Chapter 3

Boy this is Fun!

Spike had spent the previous two nights searching for Dawn with no luck. He would catch a whiff of her smell, but she was long gone. She lived around there, somewhere, he was sure of that.

"Silver, you ready?" Connor knocked on her door.

"Almost!" she yelled, before tripping on a lone shoe in the middle of the room.

"Ow! Dammit," she mumbled. Looking around the mess, she found her favorite leather boots and jacket tucked in the corner of the room.

"Score!" she grinned.

She and Connor were going out patrolling. It still tickled her mind that she was patrolling. If Buffy could see me now she'd have a heart attack, she thought fondly of her late sister. She could remember the first time they met, when by fate they had found each other.

Dawn had just arrived into LA and glanced around the bus station nervously. She wasn't even sure where she was going to go, but she knew she couldn't stay in Sunnydale. It hurt so much, she gasp as the familiar piercing of heart constricted her breathing. Stepping out on the street, she pulled her thin coat closer to her body. It wasn't that it was cold, but there was this weird goose bump-y feeling that someone was near by, someone she didn't want to meet. She picked up her pace; hopefully she'd find a motel soon. Looking up at the street signs, she didn't see a blonde woman approach her.

"Sweetie, you lost?" the woman asked with a strange smile. It wasn't all that comforting. Dawn shook her head and started to walk past her.

"You look lost, and so delicious," at that the woman's face shifted into game face. SHIT, vampire! Dawn started to run, but the vampire had her hand in hers. She shivered at the cold, iron grip. She fished into her pocket with her other hand, hoping the vampire wouldn't notice her doing so. The vampire pulled her close, "Scream if it hurts," it whispered, pulling her hair away from her neck to reveal her smooth skin. Dawn squeezed her eyes shut and blindly swiped at her with the knife in her hand. The vampire hissed as the blade cut open her skin on her shoulder.

As the vampire reached out for her again, a figure ran up to it from behind. When the dust fell she looked into a pair of green-blue eyes belong to a handsome young man, maybe a year or two older than her.

"Hi," she said uncertainly.

He gave her a nervous smile, "Sorry about that, are you alright?"

"Yeah," Dawn nodded, letting her knife hand drop to her side, "Thanks, the vamp almost got me," Dawn thanked him, rubbing her neck. The boy's eyes widened slightly, "Vampire?"

Dawn gave him a weird, amused look, "Please tell me you know what they're called if you dust them," she said with a chuckle. The boy's poster relaxed, "I was just surprised you knew what they were. Most people just assume it was a weirdo on drugs."

Dawn let out another soft chuckle, "Believe me, I know what they are."

"Can I walk you home?" the boy asked with a concerned expression.

"Um..." Dawn hesitated; "Well I just came in to LA..." she trailed off, blushing slightly.

"Ooh," He nodded with understanding, "You need a place to stay?"

"Yeah," Dawn said shyly, looking at her feet, "Do you know a motel near by?"

Dawn snapped herself out of her memories. Here they were now 3 years later, best friends sharing an apartment. Then a thought ran through her mind, where they just friends? Lately there had been that weird energy in the air. The kind when you're not sure whether to kiss them or hug them-in the friendly way. Maybe tonight they would finally figure things out.

After two hours of hopeless searching, Spike found heaven. It involved beer. Lots of it.

"What's with all the vamps tonight?" Dawn asked watching dust fall. It had been her 10th vampire of the night, double her usual.

"I don't know," Connor answered after dusting a vamp of his own.

"Okay I'm done, you?" Dawn asked brushing off her pants.

"Ice cream?" He grinned and Dawn laughed and linked her arm through his, "Absolutely,"

Spike watched as Dawn and some schoolboy walked, holding bloody hands. He may be very drunk, but he wasn't going to follow her. Nope-she could shag the whelp for all he cared.

There it was again, the tingle, Dawn noticed it again as they headed towards the ice cream parlor.

"Connor, I think someone's following us," she whispered in his ear. He nodded and they slowed down. Connor watched as she grabbed her knife and he got a stake. Didn't hurt to be prepared.

Spike stumbled over an exposed tree root in his drunken state and let out a stream of curses. He hoped the couple hadn't heard them. He inwardly groaned, here he was following them. He was the Poofer in all his glory.

"Dawnie," he slurred, she was so pretty. Shiny hair.

"Dawnie," Both Connor and Dawn spun around and Dawn jumped at the sight. Spike, a very clearly drunk Spike who was stumbling towards them.

"Look at you Nibblet, all grown up," he gave her a grin.

"You know him?" Connor asked confused.

"Um…" Dawn glanced nervously at Spike whose expression hardened.

"Course she does you git!" he exclaimed, "knew the bit since she was 12!"

"Silver?" Connor questioned giving her a puzzled look. Dawn clutched closer to him, "Come on let's go," she mumbled, silently pleading for Spike to go away. Not now. She didn't want this now.

"Silver," Spike let out a chuckle, "forgot to tell you-pretty name, suits you, shiny and all that rot," he punctuated with a wave of the bottled hand. Connor frowned and stepped forward, "Look, I don't know who you think she is, but I suggest you walk away," he glared at Spike. Dawn glanced nervously at Spike trying to catch his eye with a pained expression.

Spike saw Dawn give him a pleading look, a look that said she would talk to him later, but in his drunken stupidity, hell even sober, he just ignored it, "He doesn't know does he?" he stated more than asked.

"Know what?" Connor asked, his gaze flicker between Dawn and Spike warily.

"Oops," Spike giggled with a mock surprise look.

Dawn was now furious; he just couldn't take a hint could he? Fucker.

"Get the hell away from us," she growled at him and yanked Connor away, not once looking back.

Spike watched as Dawn took her schoolboy by the arm and dragged him away. Her anger rolled off her in waves and he felt a tinge of guilt. Stupid git, he cursed himself. Time to find another bottle of bourbon.

"What the hell was that about?" Connor asked, more puzzled than angry.

"Some stupid drunk," Dawn seethed stomping her feet as they walked back to their apartment.

"Seemed more than that," Connor said so quietly, Dawn wasn't even sure she heard it.

"No. It just a stupid fucking drunk pining after some girl he'll never have," she snarled.

Connor gave her a confused look, there was more to it than she was saying, he could feel it.