Hey guys sorry its taken me soooo long to update. But im doing it now so be happy. Lol.

Dawn sat in her room thinking about what she was going to say to Buffy. 'How can I possibly explain' she thought. 'Buffy doesn't even really know me. None of them do. They think im just like they were when they were my age. They never bothered to actually get to know the real me. Spike is the only one who did that. They don't know how much losing mom affected me, or the thoughts that I have when im alone……sometimes when I look out my window at the ground, it doesn't seem so far away….and it would be so easy to just….jump…then I could fly…'

"Dawn!" she jumped as she heard Buffy's voice echoing up the stairs.

"What!" she called back irritably. Buffy came up the stairs and entered Dawn's room. "You could knock ya know" she snapped

"We're not locked in anymore and I would like you to come downstairs so I can talk to you…..please." Buffy looked at her as if she was a ticking bomb. Dawn hated that look.

She sighed " Where's Spike? He didn't leave did he?"

At that Buffy looked irritated. "No he's skulking around downstairs. I don't know why hes hanging around. Its not like hes getting anything from me tonight" Buffy looked at Dawn as if she had forgotten she was there " Or, um, ever. You know what I mean."

"Whatever Buffy, I'm going downstairs to talk to Spike for a minute" Dawn could tell buffy was about to protest so she got up and walked briskly past her and down the stairs.

She found him in the kitchen struggling with a bag of popcorn. Dawn noticed that there were several other rather singed looking bags scattered around the kitchen, which smelled of burned rubber, indicating his previous attempts to cook.

"Ugh, Spike, what are you doing? Our kitchen smells like a campfire."

He glared at her. " Sorry luv, its not MY fault popcorn doesn't come with bloody instructions."

Dawn rolled her eyes " Um, ok Mr. Chef, Buffy said she wants to "talk" to me so…..I think its now or never." She was becoming extremely nervous again.

Spike abandoned his burned mess and walked over to her. "Alright then. Lets go. But remember. I had nothing to do with this whatsoever. I never encouraged you to steal, or sneak out of your house, or do any of the other little teenage hormonal things you've been up to. Remember to tell big sis that I'm a lovely bloke….who…umm..taught you about Shakespeare….and school things…like that…alright?"

"Whatever Spike" she replied, her mood lightening a little.

Then she heard "DAWN I'M WAITING!" from the living room and her stomach turned to ice.

Spike noticed. "Come on now luv. Buffy loves you, and she'll understand. It may take time, but we'll fix this alright?" He gave her a squeeze and they walked into the living room together.

Buffy was sitting on the couch, tapping her foot impatiently. "Finally. Spike, you can leave now. Dawn, we need to talk. Now I know that you've been feeling left out lately and I'm sorry. Its just that everything has been happening at once and.."

Dawn cut her off "BUFFY. Stop. I need to talk to YOU first. And Spike is staying. For me."

Buffy looked irritated. " Why do you need Spike here…..Oh God…DAWN ARE YOU PREGNANT?"

Once again Dawn rolled her eyes " No Buffy, I'm not. Will you just listen please?"

Buffy sat back down and had a look that said "Well, I'm waiting"

Dawn took a deep breath. Then she let it all out. She told Buffy everything. About the stealing and the lying and even the sneaking out at night. By the end of her story she was nearly in tears and the look on Buffy's face wasn't helping. Spike just sat back and watched, not wanting to get in the way of the sisterly bonding he knew would have to go on to make this ok.

There was a long silence. " Dawn" Buffy said slowly. " ….Why? why would you go to Spike with this? Why on earth didn't you come to me?" She looked slightly hurt

This knocked Dawn out of her tears and pissed her off. "When Buffy? Huh? WHEN am I supposed to talk to you? In between your shifts at the Hell Palace? After you come home from that place so exhausted and depressed that you don't even notice I'm in the house? Or at your Scooby meetings? Oh wait, I'm not ALLOWED at those. Look Buffy, I know you've been having a hard time this year, but God! So have I! First I lost my mother, then I lost you! Then you finally come back and I thought everything was going to get better. But no. Then I find out that you don't even WANT to be here with me!"

Dawn finished her rant and did what she does best. Ran up to her room and slammed the door. Once in her room she flopped down on her bed and screamed into her pillow. 'Well that's pretty much how I expected it to go.' She thought.

Back in the living room Buffy looked helplessly at Spike. " I can't believe this. I had no idea she was so…..lost. I can't believe how selfish I've been. Shes right! She's right about everything! Oh god…What are we gonna do." She buried her face in her hands.

Spike sighed to him self. 'Why am I always the one taking care of these bloody summers girls?' Then he smirked. 'Just lucky I guess.'

He crossed the room and sat down on the couch next to her. " Oh come one now luv, its not that bad. At least she told you. And she wants to fix it. So the ball's in your court. SHE reached out to YOU. And maybe things can get better now. For both of you. I know that's what I'd like to see happen….. So what are you gonna do about it?"

Buffy looked at him. She had never seen this side of Spike before. This wise, caring, sensitive man. " Thank you Spike. Seriously. I really appreciate the way you look out for her……and for me" She smiled sheepishly.

Spike tried to hold back a grin."Right. Well I'm off. Do what you have to do. And I'll uh…see you later. I hope" He winked at her before walking out the door into the night.