Thanks for the reviews and comments of the last chapter, sorry this one had been a bit long in coming, I have been unwell.

Chapter 15

Spike closed the door to Dawn's room and begun to stride down the corridor. He was going to need Angel's help on this one. He took out his cell phone, about to dial up his friend's number, when a nurse walked by him and pointed out a sign No cell phones to be used inside the hospital. Spike cursed under his breath and put it back inside his jacket.

"Spike!"

He turned around to see Buffy running towards him. By the time she'd caught up, her face was flushed and she was out of breath.

"Buffy," he replied coolly.

"So what did Dawn say?"

"Sorry, I kind of think that's between Dawn and I," he replied as he made to turn away.

Buffy reached out and caught his sleeve, this time she stood in front of him, barring his way. Her hands were planted firmly on her hips. Spike had to admit, that even portraying a picture of perfect stubbornness, she still managed to look adorable at the same time. He couldn't help the big grin that spread across his face.

"Look love, if the nibblet doesn't want to tell you then it's not my place to,"

"Anything to do with my sister is my business," she replied angrily.

Spike picked her up and moved her out of the way. "It really isn't pet," he grinned, still holding on to her as he lowered his lips and kissed her hard. He moved away and Buffy looked up at him speechless. "Well if all I had to do to shut you up was to kiss you, I would have done if before now and more often," he smirked at her, kissing her once more before walking away.

Buffy touched her fingers to her mouth. She was so stunned, that she stood there in a daydream for several minutes before she realised she still hadn't gotten any answers. She walked to the entrance and looked over the lot, but Spike was long gone. Arrogant man she fumed, but then smiled at the memory of his kisses, Damn it, why did he have to be such a good kisser? She sighed, why was she even complaining? Buffy headed back to her sister's room hoping that Dawn would be forthcoming with some information. She turned the handle and went in, Dawn was a little too conveniently curled up in bed as if asleep.

"Dawn Summers, you ain't foolin' anyone," said Buffy sternly.

"It's isn't not ain't," Dawn corrected her, as she sat up in bed, giving up her pretence of being asleep.

"Nice try at the subject change," said Buffy.

"I learnt from the master, or is that mistress?" mused Dawn.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Buffy.

"I have eyes Buffy; I can see things are not as they should be between you and Spike. Both of you are a pair of dumb asses, who need some sense knocking into them. Spike is crazy about you, you are crazy about him. Even I can do the math, you guys belong together. It doesn't matter how you both started out which I don't 100 swallow by the way, but the main thing is that you are together. I may be young, but it doesn't mean I don't understand," said Dawn.

"It's complicated…" Buffy began.

"No it's not sis," snapped Dawn. "When you next see Spike, you either tell him that you love him or else…or else I will never speak to you again," said Dawn, as she folded her arms across her chest. "Conversation over," she added as she lay down and put the covers over her head.

"And that told me," said Buffy as she exited the room.

"Damn straight," said Dawn, as she settled down for a nap with a smile on her face.

Buffy walked to the bus stop, she stood there for several minutes, it seemed like all the buses in Sunnydale had evaporated. She got tired of waiting and began to walk up the road, deciding the exercise might do her good and clear her head a little. She was deep in thought, most of it stirred up by Dawn's lecture. She didn't hear the car pull up in front of her at first. She looked up as she finally noticed it, cruising next to her as she walked. Angel was sitting behind the wheel with a big dorky grin on his face.

He lowered the window "In need of a ride anywhere?" he asked.

"Sure, thanks, is my house okay?" said Buffy, as she got in the passenger side.

"No problem, I was on the way over to yours anyway," he informed her.

The powerful car pulled away and sped off, soon eating up the distance to her house.

"Oh yeah? Why was that?" asked Buffy.

"Against my better judgement I have loaned Spike my car on the understanding that it's returned to me within twenty-four hours,"

"What does he need it for?" asked Buffy, hoping that Angel might have some answers.

"Uh, uh you don't get past me that easily Buff,"

"Which translates as you haven't a clue," said Buffy sarcastically.

Angel laughed at her words. He turned the car up her driveway and switched off the engine. "Home sweet home,"

"Yeah isn't it just," she sighed.

They both exited the car and Buffy fumbled around in her purse for the house key, before she could put the key in the lock, Spike had flung the door open wide.

"You took your time mate," said Spike as he took the keys that Angel held out to him.

"I found something that belonged to you on the way home. I thought I'd return it to its rightful owner," said Angel, glancing at Buffy.

"Hi Spike," said Buffy, feeling suddenly very shy. It had taken her sister to make her see what an idiot she had been in her behaviour towards Spike, and now faced with him. and her feelings for him she felt very self-conscious.

Spike took Buffy by the arm and led her to one side.

"Look pet, I might have been a bit short with you at the hospital, but I made a promise to Dawn that I intend to keep. If I push it, I might be back by late tonight. If not, no later than tomorrow morning some time, and just in case have the guest room ready,"

"Okay, I understand you can't tell me, it was wrong of me to ask you to break that confidence…you want to use the guest room again?" she asked as his words sank in.

One of Spike's eyebrows rose in surprise. "It's not for me and that's all I'm saying. Till later then luv? Don't forget to keep the home fires burning or what ever that means," he replied.

She smiled up at him. "Yeah keep the fires burning, drive carefully," she added.

Spike leaned in and kissed her lingeringly on the lips, inwardly elated at her responses to him. "Gotta move," he sighed, reluctantly releasing his hold on her, before walking away with Angel.

"I love you," she whispered to his retreating form. Now was not the time for declarations, they could wait until he returned, she decided. Besides she didn't really want his best friend present when she poured out her heart to him.

Buffy went in the house and closed the door, a little smile lifting the corners of her mouth.

"So did my little wife give you the third degree?" asked Spike.

"Of course, but I couldn't tell her anything as I knew a big fat zero myself," said Angel.

"If you must know, I am off to LA to get daddy Summers," Spike replied.

"Oh you're playing with fire there pal, Faith told me about Buffy's father issues,"

"Yeah? Well we need to find out if he is a match for Dawn. I know it sounds hard, but she is going to have to deal with it,"

"I wouldn't want to be in your shoes bud, when she finds out," said Angel.

"It's for Dawn; Buffy will just have to put her own feelings on the matter behind her for now. Besides I'm sure she will understand once she calms down. As it is I get the feeling that Hank Summers might need a little persuading to return. He's not exactly running for Father of the year award, now is he?" asked Spike dryly.

"Well if he doesn't come back with you, there is another alternative…" said Angel, holding in his laughter.

"Okay Angel laugh it out and just tell me," growled Spike.

"You and Buffy could have a baby,"

"Oh very bloody funny, you're just full of helpful suggestions aren't you? How would Buffy and I, having a baby solve anything?" asked Spike.

"It's not unheard of, families' do it all the time, the baby could be a match," said Angel.

"And what am I supposed to say, Hey Buffy let's have a baby for Dawn, if we go at enough I could have you knocked up in time for Christmas," said Spike sarcastically.

"Have a little more faith in your abilities. Besides I was suggesting something a little more romantic than that. I am sure that Dawn would be the last thing on her mind,"

"Well this is your stop," said Spike as he brought the car to a halt outside the diner.

Angel got out and leaned down to talk to spike through the window. "Now if there is a scratch on it, I will dismember you. Remember I want it back by tomorrow morning,"

"And what if I don't? Will it turn into a pumpkin or something?"

"Now who's the comedian," shouted out Angel as Spike drove off.

Spike handled Angel's powerful car like a pro, loving the feel of the open road ahead. He calculated that he could be in downtown LA by the late afternoon. He was missing Buffy already, that kiss they had shared before he left the house assured him that she was beginning to get over her guilt feelings of the previous evening. No one could have known that Dawn would get sick, well sick-er he amended. Buffy had been carrying too much on her narrow shoulders these past few months and needed to learn to let go, either that, or go mad.

He wondered what Hank Summers would be like. He had to be a pretty spineless variety of the male species to walk out on two wonderful daughters like he'd had. He intended to keep that promise of dragging their father back to Sunnydale kicking and screaming if he had to. Spike's hands tightened on the steering wheel, the tension knotting in his shoulders at the thought of the task ahead.

Buffy felt like she was rattling around the empty house all by herself. She started on the chores as she absentmindedly walked round giving everything a token dusting. Spike and Dawn were the only things that filled her head at that moment. She had to admit, that looking back, marrying him seemed like fate now, almost from the moment she had seen him she'd been a lost cause. In being too scared to admit to her feelings she had also discovered that it hurt more to try and deny her growing love for her husband.

She couldn't wait until Spike got home, which would hopefully be tonight. She couldn't think what sort of quest Dawn had sent him on. At least it wouldn't be her father; after all he was far away on another continent…

Buffy started dusting the family photos, there were already several of her and Spike, Spike and Dawn, or all three of them together. Most of the pictures had been taken during a barbeque that Spike had arranged in the yard last week. She traced the outline of his mouth on the picture, he had such a warm smile, and ways of making her feel that she was the only person in the world when he looked at her.

Buffy replaced the photo and went down to the basement to collect the clothes from the drier and went back upstairs. Her first stop was her bedroom. Buffy opened the drawer to put a couple of Spike's t-shirts away. As she put them in the draw she felt something smooth and flat in the base. She picked it up and, to her surprise it was a photo, one she hadn't seen before. A beautiful dark haired woman stared back at her, Buffy turned it over, and it had been signed "To my darling William, love Dru,"

Buffy felt the green eyed monster, jealousy take over her. She knew she hadn't been Spike's first, but who was this woman from his past? She wasn't going to sit here and stew imagining all kinds of bad until Spike returned. Buffy picked up the phone and called Faith at the diner.

Angel was sitting at one of the tables watching Faith as she did the coffee rounds. She stopped at his table and he slapped her rear. "It's a good job I know ya, or you'd be wearing that coffee by now you big perv," grinned Faith.

"I aim to please," he replied by pulling her onto his lap.

Anya breezed by them "Are you going to serve the customers or just serve Angel?" she enquired.

"What's the matter Anya, Xander not hitting the spot?" asked Faith, mischievously.

"If you mean the g-spot he hits it just fine," said Anya as she marched off.

"Colour me embarrassed, guess I'll just go stick my head in one of the ovens," said Xander as he looked around the almost silent diner.

Faith laughed and glanced out of the window, seeing Buffy.

"Oop, one jealous wife on her way," said Faith as she slipped off of Angel's lap. "Buffy Hi, we were just talking about you. Angel she's all yours in the figurative sense,"

"Buffy, sit down please," said Angel.

Buffy pulled the photo from her bag and placed it on the table, taking a seat across from Angel.

"Ah, Dru…was wondering when she'd rear her ugly head. Well not ugly…but…anyway I digress, the short version is that eight months ago our boy Spike turned up at a church to say I do, and Drusilla didn't,"

"She was his fiancée? Why didn't the marriage go ahead?"

"Let's just say, someone else took her fancy and she left him at the altar on their wedding day. Apparently he was one in a long line of others. I won't lie to you Buffy, when he turned up at my apartment all those months ago he was heartbroken. He swore he would never trust another woman again in his life, but then he met you. He fought against it so hard at first. I could see how he felt about you on your wedding day. You felt the same way didn't you?" asked Angel.

Buffy nodded, her heart ached for the pain he must have suffered at the hands of such a bitch.

"Good, because I don't think he could stand more heartbreak. Buffy, whatever it was he felt for Dru, it is a pale shadow of his love for you. I don't often wax lyrical, but I'm taking a chance myself," said Angel.

"Faith?" asked Buffy.

Angel removed a small velvet box from his jacket and opened it to reveal a diamond solitaire. "Do you think she'll like it?"

"Angel that girl worships the ground you walk on. Good luck with it," smiled Buffy as she got up from her chair, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

Faith walked towards the table and Angel hastily put the ring away.

"You getting up close and personal with my man? I'll have to kick your ass for that," teased Faith.

Buffy walked up to Faith and hugged her tightly before leaving the diner.

"Not that I don't love the girl to death, but what was that all about?" asked Faith.

"I have no idea," said Angel innocently.

Spike checked his watch; it was 4:30pm. Things had taken a little longer than he had hoped as there had been an accident on the highway, causing a tailback into the city, of several miles. He checked his map and reread the address that Dawn had given him. Judging by the buildings in the area, it wasn't the best part of LA, but it certainly wasn't the worst. Finally he pulled up outside an apartment block and switched off the engine and secured the car. He easily entered the building, there had been some sort of security system at one time, but by the looks of it, it had fallen into disrepair. He opened the doors and took the elevator to Hank's floor. The doors slid open with a ping. He noted that the hallways up here were much cleaner than the lower ones. Spike walked up to the front door, he took a deep breath, his hand poised for a moment before he rang the bell.

"Okay, I'm coming, but if you're selling something, just so you know, I'm not buying," said the voice within.

A moment later the door swung open. Spike was surprised by the appearance of a middle aged man with sandy hair and about his height. Hank looked Spike up and down in equal surprise.

"Hank? Hank Summers? Father to Buffy and Dawn?" asked Spike.

"Yeah that's me, what do you want?"

Spike felt his temper rise at the man's nonchalant attitude. "To give you this," he said, his fist rose to connect with Hank's face.

TBC