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Buffy handed Dawn her lunch as the pretty teenager headed out the door.
"Don't be late getting home, I have something planned for us."
"Okay. I'll be home right after school."
"Good, have a great day."
Buffy smiled as the door closed behind her sister. She was really enjoying getting to know the girl again. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but Spike and Willow had done a good job. Dawn was confident, smart and knew she was loved. She didn't whine, unless it was a playful pout to get her way. And Spike pretty much kept those in check. She never would've believed it, if she hadn't seen it. Spike was the homework monitor. He was the one who checked out her friends and terrified the boys that flocked around her in their best behavior. God, what would her life had been like, if she'd had a Spike in her life, instead of Hank Summers?
She giggled as she remembered the latest inquisition. Dawn's boyfriend, Justin sitting on the sofa, Spike leaning against the wall, the Big Bad, dressed in his trademark scarlet and black, explaining Dawn's curfew and the consequence for breaking it, for any reason. The fact that he was cleaning his nails with a huge glittering knife at the time just added to the boy's petrification. Dawn had entered the room, lovely in her latest Bronze wear, taken one look at Justin's face and then berated Spike for scaring her boyfriend.
Spike had looked at her calmly, then told her to relax. If the boy was properly terrified, then he, Spike, wouldn't find it neccesary to hunt him down and torture him to death. Dawn had pouted at Spike, her best pout however had no effect on the blond demon. He'd just laughed at her and told her to have an alright time.
She'd said, 'Don't you mean a good time, Spike?'
'No Platelet, if you have a good time, I'd have to kill the wanker over there.' Dawn had given it up as a lost cause and gotten Justin and herself out of the house. Buffy had laughed so hard she couldn't breathe. She was coming to trust Spike with her sister, and it was so obvious that Willow was happy. Though there was still something. Spike and Will had a tendency to disappear. She never knew where they went, but when they came back, they glowed with satisfaction. She wondered where they went, what they did, though she had a pretty good idea of the latter. She trusted them, but she wasn't convinced, not yet. She had discovered early on that being no ... uh ... curious was a strong facet of her personality. She couldn't stand not to know. And right now, she didn't know and it was driving her nuts.
Oh well, enough thinking. She had things she had to do. Spike and Willow had moved all her mom's things to the basement, saving them for Dawn. Most of her things were down there too. She needed to start going through them. Some of them needed to go to charity, others in the trash, and the things that mattered, that meant something to be boxed up for Dawn and her. With a sigh, she downed her cup of coffee and headed for the basement.
~~~*~~~
Meanwhile, Willow lay in Spike's arms, content and sated by their lovemaking. She tingled and her skin glowed. Spike held her tightly, purring into her neck as he licked at the tiny punctures on her neck. "I may never move again." The redhead groaned at the thought.
"Red, I can promise you will. Among other things, I just heard Slutty going down to the basement."
"So, she's just going to start sorting out her mom's things."
"Did you lock the door? I don't remember doing it."
"Oh, shit, Sir, I didn't."
"Then girl, you'd best get your arse up and get downstairs and deal with it. Make sure that door gets locked and that the Slayer don't get in there. Oh, and girl-" Spike paused dramatically, "you cursed. We'll discuss that later." One final time the soft tongue swiped across her bite mark, before Spike swatted her on her bruised butt and told her to get going.
~~~*~~~
Willow clattered down the basement stairs, at her cheerful best. She always felt better after one of their 'sessions'. She looked around, sighting her best friend on the other side of the basement, knee deep in boxes and bags. She quickly locked the door to their playroom before threading her way to Buffy.
"Could you use a hand?"
Tear-drenched eyes turned up to meet her own. She dropped to her knees and hugged the trembling blonde tightly.
"Are you sure you're ready to do this, Buffy? I mean, it's got to be painful."
"Am I ready? I have no idea. Does it need to be done? Yeah, it does, and the sooner the better. There are lots of things that don't mean massive amounts to us. They can go to charity and help someone else. There are only a few things that Dawn and I should keep. It's just ... there's so much here."
"Would you like hand? I can help for a while, if you'd like?"
The Slayer looked up at the redheaded witch, a winsome smile on her expressive face. "I wouldn't turn it down. Are you sure you have the time to help me?"
"Yeah, Spike's asleep and should be that way for the rest of the day."
"Oooh, you wore him out, you wicked witch, you." Buffy laughed as her friend blushed bright red. "Gotcha!"
Willow smirked at her friend through her embarassment, as a small blue spark left her index finger and made its swift way to the Slayer's butt. Buffy jumped as the small lightning bolt hit her. She swung around, than back, her Gorgon-like stare lasering back to Willow.
"I'm so going to get you for that Will. It will be painful and happen when you least expect it."
She spoiled the whole threat thing by giggling as she rubbed the spot she'd been shocked. The two women settled down to the uncomfortable task of sorting through Joyce's things, for the first time in a long time completely at peace with each other.