Dawn turned to him and smiled. "Spike what are you doing here? I'm hiding, you shouldn't be here, why are you here?"
Spike seized her arms in a vice like grip. "I don't know Nibblet, but I gotta get you outta here, get you home."
Dawn's expression clouded. "I don't have a home Spike, I am just a lie. You should go, no need to worry 'bout what's not real."
Spike half growled at her. "This isn't real Dawn! You are!"
Suddenly Spike was back in the hospital room and could taste the blood filling his mouth again. Dawn's heart beat was barely noticeable. If he didn't turn her now she would die, maybe she would be happier then, maybe he shouldn't turn her.
Dawn gasped and whispered, "I'll belong."
Spike was shocked but knew that he had only one choice, no choice, he was far too selfish to allow her to die. He opened his wrist with a fang and fed the resulting blood to Dawn. She latched on like a new born kitten, his little kitten.
He kissed her forehead as he damned her forever. "I love you Bit, sleep now. Spike'll take care of you."
Dawn fell back on the bed, her heart stopped, she was dead.
It was only then that Spike heard the machines beep a constant beep and realized that the doctors would be in the room in only seconds. The Scoobies all rushed in, crying and holding one another. Buffy wrapped her arms around him and cried into his chest. "Thank you Spike."
The doctors came in then and pushed everyone out of the way. Dawn's doctor told Buffy simply that her sister's heart was too damaged by the overdose to be able to use the paddles to shock it back into beating. Buffy nodded and continued to weep into Spike's chest.
The doctors left so that the Scoobies could say their goodbyes.
Spike put his hands on Buffy's shoulders and pushed her back enough to see her face. "I'm gonna bring Bit to my crypt after they take her downstairs. We don't know what her bein' the key will do to the process. I'll bring her home when it's safe."
Buffy wiped her tears away. "No! She has to wake up at home! She's going to need me!"
Spike shook his head. "No she will be terrified of you, you are the Vampire Slayer. We feel that Buffy and most fledges are terrified of the feeling. She needs calm or we might lose her completely."
Buffy sniffled and nodded. "OK, OK, I get it but you don't have to do this Spike, I can call Angel and…"
Spike morphed into game face. "NO! That bastard isn't getting anywhere near my Childe! He will kill her!"
Buffy took a step back and looked at Spike in shock. "I didn't think you'd want to stick around and Angel wouldn't kill Dawnie, even Angelus wouldn't kill Dawnie!"
Spike shook his head, anger gleamed in his eyes but he kept his voice low. "Angelus didn't kill Bit 'cause he wanted her to grow up and Angel will because she is a soulless vampire! He won't care that she was Dawn all he will see is vampire! I made her, I did this and I'm sure as hell not leaving her, ever."
He knew his possessiveness of his new Childe was something the Scoobies wouldn't understand so he said what they would. "She's my daughter now, nothing will come between me and her."
Finally Buffy agreed and they all left the room. Spike lingered for a few moments looking at the girl who had been his only real friend ever. Now she was so much more and she didn't even know, hell she hadn't even realized that he honestly had considered her a friend. "I'll be back for you Bit, I promise."