And They're Not Always Care Bears And Carousels

Disclaimers: Still owning nothing. Pocket lint sold out everywhere.

Summary: The morning after Spike's demonstration everything is not as good as it could be.

A/N: Hard chapter to write. These guys can't decide if they want a big magical showdown or a peaceful resolution. Sorry about the title, just wanted to stick two of my favorite things in there somewhere.

Reviews: A huge thank you to everyone who reviewed. Y'all rock. jonnyG, sorry but no Spike/Dawn romance just lots of sibling love and support there. Doesn't mean Buffy can't get jealous about how close they are but I'm not sure this fic is going to stretch that far. As always reviews welcome, feeds the muse. She has no life so give her some warm fuzzies.... or not.

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No one stirred in the Summers house until well after noon. The stresses and disagreements of the previous night had worn out all of them. Dawn was the first to get up and silently went to the kitchen to get something to eat. A fleeting smile crossed her face as she passed through the living room. It was just like after 'that night' when they were all in the house to give each other comfort and support. At least Giles looked as if he were more comfortable than he had been on the old sofa. It had taken her and Spike the better part of a weekend to find a new sofa. The main requirement being that it had to be comfortable enough to sleep on.

The teenager got herself a bowl of cereal and sat at the table to eat and contemplate the events of the previous night. The last thing she would have ever guessed Spike being capable of would have been magic. That little bit with the rose petals had been incredible. She had known all along that he was different. She just hadn't realized the extent of just how different he actually was. Who would have thought?

She looked up from her nearly empty bowl as the basement door opened. Spike entered the kitchen yawning and stretching, causing his sweat pants to ride dangerously low. She gave a little squeak and covered her eyes. The vampire looked startled to see her and glanced down to find out what the problem was.

"Oops, sorry Bit. Didn't know you were in here. Thought you'd still be snoozing." Spike said as he returned his pants to a proper level. He padded over to the refrigerator on bare feet and got out a package of blood. "I need more blood. Remind me to go to the butchers later, okay?" He requested as he searched for his favorite mug. For some reason it couldn't be put away in the same place each time it got washed.

She nodded as she put her empty bowl in the sink. She turned her back to the counter and crossed her arms over her chest. Watching him silently as he dumped his blood in the mug and put it in the microwave, she tried to determine if he was fully recovered from his migraine. He looked up at her giving her a clear look at his sparkling dark blue eyes. No hint of the extreme pain he'd been in the night before.

"How are you, really?" Dawn asked worriedly.

He got his mug out of the microwave and took a sip of the heated blood. "I'm fine, Niblet. There's just the smallest bit of ache in the back of my head but nothing I can't ignore. It'll be gone completely by tomorrow." He shook his head. "If I hadn't been playing with magic, I wouldn't even have that much." He sighed. "But I had to show off." The master vampire snickered. "Did you see the looks on their faces when the petals started to fall?"

The teenager giggled. "Yeah, I don't know who was more shocked, Giles or Willow. How did he know anyway?"

Spike made a face. "Peaches."

She nodded sagely. "Never tell him anything you don't want to eventually leak out."

Her vampire agreed. "You'd think I'd learn that after a century."

"Some people just never learn." Dawn said earning a menacing glare.

"Watch it. You're not too old to tickle." He threatened as he headed back to the basement.

"Yeah, yeah. Big threats." She stuck her tongue out at him as he disappeared through the door. She picked up the milk and opened the refrigerator to put it away. But couldn't, every bit of available space was taken. She closed the door hurriedly.

"SPIKE! Get your undead behind up here!" She yelled, not caring who she disturbed.

The blond burst through the door in full game face ready to take on whatever was threatening his Little Bit. Seeing no threat he shook himself back to his human visage. "Bloody Hell Bit, you scared the unlife out of me. What's the matter?"

Dawn opened the refrigerator and showed him the contents. "Thought you said you needed to go to the butchers."

Spike gawked at the overfull shelves of blood packets. He grabbed one and ripped a small hole in it. He closed his eyes as the sweet taste of O-positive human blood drifted along his tongue. He shuddered in pleasure and determinedly shoved his demon back, not letting it take control.

Giles ran in from the living room, tucking his shirt into his slacks. He stopped cold at the sight of the overfull refrigerator and the vampire obviously savoring the forbidden taste of human blood. "What happened?" He asked. Spike's eyes flashed yellow, warning the other man to keep his distance.

Spike lowered the bag and dropped it, still mostly full, into the sink. He closed his eyes to rid them of the hint of amber showing. Opening his blue-again eyes, he inhaled deeply.

"Cat got out again." He said woodenly. "Have to shove it back in." He held his hand up to the open refrigerator and all but a couple of the packages disappeared. The partial bag in the sink vanished as well. "Sorry, Bit. Should have room in there now. Have to change clothes." He went back into the basement.

Dawn put the milk away and sat down at the table with Giles as he also took a chair. "What did he mean? What cat?"

"I believe he was talking about the magic. Since he used it last night, he seems to be having some difficulty controlling it." Giles took his glasses out of his shirt pocket and put them on. He used his hands to bring some semblance of order to his hair.

"That's not a good thing is it?" Dawn asked in a small voice.

"No, Dear. It isn't." Giles answered. Further conversation was forestalled by the arrival of Willow and Tara in the kitchen.

"Dawnie, are you okay? We thought we heard you yell." Willow asked as she looked around the room.

"I'm fine. Spike just forgot to do something before he went back downstairs." The teenager explained. "I didn't mean to scare everyone. Glad to know if I need help the troops will come." She said too brightly.

Tara put the teakettle on the stove to heat water, earning her a grateful glance from the former watcher. She moved around the kitchen collecting cups and teabags as Willow sat down next to Dawn.

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In the basement, Spike was pacing back and forth talking to himself.

"Get a hold of yourself, Mate. You beat it once. You can do it again. Just watch what you say. Do what Peaches told you. Visualize putting the little beast back in its bag and tie it shut. You can do this. Don't let it take you again." He stopped pacing and sat on the bed, concentrating. He mentally turned inward and imagined himself grabbing the little black cat he'd assigned his magic to and stuffed the spitting menace back in its bag. With mental hands shaking, he tied the bag shut and threw it into the farthest corner of his mind. Never noticing the small hole worn in the seam of the magical containment.

He took a deep unneeded breath and stood up. He changed his clothes, noting with dismay how unsteady his hands actually were. He heard the teakettle start to whistle and knew it was time to go upstairs. He used his senses to find out who was in the kitchen and was dismayed to find out everyone else was up. Thank God the Whelp and his Demon Girl weren't involved in the whole mess. He didn't think he could handle any more people knowing about his problem.

Gathering his nerve and stuffing his feet into his worn boots for courage, somehow he always felt braver if he could stomp, he went back up to the kitchen.

He paused at the top of the stairs to listen, trying to suss out the mood of the witches before facing them.

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Tara poured boiling water into the three waiting teacups. Dawn got up and got her own form of caffeine by getting a cola from the now spacious refrigerator. No one said anything for a few moments. During that time Spike decided it was safe to come in. Opening the door, he sauntered in trying for some small measure of his self-confidence.

"Glenda, is there a cuppa for me?" He asked as he sat down in the chair on Dawn's left side. He quickly stuck his still trembling hands under the table and gritted his teeth trying to maintain his composure. The teenager was the only one who noticed the tremors and looked up at him in concern. She surreptitiously slid her left hand under the table and encased Spike's shaking fingers in her own warm grasp. He glanced at her sharply before giving her a wink and a small shake of his platinum head. She gave a tiny nod and calmly took a sip of her soda. Tara slid a cup of tea in front of him, earning a nod of thanks. She sat down next to Giles on the other side of the table.

Bolstered by his Niblet's support, Spike felt confident enough to reach up and take a sip of his hot tea. Gratified that his hand didn't shake, he left it on the table and kept his right hand in Dawn's steadying hold.

Looking around he noticed that the others were avoiding looking his way. Willow kept her eyes trained on her teacup and Tara was watching her girlfriend with concern in her eyes. Giles sipped his tea while observing Willow's behavior. The silence became unbearable.

"Right then, everyone who has questions, speak now." Spike said with more than a little humor in his voice. Suddenly everyone's attention was on him.

Dawn was the first to speak. "Could you use the magic to get rid of the chip?" Giles got a look in his eyes that made everyone uncomfortable. "What? You think he'll kill us all in our sleep?" She demanded.

Spike gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. "No, I never considered it. I haven't used the magic in almost a century. I forgot I had it. The chip doesn't matter anymore anyway."

Tara shyly spoke up. "Have you ever tried just using a little bit at a time until you've built up a tolerance and didn't get headaches any more?"

Spike considered the question. "Actually, I did. But since the magic wasn't mine to begin with, it fights me every step of the way. It's easier to just not use it."

"Then why did you use it last night?" Willow demanded.

"That was an impulse that I'm regretting even now. I won't go into any details." Spike looked into his cup of tea soberly. "Red, magic has consequences, always. They're not always good ones. Magic can't be controlled as much as you'd like. It can get away from you and cause unimaginable problems. You're getting strong, wicked strong. I hope you have better luck controlling your magic. It's yours not someone else's, it wasn't given to you in some misguided attempt to cheat fate."

"What do you mean?" Dawn asked.

"Long story, Bit. I'll tell you another day." Again, he gently squeezed her fingers, grateful for her support.

Giles sipped his tea and listened. He had more questions but preferred to wait until he and Spike were alone to ask them.

Willow sat with her anger simmering just beneath the surface. She could not believe he was sitting there lecturing her on magic. He had all that power and didn't use it. What a waste! She had more control over her magic than ever before. She knew it would be a matter of time before her power was stronger than his. She could feel it building every day. She controlled her temper with some effort and made herself smile at every one at the table. "There's not much more to talk about is there? Does anyone want something to eat?"

Dawn gazed at the redheaded witch uncertainly. She knew Willow had to have more questions but didn't want any more disagreements. Having all the people she loved fighting was more than she could bear.

Spike's dark blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. He could feel the animosity rolling off of Willow in waves. Her over bright attitude grated but he was willing to let it go for the moment. He glanced at Giles to gauge the former Watcher's reaction to Willow's attitude. The older man was studying the witch carefully. He hadn't been fooled by the bright smile any more than Spike had.

Unknown to Spike, deep in the corner of his subconscious mind, the magical containment bag moved. A small black paw found its way out through the worn hole. It began worrying the seam trying to widen the opening. It would only be a matter of time.