Disclaimer: If you recognise it, it's not mine.

A/N: I am sorry to anyone who was waiting ages for this update. I was caught up with work and the new season of Angel, even tough it's not out here in England, doesn't mean that I can't read transcript, spoilers and such. We English are so unlucky. I feel so sorry for Spike (shakes head). No one's making it any easier for him.

Chapter 4: A Feeling

The world of demons and all other things nasty were happy that Spike was out of the running for a while. It was no secret that he killed them for sport. They all agreed that he was a hypocrite. That was probably why a few of them were in his crypt at that very moment, only they weren't there to steal. As the old saying went, while the cat's away, the mice will play.

*               *               *               *               *

Spike was stretched out along the couch, his left arm over his eyes while Dawn leaned against the couch. It wasn't like she could actually sit on it because that would mean sitting on him. Looking at Spike now, you wouldn't know that there was anything wrong with him. His cuts and bruises had completely cleared up; he wiggled his toes but couldn't do much else with his legs. It was lucky that he had such a strong upper body or he wouldn't get anywhere.

"Spike?"

"Yes niblet?"

Dawn rolled her eyes, she didn't hate being called that but it made her feel really young, as if he didn't take her seriously because he didn't think she was mature enough.

"Shouldn't you do some sort of exercise to help you legs start working properly? I mean that is what people do. I think that it also stops there from being any after effects right?"

Spike grinned and turned to his side so that he could see Dawn looking up at him. "Tell me Dawn, what are those exercise meant to influence?"

Dawn understood what he was talking about and grimaced "Blood flow…"

Spike nodded knowingly and sat up, making space for her. "Sit here. It's your couch after all."

"Oh thank god! I thought my butt had fallen off!"

"So when does big sis get back?" Spike was doing his best to act indifferent. Dawn saw right through him.

"Real subtle Spike. I don't understand you, I really don't. I mean she says that she'll never like you like that. If anyone said that to me that amount of time that Buffy has said it to you, I would just quit trying. If she doesn't see it, she doesn't deserve you."

Spike leaned back against the couch and groaned, his spine was none the better. "You don't understand Dawn, it's not that easy and to top it off, one of my very good friends, one of the last I have left, decided to leave me here. I swear that she was plotting this."

"How long has Rayya been your friend?"

"Well I met her twenty years after I became a vampire. So just under a century."

"But you were the Big Bad at the time."

Spike grimaced. "She said that I was special, different from other vampires and then to top it off, she said that she believed in me. How bloody insulting is that?"

Dawn giggled. "But you still killed the only slayers that you came in contact with."

"Yeah!" Spike growled, which made Dawn laugh louder. "It didn't change her mind about me though."

"You were trying to prove something? Did it work?"

He shrugged.

Xander came in glowing.

Dawn turned to look at him. "Just get off work?"

"Yep, and then I thought I'd come over and rescue you from the Big Unbad."

Dawn got off the couch, intending to head out of the living room. "Great use of non-existent words Xander. Would you like to sit and play checkers with him while I fix myself an orange juice?"

"Checkers?" dawn stood there, looking knowingly. "And you don't fix orange juice, you pour it from the carton that is in the fridge."

"Well I still need one." When she reached the doorway, she turned back and said "Xander, 'Apocalypse Now' is just about to start."

Xander and Spike lunged for the remote.

*               *               *               *               *

Buffy was on her way home, smelling like a burger. She didn't care if the President himself was in her bathroom right now, she would throw him out on his behind. There was no way in hell that anyone could smell like this for a prolonged amount of time without turning into a burger themselves.

Buffy entered the house to some very weird noises. Looking into her living room, she saw her sister, one of her best friends and the vampire guest sitting there. Dawn was laughing, Spike was behind a cushion while muffled groans emitted from the heart of it while Xander sat in front of the TV, riveted.

"What's going on?"

Dawn answered without turning. "'Apocalypse Now' is on TV."

Buffy understood. It was Xander's favourite movie. Spike shouted above the din that Dawn was making. "It is bloody unfair! I have to put up with this crap with no way of escape."

Buffy pointedly said "It called a wheelchair Spike." The she turned and headed for her bedroom, intent on grabbing some clothes and bathing for 7 years in the bathroom, never mind how much she resembled a prune at the end of it.

*               *               *               *               *

Buffy returned an hour later to witness the conclusion of the movie. Xander turned the TV off and sighed in pleasure. "I never get tired of the movie".

Spike shot a deathly look at Xander because he couldn't do much else. "I was an evil vampire for a century" Dawn snorted at that. "And I can honestly say that I never did anything as evil as make someone sit through that load of crap."

"Yeah?" Xander shot back. "Well try living with you. That goes far and beyond the call of evil"

Buffy shook her head at the immaturity. "When you boys are quite done, I'm going patrolling and you," she shot at Xander. "are coming with me."

Xander stretched and stood up, going over to her weapons chest. "Sure."

Spike was still looking venomous. "I hope you get eaten, only I can't see who would want a pathetic whelp like you!"

Xander looked over, a malicious look on his face. "Well at least I won't have to go around saying that a crazy, pathetic cow, who can't tell the difference between night and day, turned me into vampire because you know what Spike, only a crazy person would ever love you."

With that said, Xander left the house. Dawn frowning at his back and Buffy, following but not saying a thing.

*               *               *               *               *

Buffy and Xander were walking purposefully along and she couldn't stand it anymore. She may not like Spike but Xander having a crack at his former was a cheap, low blow. "You know what? After what you said to me a few weeks back, you seem pretty quick to jump back onto the We All Hate Spike bandwagon. This was about a movie for Christ sake. Could you have been a little more harsh?"

Xander chose to ignore her and carried on walking towards the cemetery.

Buffy tried another way. "I know that he can be irritating Xander but you have to control your anger. I didn't and look where it got me. You may not be so lucky, which is why I am not going to let you come into the cemetery with me. This sort of behaviour is going to get you killed so just stop and go home, I can do this alone."

That made him stop. He looked and said. "How do these things with him start anyway? Something as trivial as a movie."

"He has a gift, an annoying and anger inducing gift. Now are you going to behave or are you going home?"

Xander's resolve face was answer enough. Together they entered the cemetery. "Put it this way Xand, at least he never takes jibes at Anya."

"Yeah, because they both sprung from the same mould. Both ancient and have little or no tact. Doesn't mean I don't love her."

"Exactly."

*               *               *               *               *

Dawn turned to Spike. She was a little afraid of what she would see. Spike had loved Drusilla and she wouldn't be surprised if Spike was looking murderous right then but to her surprise, he was looking seriously indifferent, thinking about something.

"Spike?"

He shook his head and looked over at Dawn who was sitting on a recliner. His gaze was questioning.

"I'm sorry about what he just said. He must be learning things from Anya."

Spike smiled a genuine, kind smile which he reserved for the women in the Scoobie Gang. They were always nice to him, minus Buffy but he couldn't help smiling at her and even then, he still didn't do it often.

"It's okay Dawn. He can't hurt me with Drusilla anymore, just don't tell him that though. I mean that she can't mean much to me if I was offering to kill her for Buffy. Drusilla never loved my anyway. She was just using me until Angelus returned to her. He broke her down for him and reserved her for himself. She always went to that ponce, like a willing puppy." There was no venom in his voice at all.

Dawn still looked visibly upset. "But she was with you for a century."

"No, I was with her, she was never around, even when she was there. So caught up in herself and Angelus. I was tired of being knocked back and forth by her."

"So you decided to be knocked back and forth by Buffy?"

Spike smirked. "See, it makes all the sense when you say it out loud."

Just then, Spike let out a yelp. Dawn looked at him shocked. "What?"

"Pain, like a railroad spike driving itself through my left knee." Spike's expression was still of utmost pain.

He didn't seem to get it but Dawn's eyes widened excitedly. "You mean that you can feel it?! You can feel your knee?"

Spike realised what it meant and looked at Dawn, happier than she had seen him in a long time. "Yes, I can!"

Dawn jumped up and rushed to him. She hugged him and then let go, embarrassed. "You're getting the feeling back in them!"

Spike's smile dimmed slightly. "It's just a feeling Dawn. I can't actually move my legs, it's only in one knee and if I have to sit through anymore of this torture, I'd gladly give the feeling back. I hope that my victims didn't feel like this."

The stern look Dawn gave him reminded him off Buffy. "Any progress is good progress. Even if you are too much of a wimp to take it."

Spike growled. "I am not a wimp!"

"And anyway, if you can get your legs working again soon, you won't ever have to sit in the wheelchair again. Unless of course, you get Buffy pissed off…again. You know, maybe you should keep it, just in case. You're unpredictable.

I here that feeding helps vampire's to heal quicker, want some blood?"

Spike nodded. "You're not squeamish like you sister are you?"

Dawn shook her head. "When she sees you drink, she probably remembers all the times that her blood has been sucked from her. If she was normal, she'd be dead right now."

Spike decided to probe Dawn about that later. What he wanted now was food.

*               *               *               *               *

Eurgh! This has got to be the worst chapter in the history of bad chapters. I will promise a better one later. Let the healing begin!!

Even thought it sucked, please don't flame. Thank you. I just want to thank all the reviewers. It's what gets me writing in the first place.

Pure-HP