Spike arrived back at the house to find Buffy, Willow and Dawn sitting at the dinner table, eating in silence.

“Hi Spike,” Dawn said kindly.

“Hi ‘Bit,” He replied as he sat down at the table, he shifted into game face and prepared to bite into the bag of blood he’d gotten from Willie’s.

“What are you doing?” Buffy asked, horrified.

“Having dinner,” the vampire answered casually.

“Oh no you don’t.”

“Why not.”

“I just cleaned this table.”

“I wont spill any.”

“In the kitchen, NOW,” she ordered.

He went into the kitchen muttering something about neat-freak Slayers under his non-existent breath.

“I thought you said you were ok, with Spike staying here,” Dawn said.

“I am,” Buffy lied.

“Then why are you so mean to him?”

“I’m not mean, I just don’t want to wipe up pig’s blood.”

Dawn knew her sister was lying, “Whatever.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing.”

Buffy looked like she was going to say something else, but after receiving a warning glance from Willow, she closed her mouth.

The uncomfortable silence that had been clouding the three women for days, fell upon them once again.

“Why’s everyone so glum?” Spike questioned, coming back out from the kitchen.

“I think I’ll go to go to bed,” Willow announced, “I’m not feeling too good.”

“You’re not getting sick are you?” Buffy frowned.

“No, I think it’s another side-affect of giving up magic.”

“Well, whatever it is, I hope you feel better in the morning. Good night.”

“Night.”

“May I be excused?” Dawn asked her sister.

“Sure.”

Dawn left the table. Buffy realised that she was now alone with Spike, which was never a good thing.

“Buffy-” he began.

“I have to patrol. Watch Dawn for me?”

“Sure, pet, but we have to talk.”

 

“Not now.”

Before Spike could argue, Buffy got up and quickly walked out the door, leaving her dinner only half finished. He sighed and took her plate to the kitchen where he began to wash the dishes.

*If I’m going to live here, I may as well make myself useful*

Ten minutes later, Spike had finished washing up, and was ready for the next thing on his agenda – talk some sense into Dawn.

“’Lil Bit?”

“Yeah, Spike?”

“We need to talk.”

Dawn motioned for him to sit next to her on the couch, “What about?” she asked cheerfully.

“Willow.”

“What’s there to talk about?” she frowned, “She deserves everything she gets.”

“Dawn, everybody makes mistakes. We make mistakes every day, some big, some small.” He explained, “Willow made a mistake, a big mistake, but she’s sorry for it. She’s trying to make up for it, but she needs help. Help from Buffy, the Scoobs and *you*.

I’m not saying you should forgive her straight away, but just be nice, talk to her, try to understand what she’s going through.” Spike thought about what he just said, “But don’t take that as an invitation to go gallivanting around town smoking pot.”

Dawn smiled, “Puh-lease, as if!”

“Just think about it, not the drug bit though. Now, let’s watch some telly, Charmed is on.”

“You watch Charmed?” she asked incredulously.

“Yeah, what of it? Bloody good show.”

Dawn giggled and Spike glared at her, “Sorry, I just didn’t picture you as a Charmed sort of guy. I mean it’s not the kind of show evil vampires watch.”

“What’s a more appropriate show then? Cops?”

“Well it’s a start.” Dawn teased.

*~*~*~*

When Buffy came home after patrol she found Dawn and Spike asleep on the couch, with some crappy late-night movie playing softly in the background. Spike’s head was resting on Dawn’s shoulder and he looked like anything but an evil vampire who had tried to kill her numerous times.

For a moment she contemplated taking a photo to blackmail Spike with, but decided against it. After all, she didn’t need a photo to get what she wanted from him.

*Oh God, I so did not just think that* She blushed at the realisation.

Buffy softly eased the remote control out of the sleeping vampire’s grasp and switched off the TV. She turned back to look at the two on the couch, and smiled. Quickly, before she came to her senses, she placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.

Spike stirred when he felt her warm lips on his cold skin, “Buffy?”

Buffy bolted upright, “Nothing, I was just, um, looking for the remote.” she held the remote up with a triumphant expression, “Found it.”

“Huh?” Spike shook his head to clear his sleep-ridden mind.

“Nothing. I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning, *unfortunately*.”

“But it’s still early, I’m sure we could come up with something to do to pass the time.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“God, does that track in your mind ever get lonely?”

“Come on, you know you want to.”

Buffy poked him in the chest, (unfortunately *not* with a pointy wooden thing) “Hey, buddy, what was rule number one?”

“Uh…I sleep on the couch?”

“Rule number one: No kissing or sexual innuendos of any kind. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that would qualify as an innuendo, a sexual one at that.”

“Sorry, love. You go to bed like a good little Slayer.”

“Whatever.” She began to go to her room, but Spike stopped her.

“Wait, aren’t you hungry?”

Buffy was taken back at this question, “Did you drink some bad blood or something, because you are so not making sense.”

“Well you hardly ate anything at dinner, and that was over four hours ago.”

“Spike, it’s none of your business, but no, I’m not hungry.”

As if on cue, Buffy’s stomach rumbled loudly. Spike laughed, “You sure about that, pet?”

Buffy blushed, “Nobody likes a smart-ass, Spike.”

“Come on, I’ll make you something to eat.”

“I can cook my own food, I don’t need you’re help.”

Spike ignored her and went into to the kitchen, “What do you want? Eggs? Toast? Pasta? You do have that stuff don’t you?”

She rolled her eyes, “I don’t know about pasta. But, yeah, we do have eggs and toast.”

“Right then, how does egg on toast sound?”

“Add some bacon to that mix, and you have a winner.”

“Coming right up.” Spike looked around the kitchen for a frying pan, “Uh, love, where do you keep your skillet?”

“In the cabinet,” Buffy pointed towards the right cupboard, then went to the refrigerator to collect the eggs, bread and bacon. She put them down on the table where Spike had set up the pan. “Here you go.”

“Thanks, kitten, now you go sit down and I’ll bring it to you.”

“I’m not sick, I don’t have to sit down.”

“Humour me, ok?”

She sighed and went and sat down on the other side of the kitchen bench. “So where did you learn how to cook?”

Spike looked up at her, “It’s egg and bacon on toast, not a gourmet meal.”

“Oh, right.”

Dawn came into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes, “What are you guys doing? It’s like one o’clock in the morning.”

“Spike’s making me a snack,” Buffy replied.

“Spike can cook?” Dawn asked disbelievingly.

Spike ignored her last comment, “Do you want anything?”

Dawn sat down next to her sister, “What is there?”

“Eggs, toast and bacon,” Buffy told her cheerfully.

“I’ll just have some bacon.”

“I have a deal for you,” Dawn whispered to Buffy when Spike went to the fridge.

She eyed Dawn warily, “What?”

“You want me to be polite to Willow, right?”

“Right.”

“Well, if you start being nice to Spike, I’ll be…pleasant to Willow. Deal?”

“Deal.” Buffy agreed reluctantly.

Spike grinned into the open refrigerator, his preternatural hearing having picked up everything, *I see my little talk worked.* He went back to the kitchen bench still smiling.

 "What are you grinning at?” Buffy asked suspiciously.

 "Nothing” he replied innocently.

 “I don’t know, I think it is something.” Dawn said, “What do you think Buffy?”

 “It’s definitely something,” she decided, “So tell.”

 “There’s nothing to tell.” He fibbed, then quickly changed the subject, “Oh, look, food’s ready.”

 “Don’t think you’re getting off that easy,” Buffy warned as Spike handed her and Dawn their food, “Thanks.”

 “Thanks Spike.” Dawn said.

 “No problem.”

 Ten minutes later, Buffy and Dawn had finished their food and Dawn was on her way to bed, Buffy however didn’t seem to be going anywhere.

 “Come on, spill,” She prodded.

Spike feigned innocence, “What?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, you’re hiding something.”

“I’m not hiding anything, can’t a bloke just be happy.” Buffy shot him an impatient look. “Fine, I’ll tell you. You Summers women don’t give up do you?”

“Nope, you should know that by now, I don’t stop till I get what I want.”

Spike thought back to their night in the abandoned building, “That’s for sure.” He murmured.

“Spike.”

“Alright, alright. Earlier tonight I had a talk with Dawn, told her a few things, and asked her to consider being nice to Red, that’s all. See, nothing interesting.”

“What kind of things did you tell her?”

“That Willow made a mistake and she’s sorry, she wants to make up for it and all that rot.”

“Hmm”

It was Spike’s turn to look suspicious, “What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing, it’s just I’ve told her most of those things and she didn’t listen to me. Thankyou.”

“You’re welcome, Slayer.”

Buffy yawned.

“Tired, pet?”

“Yeah.”

“Go to bed, it’s late.”

“What are you going to do? You better not trash the house.”

“I’m going to go to bed too.” Then, off Buffy’s look, he added, “Don’t worry, not with you. Not unless you want to of course.”

Buffy sighed, “Good night, Spike.”

End Part Four