Sworn Enemies

By Regina Halliwell

Chapter 2:

I Was Made to Hate You

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Basically "I was made to love you" with a twist. Spike never goes to Warren to have the Buffybot made. Instead, he stays with Dawn, helps her with homework, etc. while Buffy handles Warren.

A/N I need Joyce alice for this, so assume that instead of her having an aneurism and dying on the couch at home, she is at work and still alive when Buffy gets home from her fight.

I Was Made To Hate You

(Spike's POV)

I didn't expect her to fall into my arms, head over heels in love with me after my oh-so-romantic admission of love for her. Okay, so maybe I did. But, even so, I know better now. I should have learned from with Cecily, or I guess Halfrek, as she is now called. But it wouldn't have killed them for either of them to be personable, or at least decent to me. Instead, I am told that I am "beneath them", even though I would have died for either of them.

So here I am, William Anderson of England, William the Bloody, Spike: a vampire in love with the Slayer. How pathetic am I?

Incredibly.

"Nibblet, what stuff are you studying in school now?" Spike asked curiously.

"Why," Dawn responded. "Well, I could help ya, Bit, if you'd like." Spike mumbled.

Dawn smiled knowingly. "Boring stuff. History. Something called the Boxing Rebellion..."

"That's the Boxer Rebellion, nibblet, and I can honestly say that I can tell you anything you need to know. I was there. You see, rebellions are bleeding wonderful; all this conflict makes people piss their bloody trousers in fear. Fear is important when you're on the hunt..." Spike explained to Dawn.

He continued with his makeshift history lecture proudly until the front door opened and Buffy limped slightly into the living room. She appeared weary and a bit forlorn after her fight with April. Yet she pitied the robot, for all that she had no real feelings, it was horrible what Warren did to her.

As soon as Buffy appeared through the door, Spike rapidly changed the direction of his lesson to, "The Chinese had issues with the different governmental parties disagreeing, because the Communists just couldn't get along with the nationalists. The two couldn't have been more different, and it would have been impossible for them to peacefully settle their dispute."

At this he spared a glance at Buffy, she was looking at him strangely, as if she was at war with herself over the decision she had made regarding Spike. Dawn saw the tension between them and quickly thanked Spike and headed to her room.

Buffy warily sat down, a safe distance away from Spike. She was limping from being thrown around, and her neck not only had bruises from April's death grip, but also cuts along her neck and collarbone from the exposed wires on April's metallic body. Spike quickly noticed her appearance and smelled the imperceptible amount of blood trickling from her cuts.

"Luv, how about I fix you up a bit. Put some bandages on those cuts and whatnot." Buffy pondered this for a moment, and finally concurred, "I only allow this because I am too tired to do it myself. I am not letting you do this because I like you."

Spike smirked, "Whatever you say, luv."

Buffy's neck was newly bandaged and she held an icepack to her forehead when the phone began to ring. She called out "I'll get it." Picking up the phone, she greeted, "Buffy Summers," A man on the other end said, Buffy, It's Rick. I work with your mother at the gallery. The thing is, she's had an aneurysm and is at the hospital right now. So you want me to pick you and Dawn up?"

Shocked, Buffy fainted, the sound of Rick's frantic questions still heard through the phone speaker. As soon as she dropped to the ground, Spike heard her and cam running in. He lifted her up and grabbed the phone, saying "No thanks, you won't be needed."

He set Buffy sown on the couch and quickly went upstairs to get Dawn. As he explained the circumstances on the way down, Dawn started crying. Spike moved to console her, saying only, "It'll all work out bit. Don't worry, it'll be okay." He then gestured to Buffy and together, they woke her up.

As soon as Buffy was conscious her eyes welled up with tears. She cried silently as she held Dawn for a few moments, and then finally stood up. Her face was blank and unreadable. Spike simply offered, "C'mon. I'll take you to the hospital in my DeSoto. It's parked in back. Just let me grab my blanket and we can get going."

The ride to the hospital was silent and tense. Once there they found out that Joyce was in recovery. They had performed an emergency operation and managed to control her aneurysm. Buffy led the way as Spike and Dawn followed her to the recovery ward. When the three got there, they were shocked to find out that Joyce couldn't speak. The aneurysm had infected her speech ability, though she would regain it with time and practice.

"Mommy," Buffy began, "I was so scared I was going to lose you. I don't know what I would have done if you..." She could not finish her sentence, and fell silent.

Spike and Buffy left the room, as Dawn had requested time alone with their mother. In the hall Buffy sat, holding her head in her hands. Spike comforted her, and then pulled away before she could say anything, offering to get her some coffee from the cafeteria, as it was very late. She declined and they sat together in silence.

Finally, Buffy spoke. "I hate this," she stated. "I hate that I can't fight this. Vampires, demons, even hell godesses I can deal with, but I can't fight this. It's horrible. No one should have to go through what she's going through... what Dawn and I am going through. It's almost better to let some vampire drain you dry. I'll bet that'd take away all the pain and suffering."

Spike was about to reply when a nearby familiar male voice said, "I don't think so."

What do you think? Good, bad, Ugly? Please review! Next chapter, a special vampire guest.