(Set at the beginning of "Never Leave Me")
"You want me to do what?!" Dawn's voice exploded on the last word.
On the other side of the door, Willow flinched and gave Spike her big-eyed look. They both knew he was the reason they were arguing. He tried to give her his purse-lipped tough guy look, but he didn't have the will for it.
"Tell Principal Wood that I'm sick and I won't be in to work today," Buffy repeated.
"So you're going to skip work and put me up to lying for you just so you can handhold that, that... MURDERER!"
Spike's chin dropped to his chest. He felt tired. So bone tired.
"Keep your voice down, he'll hear you."
Spike mouthed the words with her. "That was the point, Buffy."
He could imagine the two of them, reflections of each other. Their arms crossed, heads cocked and their mouths set in twin lines.
Buffy sighed. "It's complicated Dawn. If you'd seen him down there..."
"Well maybe if you'd known Mr. Webster before he was turned, it wouldn't seem so complicated."
Spike kept his head down. Away from Red's pitying looks. They distracted from the pain he was owed. He strained to hear as Dawn's voice dropped and dripped venom. "Oh, that's right. You did know him."
"Dawn, it's not that simple. Spike's got a..."
"Don't you even dare point out he has a soul! Do you think I missed that the first dozen times you mentioned it? I wish, I wish he was..."
Buffy cut her off, saying in measured tones, "Do not finish that sentence."
"Fine."
"Go get your books. Xander will take you to school now. That way you will have time to talk to Principal Wood."
"Fine. I'm sure I can think up something believably gross."
He heard Dawn move to her room, but she didn't go downstairs. He looked up, waiting for her. She burst into the room with Buffy on her heels. At first she was working her mouth, but not forming words. He thought she might cry, but then her eyes got a cold, flinty look and she said, "You know what happened to Timmy, Spike? Do you? He's dead! Dead dead. Never coming back dead."
"Dawn..." Buffy growled.
Dawn gave Buffy the same look and brushed past her, running down the stairs and slamming the front door.
Spike sat perfectly still, staring over Buffy's shoulder. Me too, Bit, me too.
"You want me to do what?!" Dawn's voice exploded on the last word.
On the other side of the door, Willow flinched and gave Spike her big-eyed look. They both knew he was the reason they were arguing. He tried to give her his purse-lipped tough guy look, but he didn't have the will for it.
"Tell Principal Wood that I'm sick and I won't be in to work today," Buffy repeated.
"So you're going to skip work and put me up to lying for you just so you can handhold that, that... MURDERER!"
Spike's chin dropped to his chest. He felt tired. So bone tired.
"Keep your voice down, he'll hear you."
Spike mouthed the words with her. "That was the point, Buffy."
He could imagine the two of them, reflections of each other. Their arms crossed, heads cocked and their mouths set in twin lines.
Buffy sighed. "It's complicated Dawn. If you'd seen him down there..."
"Well maybe if you'd known Mr. Webster before he was turned, it wouldn't seem so complicated."
Spike kept his head down. Away from Red's pitying looks. They distracted from the pain he was owed. He strained to hear as Dawn's voice dropped and dripped venom. "Oh, that's right. You did know him."
"Dawn, it's not that simple. Spike's got a..."
"Don't you even dare point out he has a soul! Do you think I missed that the first dozen times you mentioned it? I wish, I wish he was..."
Buffy cut her off, saying in measured tones, "Do not finish that sentence."
"Fine."
"Go get your books. Xander will take you to school now. That way you will have time to talk to Principal Wood."
"Fine. I'm sure I can think up something believably gross."
He heard Dawn move to her room, but she didn't go downstairs. He looked up, waiting for her. She burst into the room with Buffy on her heels. At first she was working her mouth, but not forming words. He thought she might cry, but then her eyes got a cold, flinty look and she said, "You know what happened to Timmy, Spike? Do you? He's dead! Dead dead. Never coming back dead."
"Dawn..." Buffy growled.
Dawn gave Buffy the same look and brushed past her, running down the stairs and slamming the front door.
Spike sat perfectly still, staring over Buffy's shoulder. Me too, Bit, me too.