I don't want to be the one who has to fill the silence

The quiet scares me 'cause it screams the truth

Please don't tell me that we had this conversation

I won't remember, save your breath

'Cause what's the use

- Sober, Pink

What Spike got out of Angel; the current slayers name was Buffy Anne Summers, she lived on the Sunnydale hellmouth, she was called seven years ago, right after Spikes memories stopped, and she hadn't been a potential.

What Spike didn't get out of Angel; what she had to do with him, what she had to do with his memories, how Angel knew her, why they were going to see her, and what was a "chip"? Spike was guessing he wasn't talking about french fries.

So here they were, their tinted-windowed car rolling down… suburbia. The famous hellmouth, the Masters very own prison, and little girls were playing tag inside white picket fences. It was equally disappointing and amusing. Hell, there was even a faded Welcome to Sunnydale sign as you entered town. Spike fought down the urge to ask Angel to run it over.

Eventually, Angel parked in front of a pretty, two story white house. At four o'clock in the afternoon. "So, what? We just hurry up to the door and politely ask to come in before we burn?"

Angel gave him an odd look. "We're already invited," he said, as though it were perfectly obvious that two master vampires, half the scourge of Europe, would have standing invitations to their mortal enemy's home.

"Let me guess - we go over for tea and biscuits every Sunday."

Angel smirked, "Hot chocolate, actually." Spike got the impression his grandsire was referencing something he should understand. Spike felt like he was going to get that impression a lot.

oOo

He knew it. They weren't invited. Well, Angel was. He wasn't. Not that it surprised him or anything - he was the slayer of slayers, for gods sake. This girl was probably terrified of him. The soul was the only reason Angel was allowed in - the girl was taking pity on him. And he wasn't jealous that his grandsire got yet another thing he didn't. He didn't even want this. Well, he'd like his memories back. And to get out of the sun that was threatening to burn a hole in his precious leather jacket while Angel went to "grab Buffy so she could invite him in".

"Come in! Oh my God, come in come in come in, like, now!" a girls voice rung through the house out to where he was standing. Ducking inside, he barely had time to close the door behind him before a little brunnette launched herself at him, squeezing him tight around the middle.

"Oh, thank God, do you have any idea how worried we all were? I mean, not Xander, but me and Willow and Tara and Buffy and Anya and even Giles! I wanted to go looking for you but Buffy said you'd obviously left of your own free will, and I knew she was right, but she was weirdly insistent about it, and - did you two get into another fight? Is that why you left?" the girl pulled back, and she looked sad all of a sudden. Spike just stared at her in wide eyed shock.

"Dawn," Angel interrupted, "step away from him. He doesn't have the chip anymore."

The girl - Dawn - looked mutinous. Didn't like Peaches much, apparently. Smart kid. "So? That doesn't matter."

"He doesn't have the chip," Angel repeated, "and he doesn't remember the last seven years."

"I - I mean What?! How could you even say that? It's ridiculous! You remember me, don't you, Spike?"

The vampire in question arched an eyebrow, "Sorry Pet. Did I try to eat you once?"

"No! I mean, yes, but no! How can you not remember?"

"I'd like to know the same thing myself. So maybe one of you should get to explaining, before I start to get hungry," he said, flashing his fangs, but not going into full game face. Dawn looked unimpressed.

"You don't remember anything?"

"No, I don't. Who are you? Thought we were going to see the slayer."

"Buffy's at work. I'm her sister, Dawn. Which, by the way, you should know already. 'Cause we've known each other for ages," Dawn scolded him, walking back towards the main part of the house. He followed.

"Slayer has a kid sister?"

Dawn popped a piece of gum into her mouth. "Sorta. It's a long story."

"I've got time."

"Well, it used to be her and mom and Hank - our dad, unfortunately - but then Buffy got called and they split up. Buffy got kicked out of school -"

"Why?"

"Lothos."

"The vampire Lothos?"

"Yeah. She trapped him and his minions in the gym and burnt it to the ground. It was epic."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "Nice."

"Anyway, than she and mom moved here, lots of stuff happened, Glory showed up. She was a hell-god, and she was going to open a portal and end the world, but she needed this glowy mystical ball of energy called the Key to do it. So a bunch of monks did a spell and created me, hid the Key in me, and gave everyone fake memories of me so Buffy would protect me and the Key."

"Seriously?"

"No lie. It happened," Dawn swore.

"Dawnie! You home yet?" called a female voice from the direction of the door. Dawns face lit up.

"Tara! Tara, get in here, you'll never guess what happened!" turning to Spike, she added, "She'll be so glad to see you. Tara's Willows girlfriend."

Well, judging by the expression on the gentle looking woman's face when she saw him, glad wasn't making an appearance. Relief, maybe. Anger, sorrow, confusion and pain, definitely. Even a little hatred, mixed with an even more miniscule amount of pity and understanding. Not gladness. "Spike... You're back."

Dawn, seeming not to notice Tara's confliction, beamed. "Isn't it unbelievable?"

"Unbelievable is the word," she said softly, still staring at him.

Angel, who up until now had kept silent, asked quietly, "Aren't you forgetting something, Dawn?"

"Oh, yeah," Dawns smile faded as she told her about Spike's memory loss.

"I see," Tara's face was unreadable. "Dawnie, have you called Giles yet? He might know what to do."

"I'll do that now." Dawn hopped up and ran into the other room. Tara turned to Angel.

"Maybe go with her? He'll have questions..." Angel nodded and left the room, leaving Spike alone with the girl. She sighed. "Why are you here?" she asked sadly.

Spike was confused by the question. "Angel brought me here."

"I know what you did. Obviously, Dawn doesn't. Look, I know that things didn't work out... I know you didn't want it to be like this, and you want to make it better, but can't you see being here will only make it worse?"

Spike just looked at her blankly. "Pretending it didn't happen won't just make it go away, Spike!" she said impatiently, as though he were being an idiot.

"Wait - you think I'm faking it?" he realized.

"Aren't you?"

"No!"

"Oh."

"Oh is right. What were you talking about?"

Tara looked uncomfortable. "That's... not really my story to tell."

"Are you bleeding serious right now?"

Tara sighed. "Just - I don't even know. Just wait, okay? It's up to Buffy."

"Bloody hell."

Dawn and Angel returned, stopping him from pressing the issue. "Giles says to tie you up," Dawn announced.

Spike stared at her. "Are you kidding?"

"No. Sorry. He and Buffy don't really trust vampires. Hazard of their occupation. And you and Buffy kind of try to kill each other a lot. And honestly, Xander will try to stake you. And maybe so will Giles. And Wicklow's the one you always used to kidnap. So... things will go better if you aren't a threat."

Good God, could this get more humiliating? These two wisps of girls weren't even a little scared of him, Angel treated him like a joke (although, didn't he always?), and now they wanted to tie him up? "Don't suppose any of you will tell me what's going on?" he growled.

"As soon as Buffy gets home," Dawn reassured him. "She'll just like it better if you're tied up."

"Kinky," he muttered, surrendering to the ropes. Dawn snickered and Angel shot him a disgusted glare, but Tara went pale and looked at the ground. Huh.

Chalking it up to shyness, he continued grumbling, "Angelus doesn't have to be tied up."

"I have a soul, William."

Dawn patted his shoulder sympathetically. "If it makes you feel better, nobody likes him."

"It does, actually," Spike snarked, "Thank you, Nibblet."

Behind him, Dawn froze. "What?"

"Um... I said thanks?"

"No," she hurried in front of him, "no, no. Nibblet. That's what you used to call me, remember? Tara, you heard that, right?"

Tara shook her head slowly. "Dawn, that nickname wasn't the result of an event, or inside joke, or anything. It was just a pet name based on your looks and personality. It makes sense, that meeting you for the "first" time..."

"He'd choose it again. Right," Dawn said with a wobbly smile. "No big."

An unexpected pang pulled at Spikes heartstrings. He liked this weird, human little girl. "Sorry. I'd remember if I could."

Dawn shrugged. "Not your fault."

oOo

Spike wasn't stupid. Far from it, actually - he'd gone to Oxford, after all (although he'd rather die than admit it). So he could figure out some of what had happened.

One; He knew the slayer.

Two; He tried to kill the slayer (several times) - as he should have.

Three; Somewhere along the way, something called a "chip" forced/made him want to help out the slayer. He was leaning towards forced.

Four; Something had happened. Something very, very bad that was his fault. And because of that he'd left town, without telling anyone. And Tara knew what it was. Dawn didn't, but seemed to think that it was a fight with the slayer. Tara had said it was up to Buffy to tell or not. So apperantly, he'd pissed her off.

Thank God he wasn't completely whipped.

Spike was tied to a chair in the middle of the room with Tara, Dawn, and Angel standing awkwardly when the front door opened and slammed shut. In hurried a pretty redhead and a middle aged man. The girl kissed Tara and hugged Dawn. "We came as fast as we could." Turning, she looked at Spike cautiously. "Hello. I'm Willow. This is Giles. Do you remember us?"

"No, but apparently I kidnapped you a lot."

Willow smiled. "Try it again and I'll get to practice giving people brain aneurisms."

Spike grinned back at her. "I like you."

"Have you told Buffy he's back yet?" Giles asked. Dawn shook her head.

"No, she's at work and not picking up her phone. She'll be home soon, though." Right as she finished talking, the door opened yet again and footsteps clicked around, accompanied by a voice quietly humming. There was a moment of silence, then, "Buffy?" Dawn called. "Can you come in here?"

"What's wrong?" A girl in her early twenties appeared in the doorway and froze. She was tiny and blonde, wearing a little white suit and professional looking black heels.

"What the hell?"

Huh. Looked like Dawn was right about that fight.

AN: Yes? No? Maybe so? Let me know! I'm shutting up now...