~ Part 13 ~

"So that's it? They just want to do a few of these visits and speak to me and we're done with them?" Dawn was practically squealing when vampire and slayer returned home from their interview. "No more annoying people pushing themselves into our business?"

"I guess you're right Dawn, but that's more than a little it. We have to make a good impression all of these times, and even then they can still change their mind at the end of it, regardless of how good we think we did." Buffy was walking around the room, her pumps in her hands, scooping up stray dishes and ordering the magazines on the coffee table.

"Stop trying to scare her, we're going to do fine. Dawn, don't listen to her. And Buffy, the house is supposed to look lived in. Not like we have a 24 hour maid service in place." He plopped down on the couch, putting his boots up on the pile she'd just created.

"Well we don't have to live here like pigs." She pushed his feet onto the floor, along with most of the issues of People and the ever-popular Teen Bopper with Jason that had somehow made it from their little wicker basket next to the sink upstairs. "That's it, both of you. Cleaning."

"Buffy, it's like 10:30. At night." Dawn was talking to her and Buffy was giving her that I'm utterly confused face. "On a Thursday. Hello, school tomorrow?"

"Then why are you not in bed yet? Go! Spike, you on the other hand as a creature of the night, are not off the hook in any way."

Dawn stuck her tongue out at him. "Nah nah na nah nah. I don't have to clean."

"But now you can't go talking to Janice for an hour like you had originally planned. Nah nah na nah nah right back at ya."

"Shut up."

"No bad language Bit, off to bed with you. Or she'll shove a dustbuster into your hands."

"Shut up is not bad language Mr. Sodding Bloody Hell."

"Well you're 15 and I'm 128, so I can say whatever."

"Stop! Dawn I want you in bed, no more arguing. No more language like that either. Spike, if you don't get up off your ass and help me, the dustbuster is only going to be to get your remains out of the carpet. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes." They both grumbled at the same time and Dawn giggled until Buffy glared at her. "I'm going."

"Buff, they're not going to be coming tonight. Let's go to sleep, we'll start on this tomorrow, it'll give me something to do."

"I'm too wound up."

"Do you want to go patrol, I'll stay here with Niblet. Get some of this pent up anxiety out of your system."

"I did a sweep before we left, not much going on tonight. You know when you know you should really be sleeping, cause you're beat, but that nagging voice in your head keeps telling you you're not tired?"

"Yea. And you know what helps? A snack. Come on, I'll make you something." She went to go pick up the periodicals that by now were scattered all around the floor. "And leave those where they are. I told you, tomorrow."

"Alright, fine. But only because you're promising me sugary goodness."

"So what'll it be. I think the only things we have that could even be considered sugary goodness are Trix cereal or chocolate milk." He popped a few of the colored pebbles into his mouth. "Scratch the Trix, that's not goodness in any way."

"I don't like Trix. I don't think Dawn does either. I actually have no idea why we have that in our house."

"I don't get those commercials, why don't the kids share with the rabbit, especially if it tastes like this?"

"Yea, he never gets any does he? He's like a cereal nun." She pulled two glasses from the cabinet while he rummaged around in the fridge.

"Can we make it strawberry milk?"

"Where did all of this weird food come from?"

"Don't ask me, I just moved in. Wait, found the Quik. Don't worry." He opened the cap and drizzled some directly into his mouth.

"That really is rather disgusting."

"You know you were going to do it if I hadn't done it first."

"That's probably true, but it's still gross." She took the bottle from him and wiped the cap, licking the chocolate off of her finger before squeezing some on the bottom of each glass.

"This strawberry gunk kind of looks like blood. I'm almost tempted to try some."

"That is more than rather disgusting. And I have a feeling that Dawn was planning on trying some of it on top of the cereal."

"Thank you for ruining my appetite for the next three months. Even a sight of your ex didn't mess my stomach up that badly."

"Oh stop."

"No fight on it? Bet you felt the same way. Was that why you were getting so gaunt looking there for awhile Slayer?"

"I was never gaunt looking thank you, and no." She added the milk, or tried to, as he bumped into her, and a good amount of the pint went sloshing to the floor.

"Sorry bout that. I got it." He reached into the drawer of towels before she could stop him.

"Spike, no, it's ok. I'll." But the envelopes came slipping out along with the two or three gingham dishrags.

"What are these?" He scooped down to pick them up. "Bloody hell Buff, how long have you been getting these?"

"They're nothing, don't worry about it."

"I bloody well will worry about it. They're going to foreclose on the house?"

"Keep your voice down, and yes, they are. I was just waiting for when to tell Dawn alright? I didn't really want to think about it right now. One obstacle at a time."

"Why didn't you tell me, we could have worked something out."

"What could you have done? I wasn't going to take your money."

"Have you thought about this at all? Or were you too proud to do that too?"

"I've been looking into apartments, two bedrooms. There are some nice ones in Xander's building. A few right by her school. I don't really know if I want to stay here anymore Spike. This isn't our childhood home, we left that six years ago, and the memories I have here are not all for the best. This is where Dawn slit her wrists, set fire to her diaries. It was this house I was forbidden to return to after, well after Angel. The house I've moved out of and back into and didn't really care one way or another. This was where my mother died Spike. And maybe we need a new place, to start over. That will be our place without all of these extra things in the way. Not having to think this was where Mom used to leave her coffee mug or Giles always liked that chair and Riley left his coat next to that plant and Angel used to climb in that window. I want new memories."

"What if Dawn doesn't?"

"It's not really a choice."

"Because you won't let it be?"

"I'm never going to have the money to handle the expenses of a house. Especially not with being there for Dawn and the fact that I've missed so many payments."

"It's safe to her here."

"It's safe because we're here. And we're going with her. She's going to stay in the same school she's in now and the only thing different will be that it'll be a smaller scale."

"What are you going to do with all your stuff, you can't fit a whole house into a flat."

"I figured we'd take what we need, what'll fit and what's important for us to have. Hopefully no sacrifices."

"There are going to be sacrifices."

"Then I'll make them. I'll sleep on the goddamn dining room table if she would rather we keep that than my bed. I will fill every inch of that place with these material goods we've amassed if that will make it easier for her. I'm doing this for her. I could have been back in a dorm, going to classes, no obligations, not to her, not the state and certainly not to you..."

"I think I've heard enough. You've obviously made up your mind. I'm going to bed, not that hungry anymore."

"Please Spike, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like it came out."

"How did you mean it then?"

"I'm obligated to do things for you because I can't lose you. This one thing is not because of Dawn. You were the best friend I had when I came back, when I was all messed up. And I guess I'm still messed up in a lot of ways. And you're still here. You haven't left me when things got tough; in fact you took on more of the burden, more than your share. That's why I couldn't bring this to you, couldn't ask you to do another thing for me. You've already promised to protect Dawn for the rest of time, to marry me and to love, honor and cherish. It's too much as it is, another and I'd never be able to repay."

"You don't have to repay for any of this. I gave it to you, willingly. Never expected anything back in return."

"Because you're too used to me not giving anything. I'm sorry. I know that I'm a horrible person and that it's wrong of me to keep asking."

"But I like it when you ask, makes me feel useful. I love you. I love your sis. I loved your mum. I don't want to see you suffer in any way, especially if there was something I could have done to prevent it. Why I wish it was me who died up on that tower."

"Oh Spike. It's ok. I'm back, and this is going to be the time that I do things right. So I'm going to tell you now, like I should have before, that there's a very good chance that you could mean something to me. That I could love you the way you want me to. Not as a friend, which I think I already might, but as a lover. So there's a slice, I think you deserve that more than the barest smidgen."

He stood there, completely awe struck, not really sure if he was hearing her correctly. "You mean that?"

"Yes, I mean that. And I'll tell Dawn tomorrow about the house, if you want me to."

"Whenever you're ready. Just hope it's before she comes home from school and the moving van is out front."

"Yes, it will be. Can we forget the snack, I'm ready to sleep without it."

"Yea, me too. I'll clean this up, why don't you head up without me. I'll be there soon."

"Goodnight. And thank you again, for everything."

"I'm not giving you anything more than you deserve." She kissed him lightly on the lips, a quick brush.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning. And remember, the magazines are yours."

"I know. Make sure to organize the issues into separate piles for fall fashions and summer music previews. Know you won't accept them any other way."

"That's right." She headed upstairs and tried to smother her laughter when she heard a tiny war whoop from the kitchen.

~Part 14~

"Dawn, Spike and I wanted to talk to you about something."

"You're getting a divorce aren't you? Or, oh! Oh! Wait! Are you pregnant? I didn't think that vampires could make babies."

"Well they can't and that's why I haven't." Buffy cleared her throat. "There's also the fact that I haven't been sleeping with Big Sis, so that might be why."

"Right. And no Dawn, no divorce. This is about the house."

"Look, I'm sorry that it was such a mess when you came home yesterday."

"I know, but that's not it either. We're going to have to move. I'm sorry Dawn, but Spike and I can't afford to keep the house."

"How can Spike afford anything, he doesn't even have a job."

"That's what you think Niblet." He was a little more offended by the statement than he probably should have been. "Been working at Willy's. Bouncer if you will. Keep the demons as civil as possible."

"Dawnie, I saw a really nice apartment, two bedrooms, big living room. It's right near your school. I spoke to the landlady today and she said with this month's rent, and next's, we can move in whenever we want."

"So we're not moving away away?"

"Not really."

"How long have you know this wasn't going to work out for?"

"I'm as surprised as you, only just found out last night."

"I've known for about a month after I came back. There was no way I was going to bring in as much money as mom did working at the gallery, especially not with the medical bills we still had and all the other sources of debt that kept growing."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"I didn't want to, until I was absolutely sure. There was no reason that you needed to worry about it, it was my problem."

"It didn't need to be Buffy. Maybe we could have thought of something, worked a plan out. But you know now, for certain that we have to go?"

"Unless I can come up with a couple thousand dollars, yes. I really wish I could have done better, but are you ok with this? I could always try to get Dad, or Giles. I'll do my best if this isn't what you want. You have to tell me."

She shrugged. "Is the place hooked up for cable?"

"That's a very good question Bit, didn't even consider it. Is it?"

"Yes, and there's a phone jack in both bedrooms."

"Alright then, when do we move in?"

"As soon as I can get Spike to move all the furniture into a van."

"You're out of your bleeding mind if you think I'm packing this whole house."

"We'll help Spike, I promise. Well probably Buffy more than me, being a superhero and all. I can write on the boxes. Can I get one of those sniffy markers?"

"Before we get into all this, there's just one more thing I want to say. This is a surprise for both of you."

"You bought us DDR? For the Playstation?" Dawn looked very hopeful, and Buffy couldn't help but notice the slightly excited look Spike's eyes had taken on when he heard what she'd said.

"No DDR, I'm sorry. But, I went for an interview today, at an office, and they hired me as a secretary. I start Monday."

"You're joking! Ah! Buffy congratulations!" Dawn leaped from the couch, almost tripping over the coffee table into her sister's lap, wrapping her arms around her. "Now you'll bring in enough money to buy me DDR."

"That's fantastic luv. I think we should celebrate."

"After patrol. I'll be back in about an hour. Just wanted to get this out of the way first. Love ya." She kissed Dawn on the cheek and then went over to do the same for Spike. "Don't start without me." She grabbed her coat and headed out the front door. "And Dawn, if you ask me again for that game, you're never going to get it."

"Did I just hear and see what I think I did?"

"What's that Bit? Not to ask her for that disc. I told you, ask me, we chose me as the parent who spoils."

"Not that. The kiss, and the love ya. That's why you yelled last night isn't it. She told you she loved you."

"No, she didn't. Said maybe she could. Enough of an accomplishment in my book."

"Today is like the best day ever."

"Did you do your homework?"

"And now you've ruined it."

"I take that as a no."

"No, I didn't finish it."

"Tell you what, come into the kitchen and I'll help. I want to make your sis something special to eat."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Long as it ain't Trix, I don't really care."

~Part 15~

"Who taught you how to cook anyway? Cause if you don't eat, I don't really see what the purpose is." She was trying to dip her fingers into the melted chocolate on the counter, but he kept slapping her hand away.

"Stop that. You can't eat it before it sets. It'll get all over you. And, I do eat, sometimes. It's just something to do. You can only spend so many decades listening to Dru before you realize you have to have some other hobbies."

"So you chose cooking?"

"Well, I can do other stuff too. You know all this already. Remember all of those late night bonding sessions? Do your algebra."

"But it doesn't make any sense. And when am I going to use this stuff anyway?"

"I have no idea but your school say you will, so get to it." He pulled out one of those little wicker baskets from the refrigerator bursting with strawberries and shuffled around for something else. "Do you know if we have any bananas, maybe some pretzels?"

"Think we have pretzels and if we had bananas I wouldn't tell you anyway."

"And why is that?"

"Bananas are a little to phallic for me to watch you feed my sister. Especially if you're giving her champagne too." She once again tried to get her hands on the goods, but he was too quick for her.

"You have a serious one track mind. I thought it was only teenage boys that thought about sex all the time."

"Look at the people I hang with. We got my sister who if I recall correctly set free a poltergeist with her love making, Anya who throws the word orgasm into every other sentence and Willow and Tara can't really lie at all about what they're doing. Plus Janice and I."

"WHAT?!"

".like to read Cosmo." She rolled her eyes at him. "No, we're not making pornos or stripping or having sex."

"Damn well better not be."

"Come on, would I do that? I haven't even come up with a good stage name yet."

"Do your algebra and I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

"What do you think of Bubbles?"

"That's a Powerpuff Girl. Obviously too young. Do the math." He began dipping various pieces of fruit into the liquid chocolate, some then into sprinkles as well, watching her pout. "Oh here. Have your chocolate." He pushed one of the berries into her mouth, grinning with satisfaction as most of the fudge dripped over her chin. "Told you it needed to set." He started to laugh at her scowling and speckled face.

"I hate you sometimes."

"I feel the same way Dawn." Buffy replied from where she was leaning on the doorframe. "Please tell me you didn't make something?"

"If we said yes would that be a bad thing?" Dawn pinched another strawberry between her digits, slipping the goopy fruit into her mouth.

"I'm just not feeling so great right now, kind of just want to curl up in bed."

"You do look kind of flushed pet." Spike walked over and pressed his lips to her forehead. "A little warm."

"I'm always a little warm to you. I'll be ok. Thank you so much for doing this, even though I'm not going to get to appreciate it first hand. It was really sweet." He kissed the top of her head again and she headed upstairs.

"Dawn you going to finish that stuff?"

She'd already gotten a spoon out of the drawer and was scraping at the pot. "Think I can handle it."

"Don't make yourself sick. I'm going upstairs with your sis."

"Alright, see you tomorrow."

"Put the fruit away when you're done, and rinse the pot."

"Yes evil stepfather. Right out of Cinderella. Next I'll be sleeping next to the fireplace."

"Only if you're lucky."

~ Part 16~

It was true that he was a creature of darkness, that he really didn't usually have a desire to climb into bed when the sun set, or really have a need to, but tonight he just wanted to sleep. And for some reason the light in the hallway had been on for a really long time.

He rolled over, facing away from the window, and noticed that the rumpled bed next to him was empty, the sheets cold. So it was Buffy then.

Leaving his cot, happy that his body didn't recognize changes in temperature, he moved into the corridor. The bathroom door was closed, a little sliver of light slipping between the crack at the floor. "Pet, you alright?" He whispered, lightly rapping on the door.

"Please Spike, just go away." Her voice had a moaning quality to it, so he knocked again.

"What's wrong, Buffy?"

"Nothing. Leave me alone. Please."

"I'm coming in." He turned the knob and saw her curled up on the floor. Definite fetal position. "Doesn't much look like nothing."

"I'll be ok. I just kind of want to lay here. Forever."

"Tell me what it is. I'll try to make it better."

"I think I'm going to be sick again." And she was right, as she dragged herself over to the porcelain bowl. He pulled her hair back out of her face and knelt down besides her, stroking her back. It didn't last long, but she hovered over the water, beginning to cry. "I told you not to come in. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?"

"You didn't need to see this."

"Trust me luv, I've seen a lot worse in my day."

"You can go back to sleep, if you want. I'll try to be quiet."

"Come here pet." He gently placed her into his lap, cradling her, and kissed the top of her head. "I think you still have that fever." She shivered a little in response, her teeth meeting as she sucked in a breath.

"My dad used to do this for me. Stay up with me when I was sick. Mom could never quite deal so well with it, so he would. But right after he left, I had food poisoning from some bad sushi, she stayed with me, all night. She'd never done that before and I kept telling her to go away that I was a big girl and that she didn't have to do this, but she stayed. I think she knew I didn't want her to." She was really crying now, and he wiped at her face. "Thank you for not leaving me."

"Shhhh. I'm not going anywhere alright. I'll stay as long as you need me. Probably longer than you do."

"You'll hold me? You promise."

"I promise."

"Why are you so nice to me when all I do is treat you like crap?"

"Well, that would have been a very good question a few days ago, but you haven't recently. We've been getting along. We're trying."

"I guess that you love me doesn't hurt." He didn't answer her, just held her a little tighter and wrapped a bath towel around her bare legs.

They sat there, and he put a washcloth over her forehead, carrying her to bed when she finally fell asleep. He climbed in besides her, pushing the cot aside with his feet. "No, I guess it doesn't hurt at all."

~Part 17~

"Where's Buffy?" Dawn walked in, already fully dressed, which was odd for a Saturday morning, the most important word in that being morning, to find Spike making some pancakes at the stove. "And would it kill you to wear a shirt?"

"She's still sleeping, she had kind of a rough night last night, and not all of us feel the need to prep for breakfast. I think the sweatpants your sister made me buy work quite fine by themselves." He took a sip from a mug next to the batter. Hey, he was entitled to some breakfast too.

"She alright?" Dawn grabbed one of the ones that were already done, flipping it back and forth between her palms. "Ooh, hot!" She blew on it a little, before taking a bite.

"Yea, I think so, little bug's all. Why are you all in a rush this morning?"

"Janice and I are going to the mall, there's supposed to be a band signing CDs at the music store."

"And when were you planning on filling the rest of us in on this?"

"I guess right now."

"Alright, who's driving, what mall, what store in the mall, what band is this, when will you be back, and when did I turn into the annoying inquisitive parent?"

"Janice's mom, the one right by IKEA, CD World, 724, before dinner and I'd say right after you moved in with my sister."

"Alright, call if your plans change. You need cash?"

"If you're offering, of course," He glared at her a little. "but honestly, not so much." The front doorbell rang, and Dawn went running in completely the opposite direction. "Ah! They're early, where are my shoes?"

"Look by the sofa, I think you took them off there last night. How you getting home? You need a pickup?"

"Janice's mom will drive us home too, I checked." The bell rang again. "Can you get the door?"

"Already on it." He flung it open and answered "Hey and you're not Janice." Instead of the teenager in her boyfriend's lettermen's jacket that she just thought was so dreamy he was face-to-face with a middle-aged woman in business attire.

"No, sorry. I'm Melissa Redgrave from Social Services." He instantly wished he'd listened to Dawn and put on that T-shirt.

"So this is one of those surprise visits then?"

"You'd be right, may I come in?"

"Oh, I'm sorry of course, please." He stepped out of her way, and headed straight for the laundry basket at the bottom of the steps, slipping on one of his black T's.

"Spike, can you tell her to wait for just a couple more seconds, now my purse is MIA."

"Don't worry Bit, you got some time, it's not Janice yet, and you left your bag on the counter when you came downstairs. Why don't you sit next to it and have some of your breakfast on a dish like a civilized person, which would also mean chewing it." He smiled at the woman, whispering more quietly to her "She's in a little hurry this morning."

Dawn ran into the foyer. "Yea well."

"And Dawn, I'd like to introduce you to Ms. Redgrave, she's one of the social workers on our case."

"Hi Dawn."

"Hello Ms. Redgrave. I think I'll go have that breakfast now, I have to get my vitamins, listen to my elders, and well he went through all the trouble." She bolted out of the room as quickly as she had entered it, and he snickered.

"I don't suppose you'd be interested in some pancakes, but there's plenty if you are. Coffee, tea, anything you'd like?"

"No, I'm fine thank you. If it would be alright, I'd just like to take a look around, and maybe talk to you and Buffy for a little while. Is she home?"

"She's here, but not doing that great. She was up most of the night, a little under the weather."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."

"She'll be fine soon, she bounces back pretty fast." He heard the telephone ringing from the kitchen. "Please have a look around. If you'd excuse me." He was putting on his best manners, and he'd forgotten how difficult it was to keep up with. Dawn had already answered when he got there and was scribbling a barely legible note down onto a pad of paper.

"Mmhmm, got it. Yep, I'll let her know. She'll call you back, I promise. You're good? Alright, I love you too, I'll talk to you soon."

"Who was that?"

"Giles, he wants Buffy to call him."

"Anything wrong?"

"No, I just think Saturday's going to be his check-in with Sunnydale day."

"Does he know, about, about me and Buffy?"

"I don't think so, and by the way, please tell me you didn't open the door all ab flashing." He reached over, dumping the rest of his mug's contents down the drain and rinsing it out. He didn't think pig's blood sitting right next to a plate of flapjacks was considered normal.

"I did."

"You didn't?" A horn honked outside. "Alright, that's them, I'm sure. I'll be back later."

"And you'll remember to do what?"

She ran towards the hallway, picking her bag up off the counter and shoving one more bite of pancake into her mouth. "I know, I know, I'll call. Bye Spike!" She slammed the door loudly as she left.

Spike walked out into the living room again. "I apologize, it's not usually this chaotic around here. Well actually let me rephrase that. It's not usually this chaotic around here this early in the morning."

"It's fine Mr. Thompson, we're expecting things to function in an unprofessional way, that's why we come unexpectedly."

"I also figured it had to do with people hiding things, we wouldn't want that." He was really happy the phone had rung. "Was there anything you wanted to ask, or that I'm supposed to show you? I'm not really sure how these things are supposed to work."

"Well, it appears as though the house is in order, I'd like to see the rest of it before I go, but we can do the interview portion now if you'd like."

"That's fine. What would you like to know?"

"At the meeting at the office, Buffy was in a temporary position and you were unemployed. What are the conditions of employment at this time?"

"Buffy got a job as a secretary in an office, and I've been working as a bouncer down at Willy's, which is a bar. We're trying to work it out so that Buffy can take some courses for college credit, or that I can get a good enough paying job so that she can go back to being a regular student, but one thing at a time."

"And the mortgage company let us know that payments have lapsed, what is being done about that?"

"We're actually going to try to sell the house, or have the bank repossess it, I'm not exactly clear on how that's being handled yet, but there's an apartment that we're supposed to go and look at. It's still in Dawn's school district, and it would just be a lot less maintenance."

"Those were the two pressing questions, if I have anymore, I'll contact you. If I can just see upstairs, I'll be getting out of your hair."

"Sure, I'll give you the tour." He headed up the staircase, and she followed. "We've got Dawn's room over here, which I hope is no longer a toxic waste zone." He opened the door and leaned in. "I think it's safe. Her sister must've finally gotten through with the cleanliness being good message." She walked around, writing some things down on her clipboard and then heading out of the room.

"I know there are three bedrooms in the house, is one of them empty now?"

"Well, the room was Joyce's before, and until we got married, two of Buffy's friends were using it. All of the furniture is still in there, and if we were staying, I figure we'd be moving out of Buffy's room and into there."

"So you too use Buffy's old bedroom?"

"Yes, she's got a queen-size in there, and we also have a cot set-up. Sometimes Dawn has some trouble sleeping and it's just easier if someone's in the room with her."

"Spike? Is that you?" So she was up then.

"Yea luv, it's me. Did we wake you up?"

"Not so much as the doorbell, phone and horn did."

"I'm sorry." He walked into the bedroom and kissed her forehead. "I don't think you have that fever anymore. So that's good. How are you feeling?"

"I've been better. Who are you talking to out there?"

"Melissa Redgrave, one of our case workers."

"Oh my God, she's here? Why didn't you come and get me? Where's Dawn, and please tell me she cleaned her room."

"You're sick, and it's under control. Dawn went to the mall with Janice."

"Is the room clean?"

"Yes, the room is clean. Do you want anything, some crackers or soup?"

"Maybe some crackers. And apologize for me."

"I already did, and she said none was necessary. Giles called while you were sleeping, Dawn took the message."

"I have to call him."

"No, you have to rest. I'm taking care of things, don't worry. It was just a call to check-in."

"So everything's fine? You promise?"

"Well I did welcome the woman half-dressed."

"So than things are better than fine."

He kissed her head again. "I'm going to let her out, and then I'll bring something up for you."

"Thank you, for everything."

"It's no problem."

"Remember, to apologize."

"I will."

He exited, quietly closing the door behind him. "She asked me to apologize again."

"You can tell her that it's not a problem. If you have nothing else to share, I'll be on my way. I'm sorry we have to just barge in like this. I'll have the office call on Monday to set-up a few scheduled appointments and an interview for Dawn. I'll let you get back to your wife, I can let myself out."

"Thank you for coming."

"We'll be in touch soon."

"I'm sure you will. Good-bye."

"Have a nice day Mr. Thompson."

~Part 18~

"It's nice to see someone's feeling better." Spike was sitting at the kitchen table, flipping through the newspaper.

"Well it's certainly nice to feel better, and just in time to go to work tomorrow too. Ooh comics." She pulled the funnies out from under a pile advertisements, scattering the ads around onto the floor.

"Let's try to keep this place in some sort of order, I just had Dawn pick up the same things. Do you actually read anything besides those and the horoscopes?"

"I try not too, occasionally the movie times, if I'm desperate."

"Very funny Slayer. There's some pancakes still in the fridge if you're interested, although it appears to be a little too far past breakfast for that."

"Ha ha right back. I haven't slept for 2 days, I'm allowed a late morning every now and then."

"I know, I'm sorry. Do you want me to make you anything? I don't think we have much in the house, I never made it to the grocery store, sorry."

"No, that's ok, I'm fine."

"I had some other errands to run first." He reached into his duster, which was hanging over the back of his chair. "Now, before you say anything, just hear me out first." He placed a small velvet box on the table.

"That better not be what I think it is Spike."

"Look, I know you feel ridiculous wearing that stupid skull on your finger, it's not you at all, and I wanted to do this. You deserve to have something nice. Please just open it."

She popped the lid open and stared at the white gold band with a small diamond centered in the middle. "Spike, I can't keep accepting these gifts." She closed the lid again, pushing along the surface of the table back towards him. "It's beautiful, it really is, but it must have cost a fortune."

She remembered those words well, the same ones she'd said about the dress he'd bought her, and that confused feeling she got when he brought over the Playstation after he had over heard Dawn desperately asking her for one. He had the new clothes for both the interview and around the house, and had told her he would get the money to take care of the mortgage's late fees. There was no way he had Willy paying him enough to cover any of this. "Spike, where are you getting the money for these things, all the little and not so little gifts you keep popping up with."

She didn't want to accuse him of stealing, because if she was right, she didn't think she could live with the news.

"I came into a little cash is all Slayer, not that big of a deal." He stood abruptly from the table, leaving the ring case where it was amongst the few remaining circulars. "Do you think Dawn's hungry, I don't think she's eaten yet either?"

"Spike, tell me where you got the money for these things. No secrets. I still don't like how that discussion with the envelopes went. We have to be honest with each other about things."

He mumbled something under his breath, and with his back to her, she had no idea what he was saying. "What was that?"

"I sold my car."

"Oh Spike you didn't! Why would you do something like that?"

"You're my family now Buffy, you and Dawn, and I don't know. I saw you all worried about the bills, and getting grocery money, and I thought I could help, hold up my own end of the bargain. I wanted you to have the dress, and this ring. I wanted Dawn to have the game system. Your happiness comes first is all, I thought you would have figured that out by now."

"But you loved that car."

"You forget I love you too. You don't have to wear the ring if you don't want; I'll take it back. I know it was kind of stupid."

"It wasn't stupid at all." He sees she has tears in her eyes, but she doesn't seem to realize. "It might be the nicest thing that anyone's done for me."

He walks over to the table, picking up the case, and opening it for her again. "So will you wear it?" He holds it out, in the palm of his hand and as she nods, he moves to remove her old ring and replace it with the new one.

He hears the back door opening behind him before she sees it and then they both notice someone coming in.

Anya breezes only a few paces ahead of Xander. "We decided to cut the honeymoon short, and oh!"

The suitcases Xander was carrying slip from his hands with hollow thuds on the linoleum. "What the hell is going on here?"

~Part 19~

Both of the rings in Spike's hands clattered to the ground, and he quickly stooped to pick them up. Neither he nor Buffy responded to Xander in any way.

"Maybe I should repeat myself, what the hell is going on?"

"Spike was giving me a ring." Buffy said, softly, holding her hand out to where Spike was kneeling on the ground. He didn't move to slip the jewelry on her finger.

"Alright, where's Willow? I want to know what spells she's been working on."

"Willow's not here, she moved out a few days after you left, and anyway this isn't a spell Xander."

"You said the same thing the last time Buffy, I was there." Anya began looking through the forgotten newspaper. "Is Willow going to do something like this every time someone breaks up with her?"

"What are you talking about?" Buffy looked at her with disbelief. "She didn't break up with Tara, they're doing good, that's where she's been living, with Tara."

"That's not how I heard things were going when we."

"Look, why don't we talk about this later?" Spike slipped the rings into his pocket. He didn't think that either Willow or Tara wanted too many people to know that things were slightly off kilter between them right now. She'd told him about that accidentally as it was.

"I think we need to talk about it right now. Buffy what were you and Spike just doing before we came, and let me just say thank you that we decided to leave without touring the canyon on donkeys."

"Xander, maybe Spike's right, you had to do all of that travelling, and you must be tired."

"Buffy, I'm not leaving until I have an answer. What has everyone been up to?"

"Spike and I got married last week."

"You did what?!" Xander screamed, his face flushing a bright magenta, and Anya went to rub his back.

"So how has the sex been? Xander and I found it so much different after being married, I don't know why." He continued changing colors in the background and Spike chuckled at his appearance. He was a little more at ease now that he realized Buffy was going to stand up to her friend and admit what was going on.

Buffy ignored Anya's comment completely, continuing with her story. "Social services finally caught on to the fact that I've been raising Dawn by myself at the my dad hasn't bothered to contact us or provide any sort of support. They told me that in my particular situation, with no money, no help in care-giving and no education, I wasn't their prime candidate."

"So you married him? Are you out of your mind?" Xander began pacing in front of the island, unable to look at her anymore. "He's a killer Buffy!"

"Would you rather they come and take Dawn away? This was my only choice, and I'm not that sorry I made it. He's been there for Dawn, he went to the meetings with the social workers, took care of me when I was sick. We've been doing just fine until you came back and started being all judgmental."

"I'm sorry being your friend and caring about you makes me all judgmental. Let's go Anya, I don't think I can listen to anymore of this right now."

"But I want to hear about how the sex is."

"Let's go." This time it wasn't a request, more of a growl, and she obediently followed him out of the house. They left the suitcases on the floor.

"How long do you think it'll take them to notice those are there?"

"He meant to leave them, this way when he cools off, he doesn't have to admit he was wrong to come back and talk to me. Why didn't you give me the ring?"

"I didn't want to make trouble."

"So basically, you didn't know what I was going to say to him. You really thought I was going to do something terrible and lie about it didn't you? I can't believe it." She walked away from him and he started to raise his voice.

It really didn't matter to him that she had just spouted wonderful affirmations of how good this had been working, because he had trouble keeping his mouth shut when there was something he wanted to say. "Well what do you want me to think? He doesn't like me, and until a couple of days ago, you weren't that fond of me either."

"I know that, but I've been good. Things have been good. Do we have to do this?"

"What have me bugger it all up?"

"No, talk about this." She bent down, not looking at him and beginning to pick up the ads from the floor.

"We bloody well do!" He was angry with her, more so than he'd been in a long time. He liked to discuss things, she preferred sweeping them under the rug.

"What was Anya talking about with Willow and Tara?" Buffy began realigning the newspaper on the table, sorting it into two piles.

"Fine, you know what, we're not going to talk. I'm going to go have a smoke. When you're ready to carry on a conversation with me like my wife," he said the last word with a tiny bit of hatred in it. "I'll be ready to listen." He smashed the rings onto the countertop and slammed the door on his way out, and Buffy just stood by the table a little stunned, fingering the trinkets and wishing he'd just slipped one on.

~Part 20~

Spike didn't get too far, what with it being the middle of the afternoon and all, but he sat sulking on the back porch, occasionally shying away from sun rays that managed to slip past the awning. Had a few more hours before the light cleared the house completely.

He didn't have any cigarettes; he was trying to give them up after Buffy had taken his pack away before their interview. The only spares he had left were in the glove compartment of his car. Which he had given away for her.

He kicked at a piece of lawn furniture and watched it tumble and turned to see if she'd noticed he'd only made it to just outside the door.

But she hadn't.

He watched her, still messing with the paper, and absently wiping at her cheeks, and he felt like such a jerk. She'd done the nicest thing anyone had bothered to in such a long time and he yelled at her; made her cry.

He wasn't mad at her, not really. She'd stood up for him, and not just to some stranger either, but to one of her best friends. She'd rather have him happy than Xander.

But he just wasn't sure he was deserving of that. The more she said, the more he tried to realize what this might mean to her, and if he was worthy of any of it.

The whole situation had unnerved him more than anything else, thrown him off guard. He'd expected that Bit might come in, pink lips forming a big o and then jumping up and down, getting all excited. Or that maybe Giles would call again, Buffy never had gotten around to returning his first, or the witches would drop by unexpectedly. But never the whelp and his no longer demon bride, he'd never entered that into the equation.

He gave the plastic chair another swipe, but then righted it, and went back into the house. "I'm sorry Buffy. I really am. What I did was hurtful and immature, and you were so good to me, and I'm sorry." He hung his head down, towards his feet, and watched as they scuffed at the welcome mat.

"Come here." He looked up at her, unsure if it was a request or a command, and focussed on her trembling lower lip. "Please."

He reached her in only two steps, cradling her face with her palms. "I do stupid things sometimes, and I don't mean to, at least I hope that I don't, but these horrible words will spill out of my mouth, and God I hate hurting you."

Her eyes were blinking very fast, as she tried to hold back her tears, but when he brushed at lashes they all tumbled out anyway. "This is going to be hard for me to say, so you just have to let me try, don't stop me until I'm finished. Can you do that?

He nodded at her and she continued. "This is a very horrible thing for me to say, and I know that, but it's just as horrible for me to have these thoughts running around in my head, so I might as well share them. I always kind of blamed my mother for how things worked out with my dad. She'd pick on these little things, and she couldn't let anything that he did go, and it's dumb, but maybe if she just kept quiet he would've stayed.

"Like this one time we were going to the beach and he didn't fill up the gas tank before we left. She was putting sunscreen all over Dawn, and asked if he could go and take care of that before we left, and he told her he would. He wouldn't forget on purpose, I know that. But he didn't do it for whatever reason and we ran out on the highway. She went on about it for days afterwards; his irresponsibility, and the lack of consideration he had for his family.

"He apologized the first time she said anything, on the shoulder, and then he walked over a mile to get enough gas so we could make it to the nearest station. He refused to offer an apology to her again, and I think she just wanted him to feel guilty.

"She did this with a lot of things, and she didn't mean to, but I don't think she could let him win, because that's what it was between them, who won. If she was right, she deserved the victory tally put up on her side of the board and she didn't want him to forget for an instance that she had bested him.

"I don't want to end up like my mother, I don't want to drive a man away anymore than I already have a tendency to do. I will let things go, let them fester inside of me rather than between us because I never want to hear anyone accuse me of what I just said.

"I'm strong, I know I can work things out, move past them, but I can't stand the tension, the heaviness that everything takes on, how it makes breathing an effort. I know you like to talk, feel like you're working at something, solving it, making it better, but I can't do it Spike. I can't. It shuts me down inside.

"I will avoid a fight with people I care about more than anything else, because I just couldn't stand the idea of them being gone.

"Everything I said to Xander was true, every word of it, but there's something I left out," Spike's eyes got a little bigger, and one of his eyebrows twitched up when he tilted his head. His thinking pose. "I value you being here, and doing all of this for me. You have been more than a friend to me these past few days, you listen and you help me out and I can trust you. I've been thinking about it, how you took care of me, and the house and Dawn and I don't deserve any of this."

"I was thinking the exact same thing pet." They both laughed.

"You promised you'd let me finish."

"You're right, I did. I apologize. Go on."

"Well, as I was saying, I don't deserve any of this, I've screwed up with guys so much in the past, and I've hurt a lot of them. I don't want to do that to you, and I'm afraid that I might," he moved to open his mouth, but she placed her index finger on his lips. "Still my turn. I'm afraid I might hurt you, because of what I'm going to say right now. I know you love me, I do, and I think I love you back.

His hand fell her cheeks and hung limply at his sides. "This isn't a joke, I do care about you, and it took someone doubting that for me to notice how much I do. I would be so happy to wear your ring and I'm going to call Giles right now and tell him this whole story. I was worried before about how he'd react, but right now I don't really care."

"You're going to do all that for me?" He was completely shocked; this was another thing he never would have fit into the equation.

"For the man I love, of course. But first I'm going to need a kiss."

"That I can provide." He leaned in and kissed her, softly on the mouth, and she parted her lips so he could find her tongue.

When they broke away, his eyes wild and her blood noticeably pumping in his ears, she took a few breaths before she was able to say anything to him. "Thank you, very much."

"Happy to oblige." He moved towards her again, but she put her hand up on his chest.

"My phone call now, more fun later."

"And what am I supposed to do while you make your long distance transaction?"

She smiled coyly and turned away to dial the telephone. "Why don't you go move the cot back into the basement?"