Past

A dark pink haired girl within the grasp of two ugly minion vamps, pulling her down a dissertated ally. The girl, not even 15 it looked, had an been struggling with them for quite sometime. Vampire claws dug their way farther into her skin at each movement.

"No, no, my pretty new dollie, don't make me hurt you, that is for dear Spikey. " Drusilla babbled as she led her fledgling vamps to a black van. The girl managed to throw one vamp off of her right arm just enough to punch the other square in the face. Drusilla captured her once again and threw her harshly into the back of the van. Hearing the thud as the girl slammed against the metal. She sat up in the passenger seat as a bloody nosed feldgling put keys in the ignition.

"You are Spikey's and that is that."

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Present

Buffy kicked a newly risen vampire in the chest knocking him to the ground, saving no time in plummeting a stake through his un-beating heart, Buffy hears clapping. She turns around to find Spike sitting atop a tombstone, giving her a round of applause, with a stupid grin on his face.

"That was a beautiful production but next time don't drop your right arm while kicking above the waist." He instructed as Buffy practiced kicking her invisible imaginary demon. She had become used to him just showing up while she patrolled. As long as he had something useful to say she really didn't mind the company or back up when he chooses to help her fight.

He was an excellent fighter, grace and force. As Buffy thought about this, her practice kicks became slacking. Spike got irritated at how damn distracted she always gets. He grabbed her shoulders from behind which scared her back to reality. He positioned her arms just so over her torso.

"Hold them there, now kick." Buffy did this and broke the crumbling corner off a headstone she had gotten a bit too close to. A look of guilt came over her face and she dropped to her knees and tried to put the pieces back together but just made more little pieces.

"Slayer," Spike laughed, he put a big hand on her tiny shoulder, "It was old anyway." Buffy looked up at him smirk on her face. She stood face to face with him, only a couple inches shorter than him. The smirk never falling.

"Your pretty old. Can I break you?" Buffy teased. She punched his chest softly.

"Tisk, Tisk Slayer, what ever happened to respect your elders?" He grabbed her right hand away as she was about to punch him again. Buffy pouted,

Of god, if she doesn't stop that soon I am going to have to kiss her.

"Your not fun anymore Spike, before that chip, we used to fight. Although I am not doubting the chip was a damn good idea. Pitiful little Spike, can bite anymore." Buffy said this trying to taunt him enough for him to fight back. She threw her hair back from her shoulder and exposed her neck to him. Spike wouldn't deny himself the pleasure of looking, feeling the sound of her heart beating blood through all those veins, Slayer blood, he had some before from a different Slayer, potent stuff. Spike came to realize he was near hanging on her staring at the nape of her neck. His lust for her took over he pressed his lips over the same spot Angel had taken from her. At the feeling of the scar he backed away, stumbling as he ran from her. Buffy felt weird. She had let him get so close to her, his cold lips felt as though they were still on her. She shook herself out of that sensual perpective and thought

GROSS! Must be some sort of vampire thrall thing, I mean I did fall for Dracula. But...I have to tell Giles, I don't want it to happen again.

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Spike murmured how stupid he was as he walked towards his crypt.

She'll stake me for sure now.

His mind drifted from his own problems to the sobbing he heard from within his crypt. A child's tears. He burst open the door. "Lil' Bit?" He questioned to the darkness, Dawn sat up from her slumped position in his tv chair, "What's wrong, what happened?" He stammered fast, he could put up with the pain of killing anyone who touched his Summer's girls. Spike knelt in front of the Slayers younger sister. His eyes adjusted to the darkness and saw she was still crying, her face red, it seems crying for a long time. He hoped he had come soon enough. Spike picked up her hands and gently caressed them, "Come on, pet, tell me what's wrong and I'll help." "You already did help." She whispered this as she fell to the floor in front of the chair, her arms clung around his neck, her discarded tears dripped down his shirt. He rubbed her back unconsciously. She pulled back wiping her tears from her face, returning it to it's natural color. She sat back on the chair and said

"I lied to everyone tonight and said I was going to study with Janice, a school friend," The guilt rose in her voice. "But I went to the movies with this boy instead." Spike's eyebrows were raised, he hadn't realized till now that she was 16 and interested in boys already. "It was all going fine until the movie ended, he was a gentleman holding my hand walking out of the theater. Said he would walk me home, we talked. And then he stood in front of me, he forced a kiss on me, wouldn't stop grabbing me..." Dawn reflected at how she felt as a tear or two found there way down her cheek. Spike was angry, how dare this boy do that to his lil' bit! "Where is he! You want, I will teach the kid a lesson!" It was more a furious statement than an actual rational question. Dawn looked up from the floor, and smiled and shook her head,

"He won't be bothering me anymore, Last summer when you taught me how to fight a little," A bold smile showed up on her face, "I think I broke his nose." She laughed as tears trickled down. Spike was proud of his little girl, smiling he went to her and hugged her. She looked up at him and returned the smile.

"Are you going to be ok walking home?"

"Uh, actually, I'm still a little shaky. Would you mind?"

"Not at all, bit." He said this as he took her tiny hand in his. They walked out into the night to Buffy's house. The lights were all on, they could both sense the chaos of feat running around. Most likely they just found out she wasn't at Janice's. Dawn rolled her eyes,

"Time to get yelled at. Listen, you won't tell them what really happened will you?" Dawn whispered to Spike on her porch. "Never." He leaned into her ear, kissed her cheek, and Dawn was about to open the door when Buffy ripped it open. Her eyes shown with furious curiosity and then harmony as she realized Dawn was ok. Buffy rushed her sister into her arms and gave her a tight hug. Spike smiled, and started walking off the porch. He could hear the faint questions from Buffy of, where were you, what were you thinking, were you out with Spike! Buffy's mind snapped to Spike, she was about to question him when she noticed he was no where to be seen.

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"Why so interested today Dawnie?" Willow asked as the young teen read a book on demons. She looked up from her page, "No reason, just bored, figured I would get some knowledge if I have to sit around here all day." Dawn lied. Spike walked through the basement door,

"G'afternoon, ladies." He said and nodded to the two witches and the little bit.

"Didn't plan on seeing you here, Spike. Maybe it being sunny out has something to do with it." Tara relplied. He smiled at the shy blonde girl,

"Sewers. Not the best mode of transportation but certainly is better than burning." He pointed to the ground. "What are you doing here?" Willow asked as nicely but curiously as she could.

"What! I can't come to see my favorite girl?" All of them knew he had feelings for Buffy.

"Buffy's not here." Willow stated before looking down at her book.

"Who said anything about Buffy." Spike said this as he sat next to Dawn. Tara smiled at his cute gesture. But Dawn hadn't been listening to anything that had been going on, Spike leaned over her a little to catch a glimpse of what she was so intent on reading. Quickly Dawn snapped the book shut,

"That ones boring." Dawn lied again. Spike heard the sudden raise in her heartbeat, knowing something was up. Dawn stood and walked to the far shelf, scanning all the book titles. Spike picked up the book she was reading from the table, Vampire Lore, hmmm. He walked over to Dawn, "You ok?" he said in the most comforting way.

"Yea I'm fine." She looked down at her light blue watch, "Damn, I said I would meet Devi at the mall. Bye" She patted Spike's arm before grabbing her coat and running out the door. Spike was amazed, a bit alarmed at her difference from the night before. Then realizing what going to the mall would mean, she might be lying again.

"Who's Devi?" He asked stopping the witches from their studies. "Devi is a new student, Dawn really likes her. I haven't actually met her yet, but Buffy has." Willow stated as the door bell jingled. "What did I do?" Buffy asked to Willow.

"Met that girl Devi, Dawn just said she was meeting her." Tara informed. Buffy seemed not to notice Spike was there, or at least was ignoring him real good.

"Oh yea, she is nice, an odd one though. Her hair is dark neon pink...well spoken, fun."

Dark pink hair, Devi...Devieana? No couldn't possibly be. Spike thought, remembering that night he met Devieana. But quickly dismissed it.