyes. "You need to be careful, Morrie. Lot of dangerous things out at night in this town."

If you only knew. "I'm just passing through. Trying to get to LA." She lowered her eyes. "I need to see my attorney. My mother just passed last week and, well, I need to put her affairs in order."

Any mistrustfulness he had disappeared and he gave her a sympathetic smile before he mounted his bike. "Hop on," he said and Morrigann climbed on, wrapping her arms around his waist.

As she rode away with him, barking out false directions, Morrigann couldn't help but smile at the fallacy that was man.

Sometimes they just made it too easy.

TBC in…The Eyes of My Salvation…