Disclaimer: see first chapter.

AN: This chapter is a little short, sorry about that! What's there though, is fluffy, and that makes it fun!

Chapter Six:

"…And the catapulting the heads across the wall, and the constant slicing and dicing, and the scary monsters, and the cute little guy getting his finger bit off, and the guy who-"

"Fred, we fight demons for a living, most of which are uglier and die bloodier than any orc in that movie. You've got to get over this violence thing." Spike told her, interrupting her rant on the violence of Lord of the Rings. Fred looked at him, unsure how to explain.

"Well, yeah. But we can kill our monsters. The cute little hobbity guys can barely fight back. It's mean. Putting them up against guys twice their size. They could get hurt." She told hi,. Spike sighed, exasperated. They'd been arguing about this for almost two hours, and he still didn't get her logic.

"Why do I always get the crazy birds?" He asked out loud. "Y'know. Even Dru made since after some deciphering, but I just don't get you. Maybe it's a smart thing, I dunno. Like your brain's lo big us normal folk can't comprehend what your sayin'." He joked. Fred was silent, felling hurt that he'd think she was crazy…still. She wasn't, she just didn't enjoy the violence like he did. Spike looked over at her, noting her silence.

"What's wrong?"

"You know, I was same enough to figure out a way to make to corporeal, even if you didn't use it, and I'm sane enough to have helped save the world a time or two, and hey, who was it who came up with the brilliant plan to get your mind off of Buffy? Oh crap." She said, realizing her mistake. Immediately a shadow fell across Spike's face. They walked in silence for a minute before he took her hand. Fred looked up at him, surprised. She hoped that he couldn't feel her pulse racing.

"I'm sorry, luv. You're right. I know you're not crazy; I was just teasing a bit. An' it wasn't the idea that got my mind off a' her, it was you. You always manage to cheer me up, just by bein there." He apologized, smiling softly at her. Fred smiled back.

"I cheer you up." Spike laughed.

"That you do, pet. It's impossibly for a fellow to be miserable around you; you make everything seem perfect. It's a wonder Angel hasn't lost his soul yet, bein around so much happiness." HE looked down at her, pleased to see her smiling. He was suddenly aware of how warm her hand was, how small it was inside his own. He was glad at that moment that his heart had stopped long ago, because if it hadn't, it would be beating out of his chest. He'd been fighting his attraction for her for months now, and with Buffy back and him a mess, it looked like nothing would happen for even longer.

"Spike?" Spoke Fred, interrupting his train o thought.

"Yeah pet?" he answered. Fred took a deep breath, gathering her courage. She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Pulling back and smiling at his startled face, she told him,

"You make me happy too."

"What!"

"Um, Dawn? Maybe you should calm down or something."

"CALM DOWN? You just told me that Spike's alive! And not only alive, but HERE! In LA with Angel! Alive and well!"

"Well, actually, he was a ghost for a whi-"

"He didn't tell us! He let us think he was dead! That bastard!"

"Um, you're not gonna tell Buffy, are you? Cause Spike said he'd hurt me if I told, and he didn't look like he was kidding."

Dawn folded her arms and sighed. Andrew saw that her eyes were filled with tears. He reached out and wrapped his arms around her. She accepted the hug gratefully, needing a little comfort.

"It's okay. I know it's hard, thinking he was dead and then finding out he's not. I was a little sad that he didn't tell me too. But he's been through a lot, Y'know, with being as solid as Obi-Wan o Degobah and having to be around Angel and stuff… And he did try to come see you guys, him and Angel. They came to Italy, but you guys weren't home. Then he found out about the Immortal and got all sad."

"Wait, what" He came to Italy?" Dawn asked, pulling away from him (something she really didn't wanna do. He'd filled out in the last year. It was nice.).

"Why didn't you tell us?" she looked at him, feeling hurt. Andrew fidgeted around a little, not wanting to answer. He would rather hug her again. He got to touch her back, which was nice.

"Well, he said that he wanted to tell you himself, and that he'd do it when he was ready, and that he'd rip off… stuff if I told, and I didn't want to be dead." Dawn smiled at him through her tears.

"It's okay Andrew, I get it. I guess Spike had his reasons for not telling us, but I'd rather have known than spent the last year missing him. And don't worry, I won't tell anybody. Wouldn't want you to lose your…stuff." She joked, liking to tease him. Andrew blushed, wondering what Luke Skywalker would do in a situation like this. For the first time ever, he didn't know what the all-knowing Jedi would do. He was on his own.

"Um…do you want me to hug you again?" He asked. Dawn thought a second, wondering what the Scoobies would think. Then she remembered that what they thought was the part of the reason Buffy spent a year hiding her relationship with Spike and had been miserable. 'Screw 'em.' She thought, smiling at Andrew.

"I'd love for you to hug me again." She told him, stepping closer. Andrew quickly settled his arms around her, touching her back again.

"You should be sad more often." Dawn laughed.

"Or, we could just hug for another reason, okay?"

Andrew smiled into her neck.

"Okay."