This chapter is pretty short, so my apologies. But I needed to get this written before it drove me nuts. It was like, John was just sitting on my desk flailing his arms about going "Write more about meeeee!" So I felt it was necessary. Just read it. My eye hurts from staring at the damn computer screen. o.O - What my eyes currently say is 'BED TIME!' and 'ouch...' XD

Spike led Sherlock into the cemetery and went over the basics of staying alive whilst on patrol. Sherlock listened intently, his eyes scanning the area as Spike's words sank in.

"Right. And.. oh, yeah. Don't get bit. As long as you keep an eye out and aim for the heart, you should be just fine. No fancy stuff either. Get killed that way. Slayer.. I mean, Buffy almost got killed like that once. So.. John, eh? Didn't peg him as you type." Spike laughed a little, just as Sherlock stopped and turned to him.

"We aren't like that actually. Not in the least."

"Oh, right. I see. Just pals. Right. Sorry, mate."

"Fine then. Just shut up. I need to think."

"Slaying isn't thinking. Its feeling and doing. Its not a thought process, just instinct and action. Get it? And who're you tellin' me to shut up?"

"Damn it, man. Stop talking!" Sherlock looked to his right suddenly where he saw a shadow move behind a large, ornate tombstone. He dashed over and raised the stake, only to find it was a stray cat wandering about. "Oh. Not a vampire." He said to himself, just as he felt someone step up behind him. Spike was still wandering about a few yards off when he heard a loud growl, followed by some kind of odd battle cry, then grunting. He rushed over to where Sherlock was fighting off a big, biker vampire and leaned against the tombstone behind them. As the battle raged, Spike lit a cigarette and smirked, remembering how they'd fought in the basement. He knew Sherlock could handle himself, and was going to let him prove it. It lasted a few minutes, then Sherlock managed to get behind the vamp and push the stake into his back, piercing his heart and turning him to a mess of dust.

"Good show. Good. I knew you could do it." Spike clapped sarcastically and approached Sherlock who was huffing and brushing the dust off his pants.

"Thanks for jumping in to lend a hand there."

"Oh, its nothing, really. Hardly had to lift a finger." Spike offered a cigarette, but Sherlock declined and retrieved his stake from the ground where it had landed. They walked off further into the dark, Spike still joking about John, and Sherlock trying to ignore him.

"Will you just shut up already? I'll stake you. Don't go thinking I won't."

Giles' car pulled into the drive and the engine shut off. He and John climbed out of the front seat, going over all that Giles had learned of this impending apocalypse. It was going to be a blood bath by all accounts, and he feared that even with the help of John and Sherlock, they might fail. The two walked into the house and to the kitchen where Dawn sat munching on a rice krispie treat. She stood and stuffed the last huge bite into her mouth, then went about fixing a pot of tea for the three of them. As she sat back down waiting for the water to boil, John turned to her and smiled.

"Dawn.. Spike or Sherlock back yet?" He asked curiously as the kettle began to whistle on the stove.

"Um.. no. But Willow and Tara are upstairs and Xander went to talk to Anya alone. I think they might be.. you know.. like, getting jiggy.. but naked." Dawn beamed at the thought of Xander and Anya, and the way they always looked at each other. They had that starstruck look in their eyes, and even though things weren't always perfect, they still cared for each other so much it made her-

"Getting jiggy?" John said, interrupting the teens train of thought. He looked to Giles for an answer, but all Giles could offer was a brief 'Oh, dear Lord..' followed by the removal of his glasses.

"Getting jiggy.. You know, and.. but, naked? You know.. You must know.. You're so.. You're old!" Dawn exclaimed, the lack of words frustrating her as she tried desperately to get John to understand what she meant.

"I'm what? Old? Oh, that's just.. Rubbish.. Rupert here, now he's old. Would you believe this one here took me to my first-"

"That's quite enough about me, John. The girl doesn't care to know of our wild days. Surely not that part." Giles took his cup of tea from Dawn and made his way out to the living room and turned on the evening news. John stayed behind in the kitchen with Dawn, who offered him a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich, insisting it was great with tea. He obliged her, and found himself rather surprised by the sandwich and its wonderfully fluffy, gooey peanut goodness.

"So? What about your wild days? Did you go see the Beatles and stuff? I think they're sort of boring, but I guess that was cool back then, huh?"

"The Beatles?" John exclaimed, choking down a bit of sandwich. "I wasn't even born yet! No, you wouldn't really care to hear about it. Its rather.. dreary and stupid, really. Not meant for such young ears, either."

"Everyone always does that. They're all, 'Oh, she's too young to know.' And 'Oh, we weren't saying anything, Dawnie!' Can't one adult under this roof just talk to me for once? I'm not a baby! I'm in high school! I know.. things.. and stuff about things.. And I heard Tara and Willow the other night, so .. yeah. I really just said that, huh?" Dawn smiled sheepishly, and John sighed knowing the girl had a point. If she felt she wanted to be seen as a young adult and included in such discussions, so be it. John sat on the stool at the island counter and began to recount the tales of years past, him and Giles' party sprees and being reprimanded for not showing up to Council meetings because of hangovers. He told her bits and pieces about the string of girls in his hay-day, and their little experiments with drugs. When he started into the part about their first summoning ritual-gone-awry, Giles emerged from the living room and interrupted just before the story got good. "Giles! He was just getting to the best part! And you.. you dirty dog, you! Siouxie Sioux? Was she hot? That name just screams hot.."

"Yes, I'm afraid I went through a groupie phase. Now, off to bed with you. School tomorrow, regardless of how good the story may be." He kissed her on the forehead as he passed her, taking his cup to the sink.

"Fine. Night, Giles. Night, John." She walked over to John and hugged him, squeezing the air out of his lungs a little, but he returned the show of affection and wrapped his arms around the tall, thin teenager. She whispered a quick thank you, and bounded off to her room to get ready for bed, passing Spike and Sherlock on her way to the stairs. "Hey Spike. Sherlock. Night guys!"

"G'night, Bit. Sweet dreams love." Spike called to her as he shut the front door and wandered out to the kitchen, a very dusty, filthy and sore Sherlock in tow.

Well? How did you like this part? I felt the need (Damn imaginary!John..) to expand a bit on John here, and let him gain a new ally just like Sherlock found in Spike. Only fair, right? Sherlock befriends the vampire, John befriends the teen who feels left out.. Yeah, there's not much difference there. :P Please make imaginary!John shut up, and send some reviews and let me know what you think. Does the bond between Dawn and John surprise you? Does Giles being a Siouxie and The Banshees groupie make your day? I know I like it. :D