Chapter 14

When Corinne woke up in the morning, she took pity on the vampire and opened the garage door so he could drive into the safety of the dark. She walked outside to tap on the window and wake him up. Spike was sprawled uncomfortably in the back seat of the old cruiser. She could just make him out through the smears of paint on the windows.

"Hey, Spike, you can come in now," she said loudly, and heard his head hit the roof as he sat up suddenly.

"Bloody hell…"

"The garage is open. You can come in now," she repeated. Thinking that he'd figure it out soon enough, Corinne went back inside to make breakfast.

She shuttered the blinds on the windows so he could come in safely, then set to work frying some eggs. Spike came through the garage entrance a few minutes later with a duffle bag and a cooler, looking thoroughly disheveled, and sleepy.

"Good morning," she said brightly. "Where's my suit?"

"Hanging on a nail in the fence. Where can I sleep?"

"Tara's not up, yet, so I guess you can take my bed. I need to close the curtains first, though. Don't let my eggs burn." Corinne jogged upstairs, drew the curtains over the picture window, made sure nothing personal was in plain sight, and hurried back. Spike was leaning against the counter, falling asleep on his feet. "Go on up, Spike."

He grunted and shuffled off. Spike kicked the door shut behind him and dropped the duffle bag on the floor, toeing off his boots and shrugging off his duster. His clothes were left in a pile on the foot of the bed, before he slid under the soft sheets and sighed in pleasure. This was much better on the back. Pulling the covers over his head, he was surrounded in a dark cocoon of Corinne-scent, a mix of fruity hair products and spicy perfume. Where Buffy liked to bathe in scented concoctions, the doctor preferred a light touch, smells subtle to human perception, but intoxicating to a vampire. Before his love for the Slayer had made him treasure everything about her, he'd often thought that she layered it on a bit thick. He'd thought the dumb blonde either couldn't tell she was suffocating those around her, or didn't care. But, that was before, of course…

The smell of food soon brought Dawn downstairs, and she sat down at the table just as Corinne set an omelette down.

"Good timing," she teased the teen.

"Mmm," was the answer, as she dug in without preamble.

"Morning!" Tara trilled, coming in with her usual good mood. "Did you both sleep well?"

"Mmm-mmph," Dawn replied. "That bed is sooo comfortable!"

"I slept well, once I got to sleep. It always takes me a while in a strange place. What would you like to do today?" Corinne asked them.

"The zoo would be cool," the teen suggested. Tara nodded that it was okay with her.

"That'll work well, then. Spike can join us in the evening for the night exhibits."

"Spike's here?!" Dawn squealed. She got up to go look for him.

"Dawn, he's sleeping, remember? I don't think waking him up at 8 o'clock in the morning is a good idea, sweetie," Tara stated.

"Oh…yeah. Vampire hours suck."

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Armed with sunscreen and souvenir money, the three girls were soon on the road for the short drive to the San Diego Zoo. It was one of the most extensive zoological parks in the world; an all day experience to cover in entirety. Corinne left directions along with a note for Spike on top his cooler for him to join them if they weren't back by sunset. She had no idea if it would be his 'cup of tea', but for Dawn's sake, the offer had to be made. It was unfortunate that summer kept him indoors so long.

"There's so much to see! Where do we start?" Dawn said excitedly.

"Wherever you want. There's the tram tour, or one of the shows, or we could just walk…"

"Oooo, a gift shop!" Tara and Corinne rolled their eyes as Dawn dragged them into the store not ten feet from the entrance.

Keeping up with an excited teenage girl on her first trip out in quite a while was exhausting, and Tara and Corinne were grateful when she got hungry and wanted to stop for lunch.

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Spike never called to say he was coming before they needed to head back so Tara could drive home. They found him in front of the TV watching football on one of the ESPN channels. When Dawn accompanied Tara upstairs, Corinne cuffed him upside the back of the head.

"What the hell?" he squawked.

"Nice going, Spike," she hissed.

"What the bloody hell is your problem?"

"You're my problem! Dawn was very disappointed that you never showed up tonight," she continued to whisper.

"Doc, I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Did you even read the note in plain sight?!" she retorted.

"What note?" he growled, unhappy to be forced on the defensive. And he was missing the Man U game.

Corinne rolled her eyes. "The one right on top of your blood. I thought vampires were supposed to have keen senses? I left directions for you to meet us at the zoo at dark. They have night exhibits. I knew I should have called…" She sighed in exasperation and stomped upstairs to see if Tara needed anything.

Wonderful, a week of making it up to touchy females. She knew as well as anyone that he was on autopilot until he'd had his first mug of blood in the evening. Well, at least since sleep had become more elusive. Today was the first he had slept all the way through in blissful, dreamless oblivion. It was fully dark before he even started gaining awareness. Discovering he was alone in the house after filling his stomach, Spike had taken advantage of the peaceful quiet by flipping channels until he found the game on.

"I changed the sheets, Spike, so you have a clean bed to sleep in for the rest of the week," Tara stated.

"Thanks, Glinda. Make sure you take Harris or Demon Girl with you on patrol, or even Clem. He's scarier than he looks. Call if you get in a bind."

She smiled at his thoughtfulness. "I will. We'll be fine, though. It's only 5 days. I'll, uh, call if there's any other news, too."

"This late, you can take the 5 all the way back," Corinne interjected. "It's shorter, and there won't be traffic."

Dawn bounded down to hug the witch. "Let me know how Tigger is doing, okay? He was probably scared today."

"I will. I'm sure he's fine, Dawnie. Well, enjoy, guys. I had a lot of fun. This was really nice." She hugged the girls again, then, on impulse, embraced the vampire, too. "Bye."

The blonde waved as she drove away. Corinne closed the door and headed into the kitchen to make dinner for her and Dawn. Spike followed, after a moment of indecision. He heard Dawn change the TV channel in the living room and inwardly cursed. The doctor ignored him as she began chopping vegetables.

"You gonna give me the cold shoulder all night?" Might as well be blunt.

"Maybe."

"You know, Bit doesn't seem that upset. She's well known for the teenage tantrum," he pointed out.

"And?" Still more chopping.

Spike put his hand on her wrist, stopping her actions with the knife. "Is this about last night? It was just a harmless prank. I didn't mean to offend your sensibilities."

She met his eyes, finally. "You didn't."

"Then, what's the problem?" he asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"I guess there isn't one. Can I have my hand back?" she replied evenly.

Spike released it, sighing. It was clear he wasn't going to get anywhere with her mood. He joined Dawn in the living room; taking the remote back and changing the channel back to the game. Corinne served the teen, then went outside to tend to the dogs. Being alone was easier.

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She stood in the dark, looking out over the cliff at the ocean. The sliver of moon visible reflected off the waves. Corinne didn't hear him approach, but she sensed when he stopped behind her.

"I thought standing in the dark was my gig," he tried.

"No one said it was exclusive," she replied, not turning around. Corinne tensed for a moment as she felt his hands on her shoulders.

"What's wrong?" Spike asked, puzzled.

"Nothing," she sighed. "Just ignore me."

"You're always trying to get me to share. I thought that was a two-way street." His breath on her neck as he spoke caused goosebumps to rise. His hands slid over her bare arms. "You're cold."

She stepped out of his touch. "I'm fine. The breeze is nice. I'll be back in, in a while." Corinne stepped off the edge to take the hidden staircase down to the little beach below.

Spike followed, not so easily dismissed. "What is with you today? What did I do that was so bad, huh?"

She whirled around on the narrow step. "Nothing! I just want to be alone for a while. Do you mind?"

"Yeah, I do. You jumped down my bleedin' throat tonight, then wouldn't be in the same room with me. Dawn isn't even upset, so why is this bothering you so much?"

"I don't know. It just did. I promise it'll be better by morning, okay? Satisfied?" Corinne turned and continued jogging down the stairs.

Her foot broke through the wood plank, but she barely had time to gasp before she was hauled back against a firm chest as Spike caught her around the waist. If she'd tumbled down those stairs…

"Easy, now," he murmured. "I've got you."

Her heart was pounding like a timpani drum in her ears, so it had to be deafening to him. She couldn't say what she was reacting to more, though – the near fall, or her proximity to the vampire. They had very little room to maneuver, so he would have to start back up to the house first.

"That was…interesting," she panted, looking down at the rocks that lined the beach.

"Are you alright?" Spike still kept hold of her as he leaned against the cliff wall so they could both stand on the step.

"Mmm-hmm. Good catch."

He chuckled, sending vibrations through her back. "You go first, in case I need to catch you again."

So he can stare at my ass. "Yeah…" Corinne started back the way they came, stepping lightly and quickly on each step. Getting up to solid ground, she plopped onto the grass and flopped onto her back. "Ahhh, Mother Earth…"

Spike laughed at her antics. "That'll teach you to run away from me," he teased.

"I wasn't running! I just wanted to be left alone," she pouted. "You weren't letting me do that up here."

"So, your almost plunging to the depths was my fault?"

"Yep," Corinne replied, popping the 'p'.

"Crazy chit. Get up, before Dawn comes lookin' for us." He extended his hand to help her up.

"Yeah, yeah…" They got back inside to find Dawn engrossed in a movie. "Oh, she's real worried," Corinne muttered. No matter. They could do whatever they wanted. She was going to bed.

Except that a vampire was following her upstairs. "Where are you going, luv?"

"To bed. It's been a long day," she sighed.

"This early?" he said, disappointed.

"Yeah, Spike. Good night." She closed the bedroom door firmly in his face and locked it. Closing her eyes as she leaned against the door, Corinne let the strong façade fade away, and a single tear coursed from each eye down her cheeks.

A slight brush with death was upsetting. Being so close to the man you wanted was even more unsettling. Get a grip! He's off limits, a friend…and he loves someone else. She needed to focus on making the week fun for Dawn, and just being normal. Spike would chalk up her mood swing to being just a female thing, and that would be the end of it. Yeah, if he hadn't spent the last century and a half reading people! Corinne changed into her pajamas and slipped into bed, only to notice that her pillow now smelled like him. 'Gee, this'll lead to fun dreams,' she thought sarcastically.

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"Whatcha watching, Bit?"

"I don't know. It looks like something Mom would have watched, though. The people are familiar." She turned to the vampire. "Where's Corinne?"

"She went to bed. Did you run her and Glinda all over town?" He sprawled onto the loveseat adjacent to the sofa, where she sat.

"Just around the zoo. The tiger exhibit was really cool! They can actually come all the way down to the glass. That's a really big cat in person! And we saw pandas and polar bears and snakes and…well, I took lots of pictures. And went kinda nuts at the gift shops…" she replied excitedly. "You shoulda seen it. I want to go to the Wild Animal Park and Sea World, too, this week. Have you ever touched a dolphin, Spike?"

"Can't say that I have, Niblet."

"They say it's like wet rubber." The phone rang. "Oh! That should be Tara…" She scrambled to pick up the phone, leaving Spike with the remote.

He passively listened to their conversation while flipping channels. Tara was reassuring the girl that her kitten was perfectly fine. His thoughts wandered again to wondering what Buffy might be doing. So, yeah, he was bored, and after sleeping all day, a bit hyper.

"Bit! Find a game or somethin'. I'm bored!" Spike hollered.

"I'm on the phone!"

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Corinne stayed in bed until she couldn't stand being still any longer. No one had knocked, yet, so either Dawn was still asleep, too, or had found something to do on her own. She found Spike asleep on the couch in front of the TV, the set still on. He didn't stir when she turned it off, so Corinne continued on to the backyard to feed the dogs. Breakfast was cereal and milk, since she was the only one awake. Slumber was the only state when you could find the vampire completely still, save for the slow motion of breathing. It was one of the ways she best preferred to see him, with his face relaxed into boyishness and his hair escaping the gel to form little curls and spikes. Corinne also noticed that he still had his boots on. She'd forgotten to tell him about the no-shoes rule.

She decided to wake him before the room got too sunny. "Spike…" Kneeling on the floor, she tapped his chest to rouse him. Patted his cheek when that didn't work. "Spiiike…" How is his skin still so soft?

"Mmm…Buffy," he murmured, smiling in his sleep.

Corinne jerked away like she'd been shocked. That's a douse of cold water. Water…she went to the sink and wet her hand enough so it would drip, then flicked the drops at his face. He twitched unhappily, and opened his eyes.

"Doc?"

"It's morning. You'll want to get off this couch soon if you don't want to be a pile of dust." That stated, she retreated to her room to change clothes.

He grumbled and shuffled off to bed.

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She was doing laps in the pool again. Focusing on the rhythm meant she didn't have to think, and Dawn was a big girl, so she'd only be interrupted if the teen wanted to go somewhere. 30 strokes, turn…30 strokes, turn…1, 2, 3, 4, breathe…

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As they went in search of dinner that night, Dawn couldn't help but notice the tension in her doctor friend. She didn't convey it in her words or voice, but it radiated from her posture. The same kind of square-ness to the shoulders that her sister carried when bracing for a fight. Corinne was on the defensive, and she didn't know what had caused the change. Spike hadn't seemed to notice, unless he was doing that silent observe-y thing. She tugged Corinne into the bathroom while they were waiting for a table.

"Relax, okay? You're giving me the wiggins," Dawn said.

"What are you talking about? I'm fine."

"Uh-huh. You look like you're waiting for something to jump out at you. Just chill, okay? If we're nice, Spike will do that chivalrous thing and pay for dinner." The teen fluffed her hair, then walked back into the hall.

Corinne looked in the mirror and grimaced, conceding that the girl was right. Part of it was due to exhausting herself in the pool, though. Her shoulders and arms were sore. She shook her limbs loose and put on a smile. She loved this restaurant. Her uncle took her here for seafood every time they had a day out. The halibut was always perfect.

"Good timing, Doc," Spike commented, just as the hostess approached them. They were escorted to a table in the back, with a view of the ocean as the sun dipped below the horizon. A couple's table.

Spike pulled out Dawn's chair for her, to which she giggled. Corinne seated herself at the same time, so he sat down across from them. She was content to let the teen babble on, focusing on the menu, her drink, the view…anywhere but at his eyes. The vampire had a way of looking at you like he was seeing all your secrets. Why couldn't Tara have gotten more time off?

Spike couldn't help but notice that Corinne was distracted. She gave the standard polite responses, smiled at Dawn's stories, but she just wasn't…engaged. He cornered her back at the house while Dawn was putting away the leftovers.

"Do you not want me here?" he asked quietly, mindful of the teen.

"What? Of course not. I wouldn't have asked you to come if you weren't welcome," she replied.

"Then I don't get it. You've been…odd."

"Odd? Well, that's a nice description," she snapped, whispering.

Spike rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean!"

"And you think you've known me long enough to know the whole Corinne-catalog? As if." She stalked off towards the kitchen, where it was safe.

Growling in frustration, Spike went outside for a smoke…or several.

Corinne coaxed Dawn into joining her for a soak in the Jacuzzi while he was gone. She sighed blissfully as the hot water enveloped her sore muscles.

"Ohhh, that feels good!" The jets were doing wonderful things.

"So, what are you and Spike fighting about?"

"Huh? We're not, sweetie," the doctor replied, her eyes closed.

"Please, I'm the product of divorced parents! I know the sound of adults trying to argue without alerting the kids."

"There was no argument, Dawn. Spike was just being…annoying. I promise, I won't let anything ruin your vacation."

"Okay…"

Corinne was almost asleep, later, when she got splashed. "Hey!" Oh, god… Instead of Dawn sitting across from her, there was a shirtless, and now wet, Spike. She turned her head to see Dawn lazily swimming the backstroke in the pool.

"Don't want to fall asleep and drown, pet," he replied. He puffed at his cigarette and blew the smoke away.

She closed her eyes again, willing the image away. Don't look, don't look…

"I can see why humans like these things so much. All warm and cozy," he remarked. "Bet you could have some fun with these massaging jets, too.

"Eww, Spike!" Dawn exclaimed.

Corinne willed her mind to drift again, their banter becoming background chatter. The next time she was nudged awake, she actually growled.

"Go away," she said grumpily. Reluctantly opening her eyes, she found that Dawn was gone and Spike was sitting beside her. "Where's Dawn?"

"Inside. She said she was getting 'pruney', whatever that means. I've been watching to make sure you don't go under, since you insist on sleeping in a hot tub."

"I haven't been sleeping, just drifting…the heat feels good on my muscles," Corinne explained. She swam to the other side, well, pushed over, since her butt had basically gone numb.

"Have I picked up some repulsive disease you haven't told me about?" he asked.

"Huh?" she replied, playing dumb. It was his lack of repulsiveness that was the problem.

"You skitter off every time I sit next to you, Doc. Kind of gives a bloke ideas," Spike replied plainly.

"I do not! Besides, it's not like we're cuddle buddies."

"Look, I don't know what I did, but can you please stop being mad at me?! I don't bloody like it!"

"I'm not mad!" she insisted.

"Sure as hell act like it, Corinne! I've felt like I have to walk on eggshells since I got here!" He was running his hands through his hair, a sure sign of agitation. She really didn't mean to alienate him.

She stood and crossed over to him. "I'm sorry," Corinne said more softly. "I'm kind of jumbled up, and it's not your fault." It wasn't his fault that he looked so kissable when he was being earnest. It wasn't his fault that she felt more than she should.

He looked up at her with those deep blue eyes. "Anything I can do to help?"

She smiled a little, wishing there was. "Nah, not really. Just personal stuff. I'll get over it." She had to.

"You're sure…" his forehead getting that cute little crinkle between his brows.

"Yeah," she sighed. "Forgive me for being a bitch?" she added with a grin.

He poked her belly, delighting in seeing her squirm away. "Always. You're my Doc." Simple as that.

I am yours, she thought. But you're hers.

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Corinne sucked up her courage and just tried to act normally the rest of the week. Having so much fun with Spike and Dawn was both joyous and painful for her. She knew it was only a matter of time before the Slayer came back to reclaim her family, and they would be focused on Buffy. She was merely solace in a tumultuous time.

Corinne took Dawn around during the days, then Spike would join them as soon as it was dark enough. They explored the Wild Animal Park, enjoyed the Shamu at Night show with the fireworks, took pictures in the photo booth at the pier, and ate around the city until they were stuffed. For one week, Dawn was just a teenager looking for fun, not a mystical Key, the little sister of the Slayer, or a girl that had already seen too much blood. It was the kind of summer she was meant to have, as a kid, and it was a blessing.

Their last night there, Corinne tidied up the house. They ate out so there wouldn't be dishes to wash. The sheets and towels would be tossed in the washing machine in the morning.

"Do we have to go home?" Dawn whined.

"Yep. I have work on Monday, and so do you. And, my family reclaims the house tomorrow."

"Cheer up, Bit. Maybe we can manage an L.A. trip before you go back to school," Spike added.

"Or Disneyland?" the teen asked hopefully.

"Even Mickey bloody Mouse. Doc is always up for another amusement park, right, luv?"

Her eyes widened. "It's your idea. I'm sure you can manage, Spike." Translated as: 'you pay!'

He chuckled and continued packing. Spike had to leave that night to beat the sun.

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The next morning, Dawn alternated between complaints of going back to Sunnyhell, and excitement over seeing her kitten again.

Tara greeted them at the door, looking happier than she'd been in a month. They found out why, as Willow came out of the kitchen.