(caverns under Spike's crypt)

SPIKE: Nothing to be worried about, kid. No one's gonna hurt you.

DAWN: Oh yeah. Same no one who did that to you?

SPIKE: What, these? Just a few bruises. Nothing to write home about.... hey, chin up, Platelet. And don't get scared... Maybe Glory doesn't want to kill you, maybe it's something...

DAWN: Worse?

SPIKE: Hey...

(Spike goes to lay his hand on Dawn's head (stroke her hair?) but she whirls just as he's about to and he changes the movement to slicking back his hair)

DAWN: You wanna know what I'm scared of Spike? Me. Right now Glory thinks Tara's the key. But I'm the Key, Spike. I am. And anything that happens to Tara is 'cause of me. Your bruises, your limp, that's all me too. I'm like a lightning rod for pain and hurt and everyone around me suffers and dies. I must be something so horrible, to cause so much pain and evil.

SPIKE: Rot.

DAWN: What do you know?

SPIKE: I'm a vampire. I *know* something about evil. You're not evil.

DAWN: Maybe I'm not evil. But I don't think I can be good...

SPIKE: Well, I'm not good. And I'm okay.

• Dawn & Spike
• Dawn as the Key
• philosphies on monsters, animals, killers, etc

written by: Rebecca Kirshner; Once again, I'm typing these up myself as transcripts are scarce.... Full transcript at:
http://www.studiesinwords.de/97toughlove.html