Dawn and Buffy had been left alone, but neither had spoken. Buffy was still recovering from her torture session with Spike and Dawn, although her pain was more emotional than physical. She still couldn't believe what Spike had done to her baby sister. Spike instructed Dawn not to talk to Buffy or torture her while he wasn't there. He wanted to make sure Buffy stayed alive for the ball.

"This is boring," said Dawn finally. Buffy didn't say anything. "I don't care what Spike says, I can torture you without killing you. I've got self-control. I'm full of self-control."

Dawn's whining reminded Buffy so much of her human self it made Buffy cry.

"What's your problem?" asked Dawn derisively, "I said I wasn't going to kill you yet."

"I miss you, Dawnie," said Buffy.

"Well, I don't. And don't call me that. I'm supposed to be this mystical force and I got stuck as a teenage girl. All I could do was whine and be ignored. You and your friends made sure of that."

"They were your friends too. Don't you remember how hurt you were when we found Willow and Tara? Spike did that. He killed the people we love." Dawn slapped Buffy.

"Don't you talk bad about Spike. He saved me. He made me like him, immortal, eternally young, even before I was a vampire he was nicer to me than any of you. Admit it, I was just some little annoying project to you."

"That's not true."

"Yes it is. You died just to get away from me!"

"That's a lie!"

"And then when you came back, you didn't want to be with me. You wanted Spike. Don't talk trash about him now, when he was the person you always ran to."

"That was a mistake, a huge mistake, and I'm sorry I hurt you."

"Screw you, Buffy! You're going to be dead soon, and I'm going to be the Summers everyone cares about. People are going to pay attention to me and I'm going to be able to take whatever I want."

"Oh God, Dawn," said Buffy through tears.

"Shut up!" said Dawn as she slapped Buffy repeatedly, "Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!"

"Oi, what's going on in here?" said Spike as he climbed down into the torture chamber with Zoë in tow.

Dawn pouted. "She was mean to me Spike." Zoë rolled her eyes.

"Awww, what did she say to upset my little Bit?"

"She was just being a bitch," said Dawn.

"Well, it's all right, Daddy's here to take care of you," said Spike.

"I'm going to vomit," said Zoë.

"Zoë's feeling a bit jealous, Little Bit. Let's go make her feel loved." Before Zoë could do anything, Spike swung her over his shoulder. He took Dawn by the hand and led them into the bedroom. Buffy heard odd noises all night, and it made her want to vomit.

Spike was in heaven. He woke up between two gorgeous women and he had the object of his hatred bound and gagged (eventually Buffy couldn't take the noise from the bedroom and started yelling) in the next room. Dawn woke up first and smiled at Spike, then she reached over and pinched Zoë. Zoë woke up and pinched her back.

"Now, now you naughty girls had better play nice."

"You going to spank us, Spike?" asked Zoë.

"Maybe we should spank you or do worse," said Dawn as she started to tickle Spike. Zoë joined her and Spike did his best not to laugh.

"Oi, stop it! I said stop!"

Spike's protests fell on deaf ears as he lost his battle with laughter and squirmed against Dawn and Zoë's assault.

In contrast to Spike's mirth, Buffy was a figure of misery. She aching from her wounds, she hadn't eaten, she hadn't slept, she couldn't stop her thoughts from going back to grief and regret, and she could hear Spike, Zoë, and Dawn's antics in the bedroom.

"No fair, ganging up on Daddy," said Spike as he unnecessarily panted while he recovered from Zoë and Dawn's attack.

"You two ganged up on me," said Zoë.

"That was for your own good, luv."

"And it was fun," said Dawn, "besides, you loved it."

Zoë would have blushed if she could, and anything that makes a vampire almost blush is hardcore and cannot be retold in this story.

"Anyway, up and at 'em ladies. We've got lots to do tonight."

"We do?" asked Dawn.

"Yup, tomorrow night is the Vampire's Ball and tonight we're going to prepare."

"Ooo, a ball, do we get to dress up?" asked Dawn.

"Of course, luv, can't have you two running around in rags now can I," said Spike as he started to put his clothes on.

"Oh God, what am I going to wear. Zoë, what are we going to wear?"

"I don't know. Let's swing by a prom and eat the girls in the prettiest dresses."

"Then you'll get blood all over them," said Spike.

"Not if we're careful," said Zoë.

"How about you two go do a little shopping, and I'll stay here and prepare our other guest."

"Shopping?" said Dawn.

"He means we're going to go steal what we need," answered Zoë.

"I'm good at that," said Dawn, "are you going to dress up Spike?"

"This is as dressed as I get luv," said Spike referring to the black t-shirt, jeans, and boots he was wearing.

"You mean we can't coax you into a suit, Spike," said Zoë as she and Dawn got dressed.

"Not for all the blood in Brazil," said Spike.

"I'll bet we could tickle you into one," said Dawn.

"You think that's funny, do you, pet?" said Spike as he forced Dawn onto the bed and tickled her. She immediately produced high pitched giggles and squeaks and begged for Zoë's help.

Zoë couldn't help but smile at the scene. Zoë was rethinking her opinion of Dawn since the day they had. She certainly wasn't useless, as Zoë had previously thought, and during the day, she had worked just as hard to please Zoë as she did Spike.

"Spike get off of her, we're going shopping."

"All right," said Spike as he got off of Dawn and wrapped his arms around Zoë. "So, are we all right, pet," he whispered into her ear.

"Yeah, we're all right," said Zoë.

"And whose girl are you?"

"I think you meant whose woman am I," said Zoë.

"All right, whose woman are you?"

"I'm yours Spike, you know I'm yours," said Zoë.

"Good," said Spike as he patted Zoë's behind and sent her and Dawn off for the night. He then prepared to have some "special" time alone with Buffy.