Everyone in the magic shop waited impatiently. Nervous for their friends lives, nervous for their own safety, Spike mostly on the edge of his seat being next to Dawn and not at his place, free for ravaging of any sort. They read through a few books as they waited. The only one's really focused on reading were Giles Willow and Ben the rest of them had their own personal things to think about.
Anya was thinking about her wedding. After Xander left her at the alter and she took him back he had re-proposed. She had started planning again with a little less enthusiasm. She was still excited just afraid now that the same thing would happen so she didn't want to put all of her heart into it. Plus she already had the dresses for the wedding and that was the most important part.
Xander was thinking about Anya if this whole wedding was just a way to get vengeance for leaving her at the alter...maybe she was going to do the same thing to him. Deep down he knew she loved him and only wanted to marry him. But something always told him to be paranoid.
Dawn couldn't get Spike off of her mind. She was finally happy and still so insecure. How could some one like him love her, he was cool, he was sexy, he was perfect, and she was just Buffy's little sister. She always had him on her mind even before they were together she couldn't help it he was the object of her desire. \
Spike surprisingly enough had sex on his mind, no doubt he was in love with Dawn hopelessly but he was still a man in his own way.
"Oh bloody hell I'm never gonna find anything." Spike walked over and sat next to Dawn.
"It's all right Spike." She smiled sweetly. "I can't find anything either."
"Ya know, maybe there are some books, uhm elsewhere." Spike hinted.
"Oh yeah like at my house." Dawn nodded going along with it.
"What are you two talking about?" Xander asked looking confused.
"Uhm, I think there might possibly be some books that might have something better back at my house." Dawn tried to cover up.
"Oh all right." Xander nodded. "Why don't you go look then." He added.
"I will...uhm, Spike why don't you help me?" Dawn said trying to be subtle.
"Sure." He smiled slyly.
"Okay well we'll be back...or not." She nodded as she walked out the door almost running Spike right behind her.
They walked outside the magic shop hesitant.
"Your getting better at that." Spike spoke licking his lips.
"What?" She looked up at him still walking.
"Lying." He smirked.
"Maybe I wasn't lying maybe I really plan on reading." She smiled playfully.
"I bloody well hope not." Spike commented. "My place then?" He smirked looking her up and down.
Dawn giggled. "Why you have books at your place?" She asked smiling.
"Oh yes, piles and piles of boring old musty books, happy?" He said walking in the direction of his place Dawn following.
"Very." She smiled walking up next to him as she leaned on his shoulder taking his arm.
"I'm glad." He sighed breathing in the scent of her hair.
They walked to his place pausing at the front door as Spike pulled it open and let Dawn in first.
"Where are those books?" She asked sarcastic.
Spike didn't hesitate, and he for once honestly didn't have a snappy come back. He walked over to her and planted a kiss on her unprepared lips. He wrapped his arms around her small body sinking his tongue into her mouth. He wanted her now and she wasn't pulling away. Something inside her felt even more insecure now. A few nights ago when she was in this same position she was slightly less coherent even though she remembered it all. It made her nervous to think about what was going to happen next. Spike pulled away slightly still touching his face to hers.
"I love you Dawn." He spoke breathing heavily.
"I love you too." She said smiling nervously.
He kissed her again gently. He pulled her body against his making her feel every movement he made. Dawn reached her hands up the front of his chest under his shirt, slowly pulling it off of him. She bit her lip as she revealed his perfect, pale, muscular chest.
"I bet there not even reading." Anya said looking down at her boring book.
"What are you talking about Anya?" Xander said looking over at Anya with a bewildered look on his face.
"Spike and Dawn, honestly those two leave together and you think there just reading, Xander your not that niave." Anya spoke shaking her head.
"I don't wan't to hear it Anya just read." Xander looked back to his book and tried to read.
"Yes please, I honestly would rather not hear about that sort of inappropriate use of time there probably just reading and that is all." Giles looked over at Anya disturbed.
"Oh divine exaustion." Dawn breathed lying on Spike's bed.
"Thanks Luv." Spike smiled smugly. Dawn just laughed as he pulled her onto his bare chest.
Back with Buffy and the others things were much more trivial. They were preparing themselves to go inside the club to search for any information they could on what they had going on underneath there. They all three walked into the club watching every step they took.
"Angel I think you should go where Dawn found Willow and the other girls." Buffy suggested.
"Sounds good." Angel nodded walking towards the back of the club.
"Look at that sexy hunk of.." Faith hesitated looking back to Buffy's amused face. Buffy loved Angel but she knew they couldn't be together something just kept them apart. She was happy now with Ben and she wanted Angel to be happy and she though Faith could give him that.
"I'd have to agree with you there." Buffy smiled. "Faith you should go for it, I really think you two would be good for each other."
"Yeah, I don't know, I'm afraid to put myself out there ya know." Faith looked over to Buffy. "I know we never use to get along too well but things were different then." She went on. "What I'm trying to say here is, are we good?"
"Faith. were five by five." Buffy smiled quoting Faith.
"Good." She smiled amused.
"So we should get with the snooping or something." Buffy looked over at Faith.
"Hmm." Faith paused. "I'll go talk to the bartender he must be one of them." Faith smiled.
"Drinking isn't gonna help us Faith." Buffy said unimpressed.
"I think it would help you." Faith smirked. "Your so uptight sometimes, I just mean you have the weight of the world on your shoulder, and you don't need to, you have me and Dawn here to help you."
"Dawn has Spike, she's pretty preoccupied with him if you haven't noticed." Buffy frowned.
"I would be too, I mean have you seen him." She said playfully. "No worries B I'll be here, I don't have anywhere else to go." Faith spoke reassuring her.
"Thanks Faith." She smiled pleased.
Angel walked up to them something poking out from inside his leather jacket. Angel stood in front of Faith. "We have to move fast." He spoke calmly but urgent.
"All right." Buffy walked out as Angel grabbed Faith any excuse to touch her.
They all piled into Faith's old truck wanting to leave Buffy's car behind for the others. Angel ended up squished in the middle. They drove a while before asking what he found out.
"The girls were all gone." Angel spoke disappointed. "But I did find this." He pulled a book out from the inside of his jacket. It was brown leather covered and obviously old.
"Wow, looks like something that will please Giles." Buffy looked pleased herself.
"Cool, you found a musty old book." Faith chuckled.
"Hey what did you find?" He asked sarcastically.
"I'm sorry Angel, you found a great clue." Faith said playfully.
"Yes I did." He said looking up towards the windshield then back to Faith astonished by her beauty. Something different about Faith she was strong on the outside but behind the walls she put up she was a sweet, venerable person.
Buffy drove the car as fast as possible she was tired and it was getting late she just wanted to get home and sleep, relax. Maybe spend some time with Ben, she loved being with him he made her feel like for once she wasn't alone he wasn't going to leave like everyone else did. It had seemed to everyone she had gotten cold over the years but she had been through so much. To be realistic she did have the weight of the world on her shoulders always having to save everyone else having to kill the one she loved for everyone elses lives. Her mother died when she was still growing up and she had to raise Dawn who she felt like had betrayed her by falling for her enemy. Riley left, so many others had broken her, she was tired, everyone always left. Ben was there and he loved her and she loved him and something told her he was here to stay he really was for once she was going to be all right.
They pulled into the magic shop and piled into the front door. They all looked at everyones curious faces. Dawn and Spike had just gotten there before them luckily.
"So what did you find?" Giles asked shutting a book in his hands sending dust into his face.
"The girls were all gone but I found this book." Angel pulled out the book and handed it to Giles.
"Oh my this is old." Giles looked excited.
"Giles is the only man to get excited over a book because it was old." Willow joked.
"Oh this is fantastic, this will definitely help." Giles looked back to Angel. "Anything else?" He asked ready to get to reading.
"No that was it the place was empty, not a drop of visible blood though I could still smell what was there before." Angel added.
"Okay so can we all go home now it's been a long day." Buffy asked.
"Of course, of course go on and get some rest." Giles said waving his arms as he cracked open the musty book.
"Have fun Giles." Willow snickered.
"Oh I will." He smiled his head buried deep into the pages of his book.
"Dawn I think I am gonna stay at Ben's tonight, we have to catch up ya know." Buffy smiled.
"That's fine sis." She stood up.
"So you don't mind me staying in your room then B?" Faith asked.
"No that's fine." Buffy nodded. "Sorry about the room shortage." She smiled.
"Okay well im exausted." Dawn added following Buffy and Faith out the door, as Spike smirked.
They all headed back to there homes ready for sleep. Buffy went to Ben's Dawn, Faith and Willow all stayed at the Summer's house. Angel had decided to sleep on the couch at the Summer's home.
"Good night Faith, night Dawnie." Willow said as she walked into her room wanting to go see Oz more then she realized.
"Ya know Will you and Oz need to get an apartment together." Faith added before she walked into her room.
"Faith your one to talk the guy you love is right down stairs." Dawn snickered.
"Well not all of us have a man like you Dawn, he's uhm...much more forward then Oz and Angel." Faith teased. "Good night D, night Will."
"Night." Dawn and Willow said at the same time.
Dawn jumped into the shower and dressed herself in her sleep clothes, silk pajamas Buffy had gotten her from victoria secret for her seventeenth birthday. It made Dawn think, they had all forgoteen her birthday. Except Spike, and he hadn't even gotten her a present. She had almost forgotten and now it hurt her to think about it. She had been forgotten again usually it didn't bother her but Spike didn't get her a present. She wouldn't have cared what but it was really strange.
She pulled herself under the covers and layed her had down on the pillow depressed. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, as she heard a thump in her room. She opened her eyes and looked at Spike who had fallen from her window into her room and he was on the floor.
"Spike!" She looked shocked. "What are you doing here?"
"Came to see you, what I have to get permission or something." He spoke sarcastic.
"No I just...I didn't think you would be comming that's all." She answered.
"Yeah like I can stay away from you for more then and hour, and that's bloody pushing it." He smiled stumbling onto his feet and over to her bed.
"So what's up?" Dawn asked sitting up.
"I got you something." He pulled out a box from the inside of his jacket and handed it to her. "It's your birthday present I finally found the perfect gift." Spike smiled pleased with himself. "And the perfect time to give it to you."
"Thank you Spike." She took it and held the small red box in her hands. "What is it?" She asked.
"Open it." Spike insisted.
She unwrapped the box and opened the top. She pulled out a gold necklace with a red gem on the inside of it. She could only stare in wonder, it was perfect.
"Spike it's beautifu; thank you so much." Her eyes welted up with tears it was the best gift she had ever gotten.
"Here let me put it on you." He took it from her as she turned around and held back her hair. "It's pretty old like 18th century old, I found it when I was on my little road trip." He latched it together and she turned back around.
"It's perfect." Dawn smiled from ear to ear.
"I love you little bit." Spike offered.
"I love you too Spike." Dawn smiled looking back to the necklace.
"You need to sleep, i'll leave." He stood up in front of her.
"No stay." She pleaded grabbing onto his leather jacket.
Spike smiled. "Okay." He pulled off his jacket and slid under the covers with Dawn.
"This is perfect." Dawn sighed laying on Spike's chest.
"I don't deserve to be so happy." Spike said breathing in the scent of his slayer.
"Oh well, I do so your never leaving." Dawn smiled admiring her necklace.
"Never." Spike promised kissing the top of her wet hair.
"You know your the only one who got me anything." Dawn stared at him.
"And you didn't think I was getting you a gift." He looked at her. "I told you happy birthday on your birthday I was just waiting to give it to you but every time I was going to something came up."
"I know that now." She smiled. "Your the only one who remembered." Dawn frowned.
"Don't worry about it Dawn, their all so busy." Spike explained.
"Yeah but you remembered." Dawn reminded.
"That's because your all I think about." He said stressing the ALL.
"I love it when you do that." Dawn whispered.
"Do what?" He asked softly.
"Make everything feel okay even when it's not." She rested her head against him moving her face closer to his. "I almost feel like I get the better deal."
"That's not true. You make me feel like a man, you make me feel alive even though ive been dead over a hundred years." Spike paused. "You'r the one thing in my unlife that makes me wanna stay alive." Spike placed a soft kiss on Dawn's lips.
"I have been so invisible for so long and the one person to finally notice me is the only one I really want to notice me." Dawn smiled.
"I really can't believe you had those kind of feeling for me all those years and I was clueless to it." He sighed.
"Yeah, me neither." She smiled playfully.
Faith tossed and turned knowing Angel was right downstairs wanting to go down and talk to him trying to think of an exuse. She stood up and walked down the stair not able to conrtol herself anymore. She tip toed down the stairs and into the kitchen part of her hoping he didn't hear her part of her praying he did. She rumaged through the frigde and pulled out a soda from the rack. She cracked it open and it made a hissing noise. She took a wuick slug and set it onto the table sitting down in the chair. She heard a noise but decided to ignore it.
"Faith, why aren't you sleeping?" She knew the voice it was him her dark pince.
"Uhmm...couldn't sleep." Faith explained.
"Me neither." Angel sat beside her.
"So what's going on with you lately?" She asked trying to make small talk.
"I can't anymore Faith." Angel looked down.
"What?" She asked in shock.
"I can't keep pretending like I don't want you because something inside me does, so badly I want you." Angel admitted regret filling his face the instent the cursed words escaped his lips.
"Angel I think I might be falling for you, so you don't knwo how good it is to hear you say that." Faith said looking over to Angel's stone face.
"Faith this isn't right, not now with everyone all stressed out and Spike and Dawn it's condoning what there doing." Angel frowned.
"What there doing isn't wrong Angel. And no one has to know." Faith admitted hopefull.
"I know. And I can't fight this anymore." Angel leaned in a pressed his lips against Faith's gently, as he did she wrapped her arms around him almost attacking him. Angel pushed her away. "Faith I love you but this just can't work you have to go upstairs, this isn't right." Angel demanded knowing he wouldn't be able to hold back remembering the curse. Faith stormed upstairs angry.
The night faded faster then they all wanted. Faith tormented by the pain Angel had caused her. Angel fighting back the urge to go upstairs. Dawn and Spike laying in each others arms feeling happy together for the first time in their hopeless lives. Buffy with Ben not wanting to wake up and face the next day seeing her sister with Spike not knowing if she could stop whatever came this time praying she could.
None of them sure what the next day would bring all of them afraid to lose something they had gained or had already lost it. All of them in fear of the next day wanting it to stay tonight, either because they didn't want to face the next day or becasue tonight was far too promising.