Atonement
by
Murray
Chapter 3Sunnydale Memorial Cemetery
The tension finally easing between the two of them he said, "Yes.""Is that your heart beating I hear?"
"Yes."
Her voice filled with wonder she asked, "How? Your still a vampire aren't' you?"
"Yes, Niblet, still a vampire."
Again she asked in a small voice, "How?"
For the better part of an hour he told her a tale of Africa and a demon. He told her of his trial. He told her of his reward and as he spoke he began to calm, his heart rate slowed down his breathing became rhythmic. For the first time in days he started to believe he could make things right. He began to heal and Dawn for her part began to believe that things could be better then they ever were before.
"Sun will be up in an hour Niblet, I need to get you home to big sis so she doesn't worry about where you went off to."
"I don't need you to take me home, I'm the Slayer's sister I can take care of myself."
"I know you can. I just need to take you home and make sure you're safe. Just one question okay?"
She nodded as she removed herself from his lap and stood.
"Are we friends again?"
She smiled and nodded, "Yeah you stupid vampire, we're friends again, but Buffy is not going to forgive you so easily."
"I know Dawn. Somehow I am going to have to convince her I am worth forgiving. Even if it takes the rest of my life to do that."
She giggled for the first time since she found out he had been back, "Unlife fang face."
He shrugged wondering if that was still true or not and decided not to comment on that little fact. His head started to pound as he muttered. "This soul thing is giving me a head ache."
Smiling she turned and headed for the ladder, as she climbed it she said over her shoulder, "So you taking me home or what?"
He nodded to her retreating back and followed, "Coming mother."
At that she laughed thinking back to earlier that night when Buffy had called her mom and thought to herself, *"These two are so alike it's scary."*
Leaving the safety of the crypt he could smell the oncoming sunrise. It was 45 minutes away, just enough time to get the Niblet home to her sister and himself back to the safety of the crypt.
A second before he heard her cry out, he smelled the scent of Vanilla carried along the morning breeze.
"Oh, shit! Buffy."
A second after he heard her cry out a small powerful fist punched him directly in the nose breaking it as he felt himself lift up into the air from the powerful blow, his form hurtling backward, his nose gushing blood as the back of his head impacted with a gravestone, shattering it from the force.
His left hand cradling the back of his injured head, his right hand covering his broken bleeding nose eyes squeezed shut in pain he muttered, "Why do you Summers women always go for the nose?" Slowly he opened his eyes and saw a brassed off slayer standing over him.
"Oh shit!" He said as he shrank back in terror.
"Dawny, I am so mad at you for coming out here. I woke up and found you gone. Do you know what you just put me through?"
She looked at her sister sheepishly and said, "Sorry sis!"
"Not yet you aren't, but you're going to be. You are so grounded young lady. Now go home."
"But Buffy," she whined.
"But Buffy nothing. Home Dawn. Now!"
She stood her ground defiantly, "I am not a kid, and you can't treat me like one."
"Then stop acting like one and I won't treat you like one. Go home."
Knowing when to shut up, she took her sister's commanding tone as an order and proceeded to go straight home or so she appeared to make it seem as if she was going in that direction. Thinking if she was lucky something would eat her on the way before her sister got back to her.
Spike for his part stayed down. Looking much like a deer caught in a headlight.
"And as for you, you stupid souled vampire. I hate you for what you did to me." With that said she spun on her heels and went off after her sister.
He watched her go and whispered after her. "I know you do!"
Still livid she turned around hearing what he had just said, stormed back to him, planting her feet on either side of him and sat down on his chest. Her eyes blazing and locked with his.
His heart beat franticly in his chest as he awaited his punishment at her hands, knowing anything she did to him at this point was deserved.
For her part her breath caught in her throat as she said, "I hate you!" Then her two hands pulled his head up to hers and she kissed him, with such desperation that she moaned low in her throat as the tears came forth once more that morning her tongue slipping past his lips finding his and dueling with him, tasting the inside of his mouth as if for the first time. Her small body trying franticly to merge with his, slowly she broke the kiss and whispered against his lips as the tears fell down onto his face, "I hate you so much."
His own emotions on the same roller coaster as hers he said, "I know you do, baby," he hugged her to him and for the first time his soul touching hers.
She kissed him again with more desperation then the first time. They held each other tightly neither willing to let go, afraid that if they did let go, this bond they shared would shatter. Reluctantly the kiss melted away and they looked deeply into each other's eyes, seeing each other for perhaps the first time. "Do you know why I hate you so much Spike?"
Swallowing hard not breaking eye contact, he shook his head.
"I hate you because I can't stand the thought of you not being in my life. I hate you because you made me feel again when they brought me back. I hate you because you were always there for me even when I didn't want you to be. I hate you because you let me use you. I hate you because you refuse to leave me even when I tell you to go. But, mostly I hate you because without you I am lost. Without you I am incomplete."
No one had ever spoken to him like that before and his heart couldn't take it so he wept for joy looking at her and stroked her face, "I love you Buffy Summers!"
At that moment she started to trust again as she said in a teary voice, "You better or so help me I am going to hunt you down and stake your sorry ass."
No more words needed to be spoken as each sought out the others lips and Dawn from her hiding place cried tears of joy for the two souls of the people she loved most in this world.