Karma: Hey, sorry, it's been a while. And this chappie's kinda short, but it's a feeder chapter of sorts. So, please keep reading and reviewing. :)

Two days later, the atmosphere in the Magic Box was dismal, but half of the occupants weren't sure why. Dawn refused to speak to any one but her father. Spike was brooding. Giles could sense something was wrong, but he wasn't sure what. Willow was hurt that Dawn wasn't talking to her. Tara was getting an odd reading on both Spike's and Dawn's auras. Xander was being more suspicious of Spike than usual. Anya was unbothered by everything and was counting her money. And Buffy was MIA. It was then that Joyce stormed into the Magic Box.

"Joyce, what are you doing here?" Giles asked, very much confused. "Where is Buffy?"

Joyce, however, ignored Giles and marched straight up to Spike.

"Hello, Joyce." Spike said uncertainly.

"Don't give me that, William." Joyce spat as she grabbed him by his ear and dragged him to the back room.

"Ow, ow, Bloody 'ell, woman! What did I do?"

Joyce ignored Spike's comments and pleas and continued to drag him to the back room.

Meanwhile, everyone else stood around the Magic Box in complete shock. Xander was the first one to speak. "Okay, what just happened here?"
As soon as they were in the back room, Joyce let go of Spike's ear and looked at him threateningly. "What did you do to my baby girl?" She demanded of the bleach blonde.

"Excuse me?" He asked genuinely confused.

"Don't give me that, William Crawford." Joyce sternly told him. "Buffy hasn't left her room in two days. She's not eating or sleeping. She just lays on her bed holding up this necklace Dawn gave her. Now, you were the last person she talked to. What in the hell did you say to her?"

Spike just stared at Joyce. His mind was filled with overlapping, conflicting thoughts. Part of him was screaming: 'Buffy does love you.' While the other half was screaming 'But so did Dru.' For once in his unlife, he didn't have a comeback.

"Well?" Joyce insisted.

Spike ran a hand through his hair. "Joyce," He sighed. "It's a long story, one which I don't feel like talking about."

"Why don't you start feeling like it before I find an ax and finish what I started three years ago. Do you remember what I told you?" Joyce asked threateningly.

"You told me 'No one lays a hand on my little girl.'" Spike responded automatically. At Joyce's nod he continued. "But that's exactly what I was doing. Protecting my little bit."

Joyce simply stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"When I came into your house last night, Buffy was holding Dawn up against the wall by her neck. I only did what any other parent would do."

Joyce softened. "I'm sure Buffy had an explaina-"

"I'll tell you what I told her, Joyce. I don't want any explanations! She's a slayer, I'm not supposed to-" He stopped mid-sentence, knowing very well that he was beginning to sound like William.

"Fall in love with a slayer?" Joyce put in.

Spike looked at her sheepishly. "Well, yeah. That was always Peaches' territory. I was the one who killed 'em, he was the one who shagged 'em." Joyce raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, you know what I mean." Spike finished sheepishly.

Joyce smiled. "I do, but why are you afraid of being in love with Buffy?"

Spike blinked. "I'm not afraid." He stopped and looked at Joyce. "At least I'm not afraid for me."

"What?"

"Dawn."

Joyce nodded.

"She's already had one abusive mother. I don't want to put her in that situation again. No matter what I feel. Dawn is more important to me than life itself." Spike admitted.

"Spike, I-" Joyce began, but stopped when Spike shook his head.

"Don't."

"At least give her another chance. Please?" Joyce asked. "Just one last chance."
"Giles?" Buffy asked as she walked into the darkened magic shop. "You here? I thought you said you needed to talk to me."

"The watcher lied." Spike said stepping out of the shadows.

"Spike." Buffy said nervously as she took a step backwards. "What are you doing here? Where's Giles?"

"He's not here."

"Obviously." Buffy responded as annoyance replaced her nervousness. "But why am I here?"

"I needed to talk to you."

"I think we did enough talking the other night, don't you?" Buffy retorted.

"Buffy." Spike started.

"You said my name." Buffy said, shock clearly written on her face. "I, um, gotta go." She began as she walked back towards the door.

"Buffy." Spike tried again.

"I don't want to talk, Spike." She said as she left the shop.

"Women!" Spike sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Bleeding women."
Riley Finn was a man on a mission. "If she thinks she can get rid of me that easily, she's got another thing coming." Riley promised as he stalked through the same warehouse that Buffy had found the glowing orb in.

"Is that so, Sugar?" A woman in a red dress asked him as she stepped out of the shadows.

"Who are you?" Riley asked, angry at the intrusion.

"That isn't important. You're going to help me."

"Who are you and why should I help you?" The ex-commando asked again.

The woman sighed. "Call me Glory. And we have a lot of talking to do. And you don't have a choice in the matter."
"Mom?" Buffy called as she walked into her house. "You're never going to believe what Spike just tried." She continued as she walked up the stairs. Suddenly she was distracted by something on the couch. She turned around and her whole world shattered around her. "Mommy?"