Chapter 1

Ready

Spike wandered along the street, occasionally taking a puff from the cigarette in his hand. It had been a while since he'd been in LA. All because of one word, Peaches. Spike growled just think about the stupid poof. But he had heard some very interesting news, about a girl. It's always about a girl, he reminded himself, always.

Dawn Summers was mulling over her internal thoughts when she heard a noise. It was so quiet she almost missed it. Almost. Stake ready in hand, she positioned herself. Come and get me vampy-I so need this. A large vampire rushed out at her in game face. She was so ready.

Spike had heard about this girl from a bunch of demons. They had been whispering, but Spike gave thanks for vampire hearing. The big one said something about a girl who fought well, as good as the Slayer, if not better. And then he mentioned something about powers. But Spike ignored that. Fought as good as the Slayer? That had caught his interest. No one fought better than Buffy. Even if he hadn't seen her in four years, he knew no one could beat her; she had a fire in her. All the sudden he caught a whiff of someone and a vampire. He walked quickly; maybe it was his lucky day.

Dawn gave a smirk at the vampire who was lying on the ground a couple feet away. Oh yeah, she was so winning.

"Tired yet?" she asked innocently. The vampire growled and charged at her again. As easily as breathing, Dawn stabbed him in the heart as he passed by. Poof. No more vampy.

"Okay, that was totally lame. I think you lasted for about two seconds," Dawn sighed, bored already.

Then her skin tingled, evil. Dawn gave a grin, this time there was more than one. Goody a fair fight.

Spike watched from the shadows as the slight girl dusted the vampire like it was nothing. She sure did have talent. He couldn't see her face clearly, but she had a nice figure and long lean legs. Then another vampire appeared and the girl gripped her stake, ready for anything. He liked that.

"Good, you showed," Dawn said brightly. This vampire was smaller, but judging by the way he was moving, he was more experienced then Dusty Doorknob over there.

"Slayer," he growled, fangs flashing.

"Nope, worse," she said in just as cheerful a voice. She ran up and kicked him in the jaw, sending him sprawling on his back. He quickly jumped up, but Dawn was close enough to swing her fist into his face, feeling the satisfying crunch of cartilage. He let out a mix between a growl and a moan of pain. She seized the moment to drive the stake in his dead heart. Another one went poof.

Spike watched awed as she got rid of the vampire in less than a minute. She was brushing off her pants when she froze and turned towards his hiding space, cautiously moving towards him. The face that peered at him was familiar with those large, expressive blue eyes. He'd know them anywhere.

"Nibblet?"

Dawn skin tingled again, something was still near by. She waited a moment before moving towards the shadows. There was no way she was letting it get away. Then she heard it. The one word she thought she'd never hear again.

"Nibblet?"

Spike watched, in a trance, as Dawn-his Dawn-walked closer to him, her movements slow, unsure. Blue met Blue.

"Spike?" she breathed, her voice filled with awe.

"I'm back Nib-" Spike broke off as his head snapped to the side, his cheek stinging. She had slapped him and it had hurt, damn she was strong.

"You bastard," she whispered hoarsely. With all the hate in her voice, he was surprised he wasn't dusty-shaped already.

Dawn didn't say anything else-there wasn't much to say her little slaphad said more than any more words could. She took in his appearance- same as always. His hair was bleached, but not gelled back, though she had to admit it had looked good curled. The same black clothes and that duster, she doubted he'd ever tire of that thing. Though there was also something different about him-almost familiar. It bugged the hell out of her.

She was scrutinizing him; her blue eyes narrow slits, her stake resting by her side, hand tense. He took the opportunity to stare right back. She didn't look the same-that was for sure. She still had Nibblet's pretty features, but she had…grown in all the right places. His eyes traveled down her body approvingly, yep she sure had.

Dawn willed herself not to blush under his leering gaze. She knew her body had changed in the last few years. And while the 15 year old her would've jumped for joy that he liked her body, the woman she was now wasn't so naïve. And definitely not so in love with him. Memories jumped at her unbidden, but she suppressed them, pushing away the pain. Not now.

Spike noticed a look of pain flicker across her features for a split second, and then her face returned to its neutral look. He wondered what had caused it.

"So," her voice was dripping with acid, "What are you doing here?" Bitty Buffy she was indeed.

Spike wasn't sure what to say- the truth or a version of it.

"Came to see you Bit," he smirked, version it was then.

Dawn glared at him. He was doing that smirk with the tongue curl thing. Once she thought it had been sexy, now it was sexy and annoying-if possible. She needed to be direct. Say it and get him out. Needed her past to stay away-for good.

"I'm not your Buffy replacement, Spike. I never was and I never will be her," she snarled at him before walking away, praying he wouldn't follow. She wasn't little Dawnie, she knew why he came back. He wanted Buffy Jr. That's what everyone had wanted. She proved them wrong and she'd prove it to Spike too.

Spike gaped at Dawn's retreating figure. He hadn't really paid attention to her words. It was the way she had regarded him like he was stranger. And here he had been hoping to share memories, flirt a little and, hell, maybe throw a few punches.

Not this. He needed to tell her the truth-why he was back for Buffy and his Nibblet.

"Dawn!" he yelled, catching up with her.

Dawn froze at her name-her old one-no one called her that anymore. She swore her heart skipped a few beats. Breathing hard, she turned and faced him.

Spike glanced down at his feet, mentally kicking himself for sounding like a lovesick schoolboy.

"Silver," Dawn stated coldly, meeting his eyes with her cold blue ones. Spike's eyebrows knitted in confusion and he tilted his head at her.

"My name is Silver," she said again, face expressionless. Spike raised an eyebrow, "Interestin" he said with another tilt of his head, "What's with the name change?" He sneered at her.

Dawn's eyes narrowed, fury building up in her. How could he act like nothing happened?

"Spike," she growled, "Buffy died. Sorry if that didn't get registered in your pea-sized brain, but she's dead and she's not coming back and I'm not here to replace her. So don't come here acting like nothing happened. Go away and don't come back. No one needs you. Buffy didn't and neither do I." she spat and spun on her heel, walking away from him. "Buffy's dead," she whispered, "like Dawn."

Her words hit him like a ton of bricks. Buffy's dead? No-this was the girl who died twice and came back, nothing stopped her. But Dawn wasn't lying, he knew it. Then he heard her whisper. It was so soft he almost didn't catch it, "Buffy's dead. Like Dawn." Spike finally realized just how long he'd been gone.

(A/N: it's been four years since Spike has seen Dawn and three years since Buffy's death. You'll find out why Spike doesn't know what's been going on in a couple chapters. Also Dawn will be called "Silver" by other people but as I'm writing about her thinking and doing stuff-she's Dawn.)