Sometimes Plans Do Work, Then Again...

Disclaimer: See previous chapters and stay away from the pocket lint.

Summary: One pissed off vampire.

Reviews: Oh YES. Reviews rock my world and rule the muse (or is that rule my world and rock the muse, hmmm). Muse loves reviewers. All reviewers RULE.

A/N: Was rather proud of that last chapter, kinda made up for the one before that. Thank you for all the kind words.

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"Bloody Hell!! Let me go! Don't you see he's going to hurt them? LET ME GO!" Spike yelled frantically trying to free himself from the enchanted chain.

Gunn grinned at his captive. "Give it up. You ain't escaping this thing. Might as well calm down."

Giles jumped when he felt the ropes binding him loosen and fall away. Wesley put a hand on his shoulder to reassure him. "Dear Lord. This was a plan. A trick to make Spike mad enough to come back." He realized.

Wesley grinned. "Worked brilliantly, I'd say."

Cordelia freed Xander and moved on to Dawn. Fred timidly worked at Willow's bonds. Removing the gag first.

"You could have just asked." Willow glared at Angel.

"No, I couldn't. The fear had to be real. You all had to believe you were truly in danger for Spike's protective instincts to kick in. I had to concentrate on Dawn since she's the one he's most connected to." Angel smiled as Dawn, finally free, leaped on Spike. She wrapped her long legs around his waist and clamped her arms around his neck. He tried to hug her but his arms were still chained down. "Dawnie got it but I think I scared her enough that she didn't give it away."

Spike staggered under Dawn's assault. "I should bloody well stake you." He growled at his Sire, game face fading out. His legs buckled and the two tumbled to the floor. Gunn looked at Angel for confirmation and receiving the nod, released the chain. The elder vampire rushed to his Childe's side. He and Dawn helped the now-shaky blond back to the easy chair.

"Wes! We need that blood now." Angel instructed over his shoulder. The younger Watcher hurried over with the thermos they'd brought for Spike. Dawn steadied the thermos to keep Spike from spilling it with his shaking hands. After a few sips he lowered it and closed his eyes. After a short rest, he looked at Angel.

"You're evil." The blond grumbled.

Angel grinned. "Not today." His relief at his Childe's recovery shining in his eyes.

Gunn went over to release Buffy, making sure she was comfortable. She would be out for a while still and Angel had instructed that she be made comfortable as soon as possible. She moaned when he gently put a pillow under her head.

Spike glanced over when he heard the moan. His pale face going even paler at the sight of the Slayer lying unconscious. He turned his head so he wouldn't have to see her.

"Stay with me Spike." Dawn whispered.

"Not going anywhere, Bit." He whispered back. "Just can't look at her yet is all."

She tipped the thermos back up and made him drink some more of the red liquid so vital to his survival. Xander and Willow supported each other as they went to the old sofa to sit down. Wesley helped Giles over to another easy chair and checked his lump to make sure he wasn't bleeding from the blow Angel had given him. Angel motioned to Fred and Cordelia.

"Get them something to drink please." The girls nodded and went into the other room to bring in the cooler they'd prepared in advance.

Wesley gave Giles a conspiratory glance and pulled a silver flask from his pocket, offering the older man a sip of scotch. Giles accepted the alcohol gratefully. He'd had an extremely stressful two days. Spike's sensitive nose picked up the scent of the spirits.

"Hey, Watcher, gonna share that?" He wanted to know.

Wesley grinned. "Well, if I must." He said bringing it over and offering Spike a shot.

Angel stood up and walked over to the sofa where Xander and Willow were sipping colas. He knelt down. "Are you two okay?" He asked gently.

"No thanks to you. I never liked you, you know." Xander sputtered.

Willow patted his arm. "It's okay, Xander. He didn't intend to harm us. If he did, he would have."

Xander glared at Angel. "Maybe, but still..."

Cordelia wandered over. "Get over it. You were never in any danger." She selected a soda from the cooler and carried it over to Dawn, who was refusing to leave Spike's side.

Wesley moved back over to Giles. "Are you all right now?" The younger Watcher asked.

Giles nodded ruefully. "I should have guessed. I must have been more tired than I thought."

Wesley laughed. "He did play his part well. I would have been fooled if I hadn't been in on it."

Dawn sat on the arm of Spike's chair. He continued to sip from the thermos anxious to get his strength back so he could kick Angel's ass. He glanced up at the teenager. He reached up and grasped her hand. "Niblet, are you okay?" He rasped, his voice harsh from more than twenty-four hours of nonuse and then shouting. She gave his fingers a squeeze, happy his hands weren't shaking any more.

"I'm fine. What about you? Gonna stay with me this time? No more little mental vacations. Okay?" Dawn scolded. "Promise me."

He gave her a glare. "I promise." Knowing that his fate was sealed. He had to keep his promise. "Come here." Setting his thermos on a nearby table, he pulled on her hand dropping her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. She snuggled her head onto his shoulder contentedly. He laid his head on top of hers and closed his eyes. They didn't realize they were the center of attention.

Everyone was so busy watching Dawn and Spike no one noticed Buffy waking up until the outraged shriek split the air.

"Dawn! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING! Spike! Get your hands off my sister!" The slayer advanced on the two in the chair, only to be waylaid by Angel.

"No. Buffy. Leave them alone." Angel said sternly.

She glared at him. "What is going on here?" She demanded.

Giles came up next to Buffy and took her arm, leading her away. "What was going on here was a desperate plan to bring Spike back. He'd retreated so far into himself no one could reach him." He explained.

She sputtered in outrage. "But he's evil."

Angel put a finger under her chin and gazed into her eyes. Then he turned her head to look at the couple in the chair. Two pairs of blue eyes were trained on her fearfully. "Does he look evil to you?" Angel asked softly. Spike found it hurt to look at her. Flinching, he turned his face away, laying his head back down on the top of Dawn's brunette locks. He was so tired.

Buffy noticed the flinch, since when did Spike do that? He actually looked afraid for a moment. Dawn turned her face away from her sister and closed her eyes.

Buffy tried to wrench her chin from Angel's grasp but he wouldn't let her go. He forced her to acknowledge that Spike looked far from evil. She really looked at her sister and the vampire she was sitting on. Dawn was draped across Spike's lap with her head on his shoulder. He was resting his blond head on hers providing a stark contrast between his platinum curls and her chocolaty tresses. One of Spike's arms was wrapped around her shoulders and the other rested across her body so she was completely encircled by his embrace. An embrace that was both protective and loving.

Buffy bent her head. "No, he doesn't LOOK evil."

Willow, Xander and the AI team decided it would be prudent to move into the next room, leaving Giles and Angel in the living room to try to work through the problems with Buffy and her issues with Spike and Dawn.

Giles led Buffy over to the sofa and sat her down, taking a seat next to her. Angel brought over a chair and placed it in front of her. Both men waited for her to speak. She shifted uncomfortably under their steady gazes. Looking into their eyes, she could only see warmth and caring. She looked behind Angel at the couple in the chair across the room.

"How long have they been like that?" She asked softly.

Giles cleaned his glasses. "Like what?" He asked.

"All lovey and snuggly." She explained with a grimace.

"Since you died. Spike was Dawns anchor. His promise to protect her was the only thing keeping him from going for a walk at noon." Angel told her. "They needed each other. He moved into your house, got a job to support her and took over raising your sister when no one else could."

Giles replaced his glasses. "Spike was devastated when you died. He blamed himself. He and Dawn are closer than most siblings, but that is how they feel about each other, as brother and sister. Spike never would or could hurt Dawn. He loves her as much as he loved you." He said.

"He can't love. He's a vampire." Her protest was sounding weaker each time she said it.

Angel caught her gaze. "You don't believe that anymore. I'm a vampire and I can love."

She dropped her eyes. "But you have a soul." She muttered.

The dark vampire raised her chin and focused her eyes on him again. "And Spike never needed one to love. He never lost his ability to love. He's different."

Unnoticed, Spike had settled a sleeping Dawn in the easy chair and approached the trio discussing him. His trembling increased the closer he got to the slayer until he thought his bones would rattle from the tremors. He could do this he told himself. 'Just face her you ponce.' He thought to himself. Angel's head whipped around and Spike muffled a groan. The link was open.

Giles and Buffy both looked up at the blond standing a couple of feet away. He looked at the woman he'd loved with all his being. He took a deep unneeded breath and time seemed to stop while they waited for him to speak.

"Buffy." It was the first time he'd been able to say the name in over a month. "I loved you so much." He began. With that said, the dam was history and everything came pouring out.

"I loved you and you hurt me. You blew up my home and then you blew up my heart. You told me over and over that I was an evil, soulless thing and that I couldn't love. How dare you? Who made you the judge over who could or couldn't love? Hmmm? Did dying give you an all seeing view over who had feelings and who didn't?" He dragged a hand through his hair. Angel started to get up but stopped when Giles put a hand on his arm.

"Let him get it out." Giles said softly.

"It was wrong. I know that. What kind of vampire loves a slayer? How messed up is that?" Angel shot him an annoyed look but didn't interrupt. "But I couldn't help it. Since the first time you kissed me, Bloody Hell, even before that I was yours to do whatever you wanted. You're the one who jumped me. I just wanted to love you. But I was...what was it you said... oh yeah." A bitter laugh erupted. "convenient. If you had an itch, just go see Spike, he'll scratch it any way you wanted. Except gentle, never wanted gentle did you Slayer. Always with the violence and the pain. Don't get me wrong, now. Hello. Vampire. Really likes violence and pain. But there's only so much a man can take before he breaks, you know?" A tear slid down his face. "Only so much." He turned his back partly because he couldn't look at her any more, but mostly because he couldn't stand the tears he could see forming in her big green eyes.

"I...I didn't know." Buffy whispered.

Spike swung around. "You didn't WANT to know." He almost shouted. "I told you over and over. I loved you. You. Just. Didn't. Want. To. Know. Until that last day. You made me tell you. You made me SHOW you how much I loved and wanted you. You only wanted to hear it then because Soldier Boy had gone off and got himself married and you couldn't take it. He was supposed to suffer from loving you like the rest of us poor blokes fool enough to fall for you. Then you had the sodding nerve to tell me it was killing you? Killing YOU?" He laughed again. "You should have just staked me then, Luv. It would have been kinder." Fairly vibrating with rage he paced around the room.

Angel looked around his living room in dismay as small knickknacks started to explode. "Um, Spike." He began.

Spike rounded on him. "What?!"

Angel pointed at the debris on the mantle. "Calm down."

"Why the Bloody Hell should I...?" He looked around the room. "Oh, right. Sorry." He waved his hand and all Angel's possessions were restored.

Buffy's mouth dropped open. "That was... you just... how did you do that?" She stammered.

Giles cleared his throat. "No one told you? Spike, you didn't tell her?"

"Tell me WHAT?" Buffy demanded.

"I'm a wizard, Luv. A thumping good one, once I've trained up a bit." Spike paraphrased one of his favorite books.

"How long...?" She stopped.

"A very long time." Angel said.

"Don't change the subject." Spike yelled.

"Too late." Buffy answered. "Can someone please tell me what is going on?"

"I WAS telling you, you twit. I want you to know what you did to me! You destroyed me, I finally got a little peace then I had to go and remember what you did and I fried. I went away and wasn't coming back. The Watcher and the Poof here decided that couldn't happen so I guess Peaches here devised a little plan to piss me off. Well it worked and I'm pissed." Spike started pacing again and once more Angel's things started to go pop.

"SPIKE!" Angel roared.

"WHAT?" Spike yelled back.

"Stop breaking my stuff." Angel waved his arms around indicating the broken items.

"Oh, bugger this." Spike waved his hand and restored Angel's possessions again. "If anyone wants me I'll be in my crypt." He went over and kissed Dawn's forehead, whispered in her ear then vanished.

Angel looked at the spot where his Childe disappeared. "Damn, I knew I should have kept the chain on him."