Part 5

Flash back

Around the time Glory was about

Dawn was late. She had been waiting for Buffy to turn the TV on so she could sneak out of the house and go to a party.

"Finally." Dawn got out of bed as she heard the TV, knowing that any noise she made would now be disguised. She climbed carefully out of the window, but as she got to the ground a shadow detached itself from the tree and sighs.

"Bit."

"Please Spike don't tell Buffy." Dawn pleads. "She will kill me, then ground me, then kill me again if she knew. I just want to go to a party, everyone's going, well everyone but me that is." Dawn looked at Spike with that hurt puppy-pleading look in her eyes and Spike knew instantly that he could never refuse her anything. He sighed, bowed deeply and offered her his arm.

"Would milady care for an escort?" he said with a smile.

Dawn smiled, linked arms with him, lightly slapped him on the arm "Such a kind gentleman how could I possibly refuse." They both walked down the street laughing and chatting quietly.

As they approach the party, music blaring. Spike drew to a stop in the shadows. "I'll wait here till you're done and walk you home okay?"

"Sure." Dawn kissed him on the cheek and headed towards the house.

"And no drinking, and no kissing, and no taking drugs. I'm a vampire, don't forget I can smell it."

Dawn turns, smiles, and waves.

A few hours later Dawn emerges, said goodbye to her friends and began walking home knowing full well that her vampire escort would emerge from the shadows and join her. They walked home with Dawn telling Spike all about how Janice did this and Robert did that. She was so involved with what she was saying that she didn't realize until it was too late that ten big mean looking vamps surrounded them.

"Well. Well, what do we have here a little girl and her pet vampire?" Sneered a rather large menacing looking vamp. "Spike." He greeted

"Hello Anton, thought you were in Greece?" Spike stated, voice like stone.

"I was but I left. Heard a rumor that someone had gone soft and was helping the Slayer, and that that vampire held "Slayer Rights". Well I'm here to see that it changes. I will have, Slayers blood."

"What's he talking about?" Asked a confused and scared Dawn.

"Nothing Bit, just forget it."

"Interesting," Muses Anton, "Tell me little girl has he made you a woman yet?" He moved closer and inhaling deeply "No," he smiled lecherously. "He hasn't, don't worry, I will have that ripe little cherry oh so soon."

"Stay away from her." Spike growled, eyes closed, head bowed as if in defeat

"Now why would I want to do that?" Sneered Anton throwing his arms wide.

Spike chuckled softly "Because she's mine." He raised his head, Dawn gasped as she saw his eyes. Gone were the sparkling clear sky blue eyes. In their place were blood red ones. Dawn felt a shiver run through her.

Anton smiled menacingly "So you've finally come out to play, have you?" Anton raised his arm, three of the minions pulled out cross bows. As his arm lowered the bolts flew free. Spike shoved Dawn to the ground ignoring the chip. In a move too fast for the naked eye to see, Spike grabbed all three bolts from the air before they had a chance to hit home.

"Oh, come on now, Anton. Call yourself a master? I thought you were up for a proper fight." Sneered Spike

Anton roared, slipped into Game Face and advanced his minions following suit. Spike just stood there looking at them. Suddenly he threw all three cross bow bolts in quick succession as if they were darts. One landed in Anton's left eye, another on his kneecap and the third pierced the heart of the vamp next to him leaving a shower of dust. Anton screamed but continued advancing. Spike laughing like a maniac rushed forward like a predator. Before Dawn knew what was happening, she was lying on the ground surrounded by dust raining slowly around her. Spike stood as immobile as a statue, back towards her, head bowed. Dawn rose and began moving towards him.

"Spike?" she asked cautiously.

"Stay back." Came a strangled reply as if he were in the middle of a battle. Dawn stopped advancing. Waiting, unsure what to do. This wasn't the Spike she knew and loved, this was something different and it scared her. Spike's shoulders slouched slightly; he took a deep breath, turned and smiled. "Well that was fun." He stated calmly with a smile.

Dawn looked him in the eye trying to see who was standing in front of her. She knew instantly that it's Spike and threw herself into his arms patting him lightly checking for injuries. "What was all that? With the red eyes? The fighting like you were in the Matrix? Grabbing the bolts out of the air? And the you not getting your ass kicked like normal?" she babbled

"Dawn stop I'm ok and you're ok, that's all that matters." Spike pushed Dawn gently away.

"But...But..." She stammered but seeing the look in his eyes decided now was not the time. "Ok I'll let this one lie, for now, but tell me one thing? How did you grab those bolts out of the air like that that was so cool?"

Spike chuckled "Alright pet, I'll show you." He bent down and picked up a twig. "Stand in front of me." He told her. Then holding the twig between his fingers said "Put your hand over the twig, as I let it go catch it okay."

"That's easy." Dawn scoffed

Spike opened his fingers and let the twig fall. Dawn tried to grab it but failed

"Hey no fair. I wasn't ready. Let me try again."

Spike bent down, retrieved the twig and Dawn tried unsuccessfully to catch it again.

"Not as easy as it sounds." Said a rather smug Spike

"What's the point of all this?" Dawn was slightly frustrated that she couldn't catch a simple twig.

"You wanted to know how I caught the cross bow bolts, I'm showing you." Spike bent and picked up two twigs, and placed one in each of Dawn's hands. "Now you drop them for me. The only difference is that I will have my hands behind my back and that there are two twigs."

Dawn smiled and let the twigs fall. Before she had time to blink Spike had both twigs in his hand.

"How? Is this a vampire thing?" An amazed Dawn asked.

"It's about how fast you see the twig fall and how fast your brain tells your hand to move. Reaction time. Over the years I've honed mine. That's how I was able to pluck the bolts out of the air." Shrugged Spike "Lesson over, time to get you home before the Slayer stakes me."

Dawn once again linked arms with Spike leaned over, kissed him on the cheek

"Thank you." She said softly

"Your welcome." Came the soft reply.