Summary: Buffy is back. Spike and Willow are dealing, while hiding their naughty secret and it's movie night.
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The peroxide-blond vampire looked on amused as his lover and his charge scurried about the house, preparing for company. His face showed both his disgust and pride in both Willow and Dawn.
"Pet, Nibblet, it's just the Slayer coming over for a movie. Well, her and the rest of the Scoobies. It's not the Queen or the bloody President. The house will be fine."
"But, Spike … " came from two different places, simultaneously. The redhead and the brunette looked up indignantly.
"No buts. Its just Bitchy; she left the house worse than you lot started with. Now would you both just calm down and just enjoy the night off. Let's face it, it ain't often the Watcher lets us have one."
Willow couldn't resist a sassy smirk at her lover. Followed by a blown kiss.
"Red, if you're wasting your kisses that way, get over here and use that sexy mouth properly."
Dawn's face was wreathed in smiles as her surrogate mother complied, meekly. She looked around the room, the home she'd gotten used to living in without her mother and her sister. For a long time, she'd merely existed, before Spike and Willow had given her the structure to allow her to live again. It had changed very little on the outside, but the internal changes in both the house and herself had been profound. The teenager looked over to giggle and make faces at the vampire and the witch who were wrapped in a torrid embrace.
"I guess I'd better answer that door. Do I need to get a fire hose to separate you guys?" Dawn hurried to the hall and opened the door to let her sister in. She still wasn't sure how she felt about Buffy being back, though she was thrilled that she wasn't dead anymore.
"Hi, Buffy, come on in."
"Hey, Dawn." The blonde hugged the girl close to her.
"I missed you."
"I missed you too. We need a fire hose or your Slayer strength."
"Jar to open that Spike couldn't?" There was a hopeful look on Buffy's face. One that said let me have a chance to show him up in front of my sister and Willow.
"Not exactly, more like a Spike and Willow to pry apart. I tried to find a fire hose, but no luck." Dawn looked very pleased with herself when she startled a giggle out of her big sister.
"Hey, Bit, that's enough of that. Willow and I can control ourselves; just don't see why we should. Slayer, come on in, Willow and I want to talk to you about something, before the rest of yer gang gets here.
Spike stood back to allow the women to enter the living room first. He looked at Dawn, who looked lost.
"Nibblet, why don't you go get busy with the popcorn. Chubs will have a cow if he doesn't have something to stuff in his mouth.
There was silence until the pouting Dawn left the room. The adults looked at each other before Spike started.
"Buffy, I've patrolled with you for a few days now. I know you're sane and not overly homicidal. So Willow and I talked." He grimaced when he thought about what he had to say next. The idea of Buffy and Willow in that same house just didn't amuse him. "We think it's time for you to move back in here. Where you can be closer to the Nibblet. She's got to get used to having you around again."
"Okay, I can move in, when are you leaving?" The blonde looked pointedly at Spike.
"We are not going anywhere. Sorry, Slutty, but until we feel that you are ready and that Nibblet is comfortable, we're going nowhere."
Buffy glared at the vampire, angry at the not-so-implied insult.
"Dawn is my sister, this is my home. I've stayed with Giles because Willow convinced me that it was the best thing for my sister. But I need to be here. I should be the one responsible for Dawn, not you."
"Buffy," Willow interjected, "you left us in charge of Dawn, because you knew we'd take care of her. Well, we have and we are going to continue doing exactly what you asked us to do. We are going to protect Dawn. We are going to look after her best interests. Right now those interests require us to stay right where we are. Dawn's life has been way unstable and she needs stability right now. Until you get used to her routines, which have changed and being with her all the time, we will be here for her, and for you."
Buffy hung her head, a little ashamed of her behaviour, they were doing what she'd asked and they were right. If it had just been Willow, she could have admitted she was wrong but she just couldn't. Not to Spike.
"Will, she's my sister and I should be taking care of her." She stubbornly replied.
"Ok, Slu … er … Slayer, what is the Nibblet's favorite meal these days?"
"That's easy, she likes pizza."
"Not quite, Buffy, Dawnie loves pizza yes, but it's not her favorite. Her favorite is Chinese steamed veggies and anything stir- fried. She always asks for pizza or burgers when you take her out because she knows you're on a tight budget, and her favorite restaurant isn't cheap."
"Oh." The triumphant look started to fade from the Slayer's face, but they weren't through yet.
"Slayer, is Platelet allowed to date?"
"Not until she's older. She has to be at least fifteen."
"Honey," Willow's voice was gentle, "Dawn is fifteen. You missed her birthday."
"Oh," the reply seemed even weaker the second time. "What else don't I know about my sister?"
"Quite a bit, actually, but it isn't because you don't care, it's because you haven't been here. That's not your fault, but you have to get to know her all over again, and you need someone here who does know all the little things. That's us." Willow's voice was so very gentle and loving that Buffy felt tears well up.
"Will, I don't have a problem with you staying here. You're welcome to stay forever. My problem is with Spike. I don't want to stay in a home that includes a vampire that can bite me, whenever he feels like it."
"Sorry Slayer, not leaving Dawn alone with you, until I'm sure you and she can make it work. I'll never leave Willow. She belongs to me now and you can deal with it, or not. Either way, she and I will be together, forever." Spike growled low in his chest at the thought of leaving his witch. `Not gonna happen,' he thought.
"Fine, I have to admit you haven't hurt them yet, but if you ever do, there is an ashtray in your future." A knock on the door prevented further threats from either party. Willow sighed and shook her head as she went to let the rest of the gang in.
Spike regarded the Slayer with a thoughtful look. How could he love someone like her? She was meant to kill his sort, ok; he was willing to concede the sort he used to be, before Willow, Dawn and her. Not that she would ever know that. "Not as long as I unlive." He chuckled as that thought ran through his mind.
Buffy looked at the vampire when he chuckled and wondered, `Just what is amusing about this whole fucked up mess. I'm living at Giles while Spike plays parent to my sister, while Spike sleeps with my best friend. I wonder how he is in … no, not going there, not now, not ever.'
The rowdy entrance of the rest of her friends broke her train of thought before she could dig herself any deeper.
Spike ignored the noisy greetings, heading for the kitchen.
"Hey, Bit, need a hand with the popcorn and such?"
"Running away from the chaos?"
"I'm the Big Bad, I run away from nothing."
"Than that wasn't you Willow was chasing about the last spectacular entrance at my school?"
"Well, that was different. She might've done damage. Red was hot that day."
As they talked, they busied themselves, getting popcorn into bowls, drinks into glasses and, for Spike, blood poured into a mug. Spike grinned at the thought of the Slayer watching Dawn pour blood into a mug, with a perfectly straight face.
`Yeah, gotta make sure that happens. Soon.'
They loaded everything up and headed for the living room. As they walked through the door, Xander laid claim to as much of the food as he could, before settling himself on the couch with Anya. Spike sat in his favourite easy chair; Willow kneeling at his feet, leaned against his legs. Giles chose an armchair, while Buffy ranged herself on the couch with Dawn.
"So, what're we watching oh fanged one?"
"Well, Chubs, since you chose comedies last time, I thought we'd go for something educational this time."
"Educational?" Buffy looked puzzled, "But the tapes I saw earlier were all Steven Segal and Bruce Lee."
"Right. Educational." Willow noted with amusement, Spike and Xander's shared look of total agreement, though she knew that there would be war if anyone commented on it.
"Yeah, he's right Buffy, these movies are all fighty, hence educational. The fanged one's taught me lots about learning some of these moves. Because of this, I stand … sit before you alive." Anya giggled as her fiancée babbled on.
"I'm scared to ask, but what are you two calling comedies?" Buffy's curiosity was both intense and obvious.
Xander and Spike looked at each other, than at the Slayer. Slowly they shook their heads in unison.
"Well the obvious, Slayer. You know, Interview With A Vampire, Dracula, and in honour of my Willow's anniversary, The Wolfman. Ya know, funny films."
Buffy laughed for a few moments before yelling at the screen, "No, you can't do that and stay standing up, I should know, I tried it a time or two. My center of gravity was way off and I ended up sprawled on my butt. It wasn't fun."
"Oh, I don't know pet, I'd wager it was great fun for whoever, or whatever was watching you." He grinned when the small blonde sent him a go - to - hell look. "What, I would've enjoyed it." He paused for a moment, "Lots."
As the group got more involved with the movies, conversation died down. Spike leaned forward to get a better look at Segal beating the bad guys arse, vocally encouraging the villain, while running one hand through Willow's silky red hair. Occasionally his hand would caress the scar on the side of her neck.
Buffy was entranced by the movie and shooting dirty looks at the blond vampire every time he encouraged the baddie. Dawn leaned against her sister, revelling in the warmth of her embrace.
Anya leaned against Xander, stealing his snacks from him. While Giles looked over his children, pride glowing in his green eyes. It still amazed him that all his children had made it this far. There had been so many times when he'd doubted that any of them would survive, but now, now they were all grown up. And it looked like there might be a future for all of them. He groaned quietly, when he realised that he was including Spike.
"Well Slayer, have you made up your mind?" Spike asked Buffy while the first movie rewound.
"Yeah Spike, I'll do it. For Dawn's sake."
"Wonderful, but there are some house rules, we'll discuss later, when it's just residents. Nibblet, I'm feeling a bit peckish, would you mind doing the honours?"
"Sure Spike, be right back with it."
Dawn bounced into the kitchen, while everyone else looked puzzled at the turn of conversation. Finally Buffy took pity on them.
"I'm moving back home tonight, or tomorrow. Will and Spike want me to get used to being responsible for Dawn."
Further comment was brought to a screeching halt, when the brunette teen-ager entered the room with a mug of blood. Buffy looked on shocked, as her squeamish little sister presented it to Spike.
"Did I get it to hot?"
"Nah, you got it just right." He turned the cup up and drained it with obvious enjoyment. "But, than you always get it right Nibblet." He glanced at the clock, "Speaking of which, it's time for you to get it right by going to bed."
"But, Spike, do I have too?"
"Yes, you have too. Think I don't remember that you have a class in the morning. A class that your sister, Willow and I will be discussing later, when Buffy moves back into her own room."
His soft voice was drowned out by the excited teen's shrieks. He lowered it in pitch to a growl.
"Get yourself upstairs and into bed, cause you know what happens if I have to drag you to bed."
"Yes, Spike. Going now." Dawn made a circuit of the living room, hugging and kissing everyone.
"I'll be up later to check on you, Kitten and you'd better have your arse in bed with the lights out."
"Yeah, yeah, you'll drain me dry, heard that one before."