Chapter 1

When his door slammed against the wall, he opened his mouth to give
the Slayer hell.  Bint never knocked, just busted in as if she owned
the joi...  One look at her face and he was hopping off the
sarcophagus, going up to her and grabbing her shoulders.

"Buffy, what's wrong?" 

She was frightened.  No, it was more than that.  She was terrified. 
He'd known Buffy for four years now and he'd *never* seen her
terrified.  Angry, confused, tired, sad, scared, sure he'd seen all
those emotions and more.  But never terrified.

"She knows, Spike," Buffy whispered.  It was as if she were incapable
of drawing enough air into her lungs to form words.

Spike felt fear clench at his gut.  "What?"

"Glory.  She knows Dawn's the Key."

"How?  How did she find out?"

"She found us.  Me, Dawn, Willow and Tara.  Tara started going on
about green glowing energy, looking at Dawn."  Buffy managed to pull
in a gulp of air.  "Willow had developed a spell.  A way to suck
energy out of Glory and feed it back into Tara.  She weakened Glory
enough that we were able to escape from her, but she knows and she'll
come after Dawn and I can't protect her, Spike.  I can't fight Glory;
she's too strong."

Buffy was beginning to hyperventilate, her words rushing out of her
almost too quickly to understand.  Spike began running his hands up
and down her arms in a soothing manner.  "Shhh, Slayer, calm down. 
We'll figure something out.  Have you told Giles?"

"Of course I have.  But he can't fight her any more than Willow or I
can.  Willow only weakened her temporarily.  She'll get strong
again.  We have to get away, Spike.  I have to take Dawn and leave
town.  Now."

"Right then.  The DeSoto's not running, but I can steal a car and
you, me and little sis will hit the highway.  Get away from Sunnydale
and the Hell Bitch.  We'll be fine, pet.  I'll take care of you. 
Both of you."

Buffy was shaking her head.  "No.  It has to be all of us.  Don't you
see, Spike?  If I just take Dawn and run she'll come after the
others.  I have to keep them safe too."

Spike sighed.  He'd known as soon as he said it that she wouldn't
just go off with him.  Of course she'd want her little gang of
Scoobies with her.  Well, so be it.  She'd come to him for help, and
he'd help her even if it meant having the entire lot of them tagging
along.  His mind was already racing, considering and then rejecting
one idea after another.  When he finally came up with one that he
thought would work, he looked down into the tiny Slayer's large, wild
eyes.

"So we'll need something bigger than a car, but without too many
windows.  Wouldn't do for the car thief to burst into flames during
the big getaway now would it?" he joked lightly.

"Spike," Buffy started hesitantly.

"Listen to me, Buffy," he said seriously.  "We need to get out of
town now.  That means we steal something fast and leave.  No time for
moral qualms, pet.  We take what we need and we go.  Right?"

Buffy bit her lip but nodded her head.  She wasn't exactly sure why
she had turned to Spike in this moment of crisis.  She had just known
instinctively that he would know what to do.  After all, he had over
a hundred years' experience in making a fast getaway when things got
too hot.  Spike moved away from her grabbing up his duster and
flinging it on.  Going to a chest he began removing various items and
shoving them into his pockets.  Tossing a short sword and a crossbow
back to Buffy he said, "Just in case we run into any of Glory's
scabby little minions."  Once he had everything he needed, he led
Buffy to the trapdoor that led to his lower chamber. 

Buffy was amazed at the sudden change in him.  He was acting assured,
in charge.  It was rather unnerving.  She was seeing a Spike she
hadn't seen in over a year.  The Big Bad in action.  Without
hesitation she followed him.

Once they were in the lower level, he headed for the tunnels that ran
under the entire city.  "I have an idea of where we can find a
getaway vehicle, but we need to make a couple stops first."

"Spike, we don't have time to make stops.  Let's just get the car and
get out of here, okay? "

"We have time to make these stops, Buffy," he insisted.  "In fact us
being able to stay hidden from Glory depends on them."  Stopping he
turned to Buffy and once again held her gently by her
shoulders.  "You need to trust me, pet.  I know what I'm doing."

Buffy looked solemnly at the vampire and nodded.  "All right, Spike."

He gave her shoulders a brief squeeze and then turned to lead the way
again. At last they came to a door that he opened and entered.  Buffy
was surprised to find herself in the basement of The Magic Box.

"Spike, what the hell are we doing here?  This is one of the first
places Glory will look for us."

"We won't be here long, luv.  Just need to pick up some things."  He
quickly climbed the stairs and entered the shop.  "You got any money
on you?"

"No, but I hardly think Giles will expect us to pay for anything
under the circumstances," Buffy snapped.  She was agitated, wanting
to leave Sunnydale, to get as far away from Glory as possible as
quickly as possible.

Spike just walked over to the cash register and gave it a good
thump.  The cash drawer flew open and Spike pulled money from the
till.  "How long does Giles think we need to hide out until the Bit's
safe?"

"Until after midnight on the twenty-second."

"Okay, while I'm getting the things here we need, you run down to the
market and get some other things we'll need.  Blood for me, enough
for a couple days, a carton of cigarettes, five or six large rolls of
aluminum foil and a couple rolls of duct tape.  We'll have to stop
somewhere on the way and buy the rest of the supplies.  Take the
tunnels so that anyone watching the store won't see you."  Shoving
the money into her hands he gave her directions through the tunnels
telling her he'd meet her there as soon as he was finished here. 
Buffy was going to ask him about the aluminum foil, but instead of
wasting time she took the money and returned to the tunnels.

As soon as Buffy left, Spike ran up the stairs to the restricted
section of the shop.  This was where Giles kept the most powerful
grimoires and spellbooks.  Casting his eye over them, he quickly
found the volume he was seeking.  Opening it up, he flipped through
the pages until he located the proper spell.  Reading the archaic
language as easily as if it were English, he sighed in relief.  Yes,
that was exactly the spell he had in mind. Noting the ingredients the
spell required he returned to the main floor and began gathering the
needed items placing them in a large Magic Box shopping bag.

Buffy was waiting for him surrounded by bags holding the items he'd
told her to purchase.  Spike gathered them up leaving her
unencumbered in case of attack and once again began leading the way
through the sewers.  After what seemed to Buffy like endless miles of
twisting and turning he stopped and set his packages down.  Lifting
up his hand, he cut her inquiry off before it had even left her
lips.  Standing taut, it was obvious that he was listening for
something.  Breathing in through his nose, he sampled the air for
scents. 

Assured that he could detect nothing he turned to Buffy and said
softly, "Wait here, pet." Silently as a ghost he entered an
underground parking garage. Buffy watched as he made his way up to a
large RV. Reaching into his coat pocket he removed something and then
began poking at the door. Seconds later the door was open and Spike
was hurrying back to Buffy. Picking up the packages again he told
her, "Come on, Cinderella, your carriage awaits."

Buffy quickly found out what the aluminum foil and duct tape were for
when Spike began covering the front windshield and side windows. 
With Buffy helping him, they soon had the front of the RV sun proofed
leaving only a space large enough for Spike to see through as he
drove. Once they had finished, Spike's head disappear under the
steering wheel of the vehicle. She heard a couple clicking sounds and
then the motor started. Spike leaned back up with a triumphant grin
on his face. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the most
outlandish pair of goggles Buffy had ever seen. Placing them on his
face he turned to Buffy and asked, "Where to, pet?"

For the first time that day Buffy smiled.  She couldn't help it; he
looked so ridiculous.  Taking the seat next to him she gave him
directions to where the gang were no doubt impatiently waiting.

When the RV pulled up to the curb where the Scoobies stood, Buffy
exited the vehicle giving Dawn a hug and ushering everyone inside. 
Giles stopped when he saw who was sitting at the driver's
seat.  "What's he doing here," he growled.

"He's helping me."

"We don't need his help," Giles insisted coldly.

Buffy looked at her Watcher and said calmly, "Spike is a member of
this team.  He's helping me protect Dawn.  He stays.  Deal with it."

"And I suppose it was his brilliant idea to get this monstrosity as
an escape vehicle?"

"We needed something that would carry all of us."

"Might I suggest a van?"

"Tight squeeze for eight people to live in a van for three nights,
don't you think, Rupert?"

"I wasn't talking to you," Giles snapped.  "Buffy, we might as well
have a neon sign flashing over us telling Glory where we are.  We
need something inconspicuous, not a bloody great motor home."

"Doesn't matter how big something is if no one notices it," Spike
smirked.

"And you think no one's going to notice the Sunnydale chapter of On
the Road?" Xander asked.

"Not once the witches get done they won't."

"What are you blathering on about?"

"Cloaking spell, Giles."

Giles hesitated for an instant and then said grudgingly, "Yes, well
they could probably cast a cloaking spell long enough for us to sneak
out of town and get a few miles between us and Sunnydale.  The
problem arises when the spell wears off.  We don't know how many
minions Glory has or where they're situated."

"Don't matter how many she has.  We stay cloaked until it's too late
for her to use the Bit to open that portal."

"Spike, Willow has grown in strength considerably this past year, but
she still isn't strong enough to maintain a spell this powerful for
over forty-eight hours.  I would never even ask her to try."

"Don't need her to maintain it by herself," he answered with as much
patience as he was able to muster.  "She has her girlfriend there..."

"Who has just recently recovered from one of Glory's attacks and is
hardly in any condition..."

"I can help Willow," a soft voice chimed in.  "I know I'm not as
strong as she is but I'm fine, Mr. Giles, really.  I c-can help her."

"There see, she's all better and willing to aid in the cause."

"Even is she is, it's still too..."

"For fuck's sake, Giles, I thought you were the one here with the big
Watcher Academy brain.  Think outside the box, man.  We have Willow,
we have Tara, we have you - and I know you've dabbled in the occult
even if you aren't very good at it what with botched up truth spells
and all."  This earned him a glare that he answered with a
smirk.  "We have demon girl there who knows a thing or two about
magic, and we have me.  I'm a vampire, Giles, in case you've
forgotten.  I don't particularly like magic, but I use it when I need
to.  Between the five of us, we have more than enough power to keep
that spell going long enough to hide from that tarted up cunt of a
god."

Giles looked around and then slowly nodded his head.  "Perhaps you're
not the complete waste of space I always thought you were, Spike. 
Very well, we need to stop by The Magic Box..."

"No, we don't," Spike told him smugly.  "Have everything we need here
already."  Looking at Buffy he said, "Pet, get the bag I stashed
under the table and give it to Willow.  The spellbook and everything
she needs to cast the spell are in the bag.  You start the spell,
Red, and I'll get this puppy going."

Lowering the goggles into place, he gave them all a wicked grin.
"Buckle up, kiddies.  Daddy's puttin' the hammer down."

tbc...

They drove for several hours on a seldom-used state route that led
into the high desert.  Spike kept a close eye on the fuel gage.  The
tank had been full when he started the RV and they had several
gallons stored in gas cans in the storage compartment of the coach,
but he didn't want to put them in the position of running low on fuel
if they needed to make a run for it. 

He was sure the cloaking spell would work just as he imagined it
would.  However since coming to Sunnydale he'd learned never to take
anything for granted.  His plans always seemed to get fucked up
somehow.  He could only hope that this plan would work since he was
on the side of all that was good and pure this time. 

And wasn't that a thought to make a strong vamp cry, he sighed.

"Just where are you taking us?"

"There's a turnoff not too far from where we are now.  Leads to what
used to be an old mining town.  Not much left now but a couple miles
farther on there's an old mine.  Mine entrance's boarded up, of
course, but I figure we can break it open easily enough.  Should be
enough room there to park the RV inside out of sight of anyone.  We
keep hidden and keep the cloaking spell going, we should be fine."

Giles peered ahead though the tiny opening the vampire was using. 
The desert was starting to dry up now that the first blush of spring
was over.  Cacti, rocks and sand were the only things visible for
mile upon mile.  "How do you know about this old mine?" he asked
suspiciously.

"Not the most popular bloke in Sunnydale, am I?" Spike shrugged. 
"Come out this way sometimes when I get fed up getting punched in the
nose by the Slayer or dodging demons that got it in for me for
killing my own kind.  Found this place on one of my trips.  Kept it
in mind in case I ever needed a hideout from you lot.  Course now
I'll need to find a new hideout," he grinned.

Giles looked coldly at Spike then turned to join the others filling
them in on the information he'd just obtained from Spike.

He was aware when she moved from her seat the instant her butt left
it. 

"How much longer, Spike?"

"Almost there, Slayer.  Turnoff's maybe five miles from here.  Then
it's another fifteen or twenty miles to the old town and couple miles
to the mine.  We'll be there in less than an hour."

"Good."

She stood beside him for a few minutes.  "Spike?"

"Yeah, pet?"

Buffy remained silent and then said, "Nothing," and moved back to her
seat.

'Can't say it, can you, luv?' he sighed.  'Can't tell old Spike
'thanks' for helping you save your kid sis.  But that's all right,
Slayer.  I know how you feel even if you can't say the words.'

The road they turned off onto was little more than a dirt track. 
Ruts and rocks caused the RV to sway like a ship on a tempest-tossed
sea.  Xander began to complaint almost immediately. 

"Oh god," he moaned.  "Oh, this isn't good."  Holding his stomach,
his complexion turned a sickly shade of green and cold sweat started
to bead on his brow.  "Did I ever tell you guys I get motion
sickness?"

Willow calmly handed him one of the empty plastic bags that had held
groceries.  "Here, Xander, just in case."

By the time they finally reached the mine entrance, Xander had thrown
up into the bag three times.  Everyone was exceedingly happy to leave
the confines of the motor home for the fresh air of the desert.  The
mine entrance was in deep shade so even Spike was able to exit the
vehicle and stretch his legs.  When Xander went to throw the plastic
bag on the ground, Spike snarled, "Bury it, Harris.  We don't need
anyone spotting your bag o' puke and sussin' out where we are." 
Xander glared at the vampire but covered the white bag with dirt and
rocks until it was completely invisible. 

Going up to the mine entrance, Spike began to pull the boards away. 
It wasn't as easy as he hoped, but between his and the Slayer's
strength, it was soon uncovered.  While everyone moved out of the
way, Spike backed the huge vehicle into the mine and out of sight of
interested eyes.  It was a tight fit and there wasn't much room left,
but they all heaved a sigh of relief when the motor finally turned
off. 

Exiting the vehicle once again, Spike went over to Willow and
asked, "How's the spell holding out, Willow?"

"Okay for now," she answered checking the crystal that pulsed in her
hand.  "I think if we give it a boost after we eat dinner we'll be
okay again until morning.  It'll be easier now that we're not moving."

For the first time that day, Spike really looked at Dawn.  She looked
worn out, poor kid.  Wandering over to where she and Buffy stood he
asked, "How you holdin' up, Niblet?"

"Okay, I guess.  You sure she won't be able to find us here?"  Her
voice trembled a little, a combination of fear and fatigue.

"Yeah, we'll be snug as bugs here.  No hellgods, no scabby minions,
maybe a few mine rats but you're too tough for the likes o' them, so
you got nothing to worry about, right?"

Dawn smiled at him and stepped forward as if she were going to give
him a hug.  Spike stepped back in panic.  He was the Big Bad,
damnit!  He did *not* get hugs from little girls.

Buffy smiled as if knowing what was going through his mind.  Running
her hand through her sister's hair, she said, "I'm hungry.  How about
you?"

"Yeah.  I think I could eat something now."

Willow handed the cloaking crystal to Giles and she and Tara went
with Buffy to help prepare something to eat.  Everyone else wandered
around stretching legs and just enjoying the chance to relax for the
first time in what seemed like years.

"Be careful you don't step too far away from the entrance," Giles
called out to Anya and Xander as they began exploring the area.  The
cloaking spell only has about a fifty-foot range from where the
crystal is located.  As long as you stay within the spell's
parameters, no one or nothing will notice us."  The couple nodded
being careful not to step too far away.  Dawn sat down on a rock
beside Giles and leaned against him.  Giles automatically wrapped his
arm around the girl allowing her to lean into his side. 

Glancing over to where Spike stood smoking a cigarette, he told the
vampire, "This is a good place, Spike.  I think we'll be safe here."

Spike merely nodded to Giles being very careful not to show how
pleased he was at the Watcher's words.

A few minutes later Buffy stuck her head out of the RV to let them
know that the food was ready.  The meal consisted of sandwiches,
chips and bottled water.  They had made one stop on the way up here
so that they could purchase groceries, a Coleman stove and lamps and
several ice chests and ice.  It was impractical to keep the generator
going in order to use the RV's appliances.  When Spike joined the
others, he was surprised when Buffy handed him a plastic cup of
blood.  He hadn't expected her to fix him his meal too.  They share a
brief smile before Buffy turned away to join her friends at the table.

"We'll have to carefully ration our food and water the next couple of
days," Giles was telling them.  "And I'm afraid that means there will
be no extra water available for washing up."

"Okay, can I be the first to say 'ew'?" Xander quipped.

Spike snorted, "Yeah, well just be thankful you don't have vamp
senses, Harris.  After two days of you lot stinkin' up the place, I
may be ready to take a walk in the sun."

"Okay, now can I be the first to say 'yay'?"

"Bite me, Harris."

"You wish, Spike."

"Xander, are you developing sexual feelings for Spike?"

"Anya!"

Spike just shook his head and turned to leave the vehicle.  He had
brought them here because it was the only place he knew of that was
isolated and hard to find.  He was sure that Glory or that group of
Monty Pythonesque knights wouldn't be able to track them here, that
Dawn would be safe.  But by all the evil powers of the universe, he
just didn't know how he was going to be able to stand being confined
with the lot of them for the next two days.

He was smoking yet another cigarette when Buffy came and stood by his
side.  "Eastern exposure," she said quietly.

"Yeah."

"Giles tore the aluminum foil off the windows so we could keep an eye
on the mine entrance.  You'll need to make sure you're not near the
front of the motor home come morning."

"Yeah.  I can go back into the mine a ways.  No sunlight will hit me
there while I sleep."

"I guess."  She was silent for a minute then said, "Dawn and I are
going to use the bedroom in the back of the RV.  You could sleep
there too, if you wanted.  If you don't mind sleeping on the floor
that is."

Spike looked at her in surprise.  She shrugged and blushed a little. 
"You saved us, Spike."

"Haven't saved you yet, Slayer.  Don't get too complacent and don't
forget how many times you and your Scoobies foiled my every plan
since I came to Sunny soddin' dale."

Buffy grinned and said, "Yeah, but that was me and my friends, not
some, how did you put it?  Oh yeah, tarted up cunt of a god."

Spike looked at her in surprise.  It was the first time he had ever
heard her use a word stronger than "hell" or "damn".  Giving her an
evil grin, he teased, "That's it, pet.  Stick with me and I'll give
you a whole new vocabulary."

"Great," Buffy said dryly.  "Does that mean I'm going to start
saying "soddin" this and "bloody" that?"

"Oh, I know more words than that, luv."

They continued smiling at each other until Willow stuck her head out
of the door.  "Uh, Spike, we could use you for the spell boost now."

Glancing at the redheaded witch he answered, "Be right there." 
Turning back to Buffy, he said, "Duty calls.  You staying out here?"

"For a while."

"All right, but stay close to the mine entrance.  Don't want anyone
spotting you while we're doing the spell."

"Okay."

Spike looked at Buffy for a while longer wanting so badly to take her
into his arms, hold her, both give and take comfort.

Instead he turned on his heels and went to help Giles with the spell.

Unsurprisingly there was an argument when Buffy announced that Spike
was to join Dawn and her in the bedroom that night.  Buffy however
was firm.  "He can't stay up here because we're facing east.  He
could get caught in the sunlight.  He'll be safer in the back with me
and Dawn."

"If he's afraid of the rising sun, he can sleep in the mine itself,
Buffy.  There is absolutely no reason why he should share quarters
with you and Dawn."

"I'm not having him sleep in that filthy mine, Giles.  If it weren't
for him, we wouldn't be here.  Glory may already have found Dawn. 
He's sleeping with us and that's final!"

Looks of consternation were exchanged all around, but the argument
was dropped.  Everyone recognized the voice of Stubborn!Buffy.  No
amount of argument would dissuade her.

He waited until the girls had changed into their sleepwear and then
joined them in the bedroom.  A murmured threat from Giles was brushed
off with the contempt it deserved.  Did the pillock really thing he
would try to do something to Buffy with her little sister sleeping
beside her and all her friends only a few feet away?  He may be evil,
but he wasn't completely stupid.

Normally he wouldn't have considered going to bed this early, but
with everyone else preparing to turn in, he knew that he really had
no choice in the matter.  He didn't want to hang around outside all
night and watch the stars.  And he was tired enough that he figured
he'd be able to fall asleep fairly quickly.

Entering the bedroom, he saw that both girls were in bed with the
covers pulled all the way up to their chins like virgins in a
Victorian romance novel.  Laying down on the floor at the foot of the
bed, he listened to the rustling as the girls got themselves settled
and then turned out the Coleman lamp." 

"Good night, Spike."

"Good night, Niblet.  Good night, Slayer."

"Night, Spike."

He lay there for several hours just listening to the steady
heartbeats and regular breaths of the two most important people in
his world.  At long last sleep overcame him.

Chapter 3

It was late the next morning before he finally awakened.  The bedroom
was empty and he could hear small sounds of activity coming from the
living area of the RV.  Standing up and smoothing the wrinkles out of
his duster, he left the bedroom.  Dawn glanced up at him from where
she sat alone at the table playing solitaire.  "Nice hair," she
grinned. 

"What?" he asked, anxiously raking his hands through the unruly mop
of curls.

"We didn't bring any hair gel.  You're going to look like a poodle
before we leave here, you know that don't you?"

Spike flashed her some fang and Dawn laughed.  Getting up she
rummaged around in a bag and pulled out a toothbrush.  Taking up a
half empty bottle of water, she poured a measure into a cup and
handed toothbrush and water to Spike.  "Here.  You can brush your
teeth in the bathroom.  There's some toothpaste already in there."

"What makes you think I want to brush my teeth?"

"Okay, ew, Spike.  We may not be able to wash with anything but wet
ones, but we don't need stinky breath adding to the smell. 
Especially blood breath.  Go.  Brush."

Sighing as if he were being sorely put upon, he entered the tiny
bathroom and proceeded to brush his teeth.  Opening a package that
contained a pre-moistened towelette, he wiped his face and hands. 
Using the tiny bit of water he saved from the cup Dawn had given him,
he tried to smooth down his hair.  He was pretty sure it hadn't
worked.

By the time he left the bathroom, Buffy was sitting beside her
sister.  She smiled when she saw him.  "Hi.  Did you sleep okay?"

"Fine, Slayer.  Uh, where's the blood?"

Getting up, Buffy went to the ice chest that held the blood, removed
one of the containers and handed it to Spike.  There was just enough
blood left to make one meal so Spike drank directly from the
container.  No need to use up their limited supply of plastic cups.

"We checked around this morning a bit," Buffy was saying.  "Just to
make sure there weren't any signs of anything snooping around.  It
looked clear."

"That's good, pet."

"The entrance is still too sunny for you right now, but it should be
in shade in another hour or so.  Maybe you can sniff around then. 
Make sure you don't smell anybody but us."

"Yeah.  Good idea."

They fell silent, just looking at each other, suddenly shy.  Dawn
rolled her eyes.  Honestly you'd think that they'd never been mortal
enemies, they were acting so lame.  Deciding to break the weird mood,
she said, "So Spike, you gonna leave that gross blood container right
there on the table?"

He jerked as if being brought back to reality.  "Uh, no, 'course
not.  I'll just put it..." Twisting around, he tried to find
someplace to throw the used container.

"Here, give it to me," Buffy smiled.  "Giles has ordered us to put
our trash in a bag located back in the mine a ways.  We get to walk
past it on our way to the latrine he's designated.  And can I just
say that is by far the most gross thing ever?"

"See, luv," Spike smirked.  "That's the advantage of being a
vampire.  Eternal good looks, super strength and no latrines."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "And of course the whole bursting into flames
if the sun hits you is not a disadvantage?"

"More an inconvenience than a disadvantage, I'd say," he joked. 
"'sides, I'd probably just freckle anyway."

"Yeah, too bad I kicked your ass and took away your ring before you
had a chance to find out, isn't it," Buffy snorted.  Turning away
from him, she left the RV and headed to the trash bag.

Spike sighed and sat down beside Dawn.  There was just too much
history between them.  Most of it bad.  He should just give up any
hope at all that she'd feel for him what he felt for her.

"Jeez, are you going to get all lovesick and mopey now?  'cause
really?  I don't want to see it."

""m not lovesick," Spike protested.

"Sh'yeah, right.  God, Spike, for a monster, you're pathetic."

"Hey!"

Dawn just smirked at him, and then suddenly she grew serious. 
"Spike?"

Spike was instantly aware of her mood change and tilting his head
asked, "Yeah?"

"This, what you did, getting this RV, bringing us here, thinking
about that spell, just everything.  I..."

"Don't worry about it, Niblet.  I needed to get out of town for a
while anyway.  Gamblin' debts, you know.  This just gave me a good
excuse, 's all."

Dawn smiled at him and blinked back tears.  Spike felt his unbeating
heart give a little lurch.  Shit!  What was it about these Summers
women that made him love them? 

The mood was broken when the Scoobies decided it was time to troop
into the RV and eat lunch.  Spike retreated into the back bedroom;
both to give them room to eat and to get away from them.  Even if he
no longer hated them, a little of them went a long way.  Sitting down
on the bed and leaning against the headboard he could hear the murmur
of conversation coming from this strange group of humans that had
inexplicably become such an important part of his life.  Strange how
things worked out.  Just a year ago he'd been trying to kill the lot
of them.  Well, not Joyce or Dawn, strangely enough.  But the
others?  Yeah, woulda killed them all without a second thought.  And
now here he was, the Slayer's pet vampire. And she'd come to him for
help.  He'd never have believed that would ever happen.  Especially
after what he'd done when Dru came to town.

And now that he thought about it, he could see where he'd really
buggered things up royally.  Funny to think that the thing they were
all hiding from now was the very thing that had brought Buffy back
into his life.  If Glory's minions hadn't snatched him believing him
to be the Key, if Glory hadn't tortured him to get him to tell her
who the Key was, if Buffy hadn't rescued him...to keep him quiet not
to save his hide - he was well aware of that, if she hadn't pretended
to be the 'bot and found out that he would have died rather than
reveal that Dawn was the Key, if none of that had happened, he
wouldn't be here now.  She wouldn't have come to him for help.  She
wouldn't have smiled at him.  She wouldn't have asked him to sleep at
the foot of her bed like her favorite hound.

Spike closed his eyes and shook his head.  Dawnie was right.  He
really was a pathetic git.  But it didn't matter.  Dawn and Buffy
were his girls.  They may not know it.  They may not want it.  But
there you were.  They were his and he would protect them with his
unlife if need be.

While he was deep in his thoughts, the door opened and Dawn stuck her
head in.  "You sleeping again?"

"No.  Lunch over already?"

"I'm done.  Not hungry much.  I thought maybe you'd like to play a
game of Gin Rummy while everyone finishes eating."  She held up the
deck of cards she'd been playing with when he gotten up earlier.

He looked at her and could see the tension behind her eyes.  She was
trying so hard to be brave.  Once again he felt that pull at his
heart he just couldn't explain.  Sometimes he wondered if the monks
were responsible.  Maybe.  Didn't matter really. 

"Yeah, all right."

She smiled and settled crossed-legged on the bed.  He sat up and
mirrored her, took up the cards, shuffled and dealt.

The door opened again a while later and Buffy entered.  "What're you
guys up to in here?" she asked with no concern in her voice at all. 

"Gin Rummy," Spike answered not looking up from his hand.  "Your
sister owes me twelve hundred dollars so far.  She says you're good
for it, Slayer."

"Uh huh.  How about I don't stake you for teaching my sister to
gamble and we call it even?" she said dryly.

Spike gave Dawn a stern look.  "You see?" he said in mock
seriousness.  "I told you she'd welsh out of it."

Dawn stuck her tongue out at him and then grinning at Buffy said,
"Everyone done eating now?"

"Yeah."  Buffy couldn't help but notice that Dawn looked more relaxed
than she had in days.  Addressing Spike she said, "The mine entrance
is in shade now if you want to go out."  Spike nodded, laid down his
hand and went out to check for any hint that they were being watched.
He smelled nothing but Scoobies and animals.  No demons, no strange
humans.  Everyone relaxed just a bit more.

The cloaking spell was working perfectly.  Anya and Willow had
renewed it that morning.  He and Giles would renew it that evening. 
Then one more day and night and Dawn should be safe.  He hoped.

The following twenty-four hours got to be a little rough.  Too many
people in too close quarters with little to do.  Tempers began to
flare.  Spike and Xander sniped at each other, Anya was petulant
because Xander wouldn't go with her deeper into the mine so they
could have sex, Buffy was getting restless and wanted to kill
something, Giles was bored and snapped at both Spike and Xander to
please, for the love of god, just shut up, Willow studied the
spellbook Spike had brought and wanted to try different spells and
pouted when Giles refused to allow her to experiment and Tara tried
to keep everyone calm and occupied, which just irritated everyone
even more.  Surprisingly the only one who didn't cause disruption was
Dawn.  But then she was just so scared that all her energy was
focused on not falling apart.  She and Spike retreated periodically
to the bedroom to play cards.  When Giles questioned Buffy about it
she simply told him that being with Spike calmed Dawn down.  He
wasn't happy with it, but he had to admit the vampire was helping her
keep her spirits up.

As the time came closer to Glory's deadline, everyone became silent
and edgy.  Spike was outside the motor home, crouched down and
hidden, watching for any signs that someone was approaching the mine
entrance.  Buffy had remained inside to guard Dawn.  As midnight
approached, Spike felt as though his nerves were thrumming.  He
couldn't remember ever being this tense.

He and Giles had once again renewed the cloaking spell after everyone
had eaten dinner.  The crystal pulsed with the magics passing through
it, alerting everyone that the spell was indeed working. 

Midnight came and went and they were safe.  An hour passed and then
another.  There was no sign that anything had located them.  It was
well into the third hour of the morning when Buffy came to the motor
home door.

"Spike?"  Her voice was inaudible to anyone not having vampiric
hearing.

"Yeah, luv?" he murmured.

"Anything?"

"Quiet as the grave."

"Giles says it's over.  The window of opportunity has passed and
there won't be another one for a thousand years.  Dawn's safe."

Spike lowered his head into his hands.  He was trembling with relief
and quickly wiped away the tears that threatened to fall.  He was an
evil vampire, and evil vampires did not shed tears over the safety of
little girls. 

Standing up, he drew in a calming breath and then walked over to join
the others in the coach.  As soon as he entered the RV, his arms were
full of weeping girl. 

"Thank you, Spike," she sobbed.

Disconcerted, he nonetheless clumsily patted her back.  "Shhh,
Niblet.  None of this now."

Buffy gently pulled her sister away from him.  "Come on, Dawnie.  I
think it's time we went to bed, okay?"

"Okay.  You coming, Spike?"

He knew he couldn't stand to be with them right now.  He'd want to
join them in the bed, hold them close to him while they slept. 
Better he waited until they were asleep and he'd bested these strange
unwanted tender emotions that the girl's hug had filled him with.

"Not yet.  I'm going to keep watch until daybreak.  Just to be sure. 
But you go ahead and get your beauty sleep."

Turning around he went back to his place of concealment.  He was
surprised when Giles joined him shortly thereafter.

"You've done very well for yourself, Spike.  I congratulate you on
your planning and foresight."

Spike turned his head and looked steadily at him.  "I know you think
I'm nothing but a fuck up, Giles, but I'm not nearly as incompetent
as you'd like to think."

"Yes, I'm aware of that.  Thank you for reminding me."  And with that
the Watcher returned to the motor home to prepare for bed.

Spike awakened when the motor home hit one of the deep ruts on the
road that led from the mine.  He had silently entered the bedroom
shortly before first light.  Buffy and Dawn slumbered peacefully in
the bed and Spike had stood watching them for several minutes until
Buffy had rolled over muttering in her sleep.  He wasn't sure if her
slayer's senses were warning her that she was being watched by a
vampire, but he didn't want to get caught staring at her either so he
quickly settled himself on the carpeted floor.  As had happened the
night before, he allowed their heartbeats to lull him to sleep.

When he awakened his sense of time informed him that it was still
day, early afternoon probably.  Rising from the floor he exited the
bedroom to see Giles at the wheel with Xander sitting beside him. 
Keeping well back from the streaming sunlight he nodded greetings to
the women and headed into the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash
his face.  When he returned, he found a cup of blood waiting for
him. 

Dawn was glowing, all smiles and good cheer.  It made Spike happy to
see her so joyful again.  As she bounced around, talking a mile a
minute Spike raised an eyebrow at the Slayer and asked, "What'd you
do, Slayer?  Shoot her up with sugar?"

"Hey!" Dawn cried, smacking Spike on the arm.  "I'm just in a good
mood."

"I'm sure you are, snacksize," he grinned taking a drink of
blood.  "So Rupert decreed it was all right to head home, did he?"

Buffy nodded her head.  "Yeah, since Glory's window of opportunity
has passed, he figured there was no need to wait any longer.

Spike was sure the Watcher was right.  He only hoped the Knights Who
Say Ni gave up searching for the Key too.  Glory's minions he could
fight but the Knights were human. 

Giles had had Willow and Tara recast the cloaking spell before they
left the mine.  "There's no need to get arrested for driving a stolen
vehicle," he had pronounced.  After dropping off everyone but Willow,
Tara and Spike he drove the motor home back to the underground
garage.  They had cleaned out the RV as best they could at a truck
stop outside of town.  Now Giles had Willow cast another spell to
remove the remaining traces of their occupancy.  The owner would have
to have the ignition fixed and the fuel tank filled, but otherwise
the RV was no worse for wear.

Giving Spike a cursory nod, Giles walked towards the entrance of the
garage.  Willow quickly handed the cloaking crystal to Spike.  "Here
Spike, we need to be visible.  Giles is calling a taxi to take us
home."  And then with a wave goodbye the two girls ran after Giles. 
Spike stood there alone watching them hurry away from him. 

'Well what did you expect, mate?' he mused to himself.  'Did you
really think they'd be all over you with gratitude?  You're still
just the evil undead.' Swinging around he headed into the sewers. 
With any luck he'd run into a demon or two.  He felt like killing
something.

***

He hadn't expected her that night, so when his door banged open he
looked up in surprise.  "Slayer.  Something wrong?"

"Yeah, I haven't patrolled in almost a week and the monsters are
taking over the town.  Wanna go kill something?"

His answer was a huge grin.  Grabbing duster and weapons, he followed
her out into the night. 

"Where's Dawn?  You didn't leave her home alone did you?"

"Nah.  First thing she did when she got home was call Janice.  Janice
invited her to spend the night."  Buffy tossed Spike an ironic grin. 
"I figured she pretty much had her fill of me and the gang, so I let
her go."

"Good thinking, pet.  Any signs of scabby minions or knights?"

"Nope.  Looks like everyone left town.  I thought that maybe we'd
take a pass by Glory's penthouse.  Check it out for occupancy."

"Fuck, Slayer.  If I'd known you were going to suggest that, I'd have
charged up that cloaking crystal."

Buffy grinned at him.  "Not scared of a little hellgod, are you,
Spike?"

"Yeah, go ahead and laugh, Summers, but if you'd had that skank's
finger digging into your vitals, you wouldn't find it so funny."

Buffy winced a little at the description.  "Spike, I..."

"Now don't get all maudlin on me, Slayer.  It hurt a little, but I'm
a big vamp.  I got over it."

Buffy drew in a big breath, "Yeah, okay."

They were silent after that, dusting a few vampires they came across
and checking out strange noises that turned out to be a couple of
necking teenagers.  After giving them a lecture about the foolishness
of hanging out in cemeteries after dark, Buffy ordered them to go
home.  Spike was pretty sure they obeyed her command.  The double-
headed axe she carried may have had something to do with it.

It was while they were headed in the direction of Glory's lair that
they came upon the tower.  Buffy's neck hurt from tilting it back far
enough to see to the top.

"What is this thing?  I don't remember ever seeing it here before."

Spike stepped into the area around the bottom of the tower.  Sampling
the scents that remained there he told her, "I smell humans, Glory's
minions and Glory herself.  Old smell.  Almost twenty-four hours.  I
think we've found where Glory was going to bring Dawn."

They climbed to the top of the tower and stood gazing at the platform
that jutted out into nothingness.  Buffy cautiously walked out to the
end of the platform closely followed by Spike.  She thought she would
throw up when she reached the end.  Straps hung down from posts on
either side of the platform and a hole strategically cut in the
decking made it obvious that this was where Dawn was to have been
sacrificed, where her blood was to have been drained from her body so
that a portal to Glory's home dimension would open.  A low moan
escaped from Buffy's throat and she felt strong hands holding her
tight against a firm body. 

"It's all right, Buffy.  We saved her from this."

Buffy suddenly tore herself from Spike's grasp.  Dropping the axe,
she reached out and grabbed the straps ripping them free and flinging
them away from her.  Lifting up a leg, she kicked at the bars,
knocking them loose.  The tower began to sway as she mindlessly
ripped away at the steel.  Spike reached forward and grabbed onto
her, pulling her away from the rapidly deteriorating edge of the
platform.

"Buffy!  Buffy, stop it!"

She fought him, pushing him away, hitting out at him.  Spike held
onto her, desperately pulling her after him as he made his way to the
stairs.  The tower creaked and groaned, the swaying increasing as it
began to tear apart more and more.  Grabbing onto her shoulders,
Spike shook her mercilessly, her head snapping back and forth as he
called her name.

"Buffy!  Listen to me!  This thing is falling apart.  We need to get
down.  Now!"

When it was obvious that she wasn't hearing him, he pulled back his
fist and delivered a hard blow to her face.  The chip fired
immediately, sending wave after wave of pain through his brain, but
the punch brought Buffy back to her senses.  Finally realizing the
danger they were in, she helped Spike stand upright as he recovered
from the shock.

"Come on, Spike," she cried out.  "Let's get off this thing."

As quickly as they could they ran down the steps dodging falling
pieces of tower.  As soon as they reached the ground they ran into
the street stopping only when they were far enough away to avoid the
now collapsing tower.  With a groan of steel the tower tilted over
and died.

"I don't think Xander would have approved of the workmanship there,"
Spike joked weakly.

"I want to kill her, Spike.  I want to destroy her."

"I know, pet.  Come on.  Let's make sure the bitch has left
Sunnydale."

The penthouse was empty of habitation although closets and drawers
overflowed with expensive clothing. 

"She left all her stuff.  Do you think she's coming back?"

"The beast is contained."

Buffy and Spike swung around to face one of the knights that had been
dogging Buffy's footsteps for weeks now.  He was a middle-aged man
with the same tattoo prominently displayed on his forehead as the
other knights she had faced.

"What do you mean?"

"When she was unable to complete the sacrifice, she lost the power to
escape her host."

"Host?  What host?"

"When she was ousted from her dimension, she was placed in the body
of a human child.  We have never been able to discover who this child
is.  The child had complete control over Glorificus until recently
when the time came near that the portal could be opened.  Now that
that time has passed, the human host has again regained sovereignty. 
When the host dies, so will Glorificus."

"You're sure about this?"

"It is our duty to be sure."

"And your search for the Key?"

"The Key is the link. The link must be severed.  Such is the Will of
God."

Buffy stepped forward, a cold, hard light in her eyes.  "You can take
your religious war and leave Sunnydale now."

"We believe the Key remains here."

"I really don't care what you believe.  Glory's gone.  Whatever the
Key is it doesn't matter anymore.  I want you out of my town."

"You are a foolish girl.  The fact that Glorificus has missed this
opportunity does not negate the power of destruction the Key holds. 
It must be destroyed."

"The Key's only power was in opening that portal.  The portal cannot
now be opened.  Leave."

"We will leave, but our search for the Key will continue.  It is a
force of chaos that must be destroyed.  Eventually we will find it. 
When we do, we will do our duty."

"And if I see any more of your Knights hanging around Sunnydale, I
may just forget I don't kill humans."

The two adversaries stared at each other for a long while until the
Knight turned and marched out the door.  Buffy stood stiffly, hands
clenched into fists, gaining control over her emotions.  When she had
calmed down, she turned to Spike.

"Let's get the hell out of here."

Chapter 5

"Dawn, get your butt down here!  Giles is waiting."  Turning to her
Watcher Buffy said, "Thanks for going to the lawyer with us, Giles. 
I've been putting this appointment off because of Glory and
everything, but I guess it's time to get all the legal business over
with."

"Yes, you really need to get your financial affairs in order.  I'm
happy to help."

When Dawn finally came down the stairs, the group left the house. 
Joyce's lawyer had attempted to make several appointments with the
Summers girls since the death of their mother.  Buffy hadn't felt
able to deal with it, still reeling from Joyce's death and the
discovery that her little sister was actually a mystical Key.  She
still wasn't sure she could have handled it if Giles hadn't agreed to
come with them

They were ushered into the lawyer's office after only a short wait. 
Walter Weston was a middle-aged man of average height, graying hair
and gold-rimmed glasses.  He smiled warmly as his secretary announced
the two girls.  When he looked inquiringly at Giles, Buffy explained,
"I hope you don't mind Mr. Weston, but I asked Mr. Giles to come
along.  He's a family friend that's been helping me deal with
everything since mom died."

"Ah, of course.  Please everyone have a seat.  Do you wish anything
to drink?  Coffee? Soda?"

All three declined and after the secretary left, Mr. Weston opened a
file in front of him.  "First of all, please accept my sincere
condolences on the death of your mother.  I found her to be a
admirable woman."

Both girls gave him watery smiles, unable for the moment to verbalize
a reply.

"Yes, well, I'm glad you were able to make the appointment.  We have
a great deal of business to discuss.  First of all there is the
probate of your mother's estate.  I've filed the Will already, but we
need to make an appointment to get her personal effects appraised. 
That would be the house and furnishings, car, clothes and jewelry,
artwork, et cetera.  I've a list from her of all her financial
assets.  I believe this list is up-to-date as your mother came to me
to update her Will shortly after she learned she had to have surgery."

"Mom came to see you?" Buffy asked surprised.

"Yes. As I said, an admirable woman.  She wanted to make sure
everything was in order should the worse happen.  So as far as the
probate goes, if you will permit, I will make arrangements with her
executor to schedule the appraiser."

"Okay, I guess?" Buffy said, looking at Giles for guidance. 

"The appraiser will be bonded, I presume?" Giles asked.

"Yes, of course."

Giles nodded and Buffy turned her attention back to the attorney.

"Excellent.  Now that we have that taken care of, let's move on to
more important matters shall we?  Mainly the guardianship of the
younger Miss Summers."

"Dawn stays with me," Buffy stated emphatically.

"And that was your mother's wish also," Mr. Weston stated.  "However,
your father is still alive and competent to assume guardianship
should he decide to sue for custody."

"Since we haven't seen him in over a year, haven't even been able to
get in contact with him since before mom got sick, I hardly think
he'll care enough to sue for custody," Buffy said coldly.

"Yes, well, be that as it may, it is still something you must keep in
mind.  We will use that argument should it become necessary, but I
must warn you Miss Summers, the law would be on your father's side."

Buffy had plans on how to deal with that eventuality.

"However, at this point Mr. Summers has not answered any
communications sent to his Los Angeles office.  We have been informed
that he is in Spain and that our letters have been forwarded to him. 
If he does not wish to exercise his parental rights, you should have
no problem receiving legal custody of you sister."

"Good."

Weston gave Buffy a kindly smile.  "And now for the final piece of
business.  Your mother also left a life insurance policy that names
the two of you as beneficiaries.  I need you to sign the forms so
that I can make the claim for the proceeds.  Your half, Miss Summers,
will come to you directly since you are over eighteen.  Dawn's must
be put into trust."

Turning to Giles, he said, "Mr. Giles, if you don't mind, I would
like to speak to the Misses Summers in private."

"Of course," Giles said beginning to rise from his seat.

"No," Buffy insisted.  "Whatever you have to say to us, I prefer you
say in front of Giles."

Weston looked uncomfortable for an instant, but conceded to his young
client's wishes.  "Very well.  Mrs. Summers named you as one of the
Trustees to be in charge of your sister's money.  She named Mr. Giles
as the other.  However, if you do not wish Mr. Giles in that
position, we can petition the court for a change in Trustee."

"No, that's great.  Giles?  Is that okay with you?"

"Yes, of course, Buffy."

"Excellent.  I'll have the papers drawn up and you both can return to
sign them.  Now if you'll sign these documents I can forward the
claim."

As the papers were signed, Buffy asked, "Can I ask how much the
insurance is and how long it will be before we get it?  Things are
kinda tight right now, and we could use a little extra cash."

Weston looked at her in surprise.  "Your mother didn't tell you how
much life insurance she carried?"

Buffy shook her head.  "Uh uh.  I knew she had some, but not how
much."

"Miss Summers, your mother's life insurance policy is for one million
dollars."

***

"Wow, a million bucks!"

This was the third time that Xander had made the same observation in
fifteen minutes.  She was still a little overwhelmed herself. 
Everyone had dropped over that afternoon to offer Buffy moral support
after the emotional strain of the visit to the lawyer.  They were all
reeling from the news.

"I never even knew," Buffy said softly.  "Mom wanted to discuss all
this stuff before she went in for the surgery, but I just didn't want
to hear it.  It was hard enough when she told me what she wanted for
her funeral."  Buffy's voice cracked at the remembered pain of those
days just a few short weeks ago.  "I guess that's why she went to see
the lawyer.  I didn't want to talk about it."

Everyone made sympathetic noises.  They all loved her dearly, but
knew quite well that Buffy had never been talky girl.

"This means you can go back to college in the fall, Buffy," Willow
said with a smile.  "You could even take some courses this summer to
catch up."

"Yeah, I was planning on looking into that.  Dawn's gotta take some
summer classes too to make up for the incompletes she received after
Mom died.  Giles says that'll look good to the court when I petition
for custody."

Dawn had made a face when Buffy mentioned summer school but didn't
say anything.  She was willing to do whatever was necessary to make
sure she stayed with Buffy. 

The gang hung around talking about Buffy and Dawn's plans for the
future until it was time for Buffy to get ready for patrol.  Willow
and Tara offered to take Dawn with them to spend the night, so Buffy
didn't have to worry about leaving her alone.  That was a problem
that needed to be solved.  Dawn insisted that she was old enough to
stay by herself while Buffy patrolled, but Buffy noted Dawn's look of
relief when the girls had invited her to stay over.

After everyone left, Buffy changed clothes and gathered her weapons. 
She had meant to patrol alone tonight, but somehow found herself
standing in front of Spike's crypt.  Shaking her head at where her
subconscious had led her, she opened the door and walked in.

Spike was sitting in his chair reading a book.  He looked up with a
guilty expression on his face and quickly slipped the book under the
chair cushion.  Buffy decided she didn't want to know what he'd been
reading.

"Want me to patrol with you, Slayer?" Spike asked, trying to sound
nonchalant.  "Just let me get some weapons."  When he had armed
himself, the two left the crypt and starting walking through the
cemetery.  Spike glanced at Buffy out of the corner of his eye.  She
was unusually quiet this evening. 

"Something bad happen at the solicitor's today, pet?"

"Mom left Dawn and me a million dollars," Buffy blurted out.

Spike whistled appreciatively.  "No money problems, then.  Good on
Joyce.  Smart lady, your mum."

Buffy gave Spike a small smile.  "Yeah, she was.  I didn't even know
about it.  She tried to talk to me before she..."  Buffy's voice
trailed off.  "I didn't want to hear any of it," she finished softly.

"Not easy when your mum's sick-like," he said in a way that made
Buffy give him a sharp glance.  "Still," he continued, "it's always
best to know what's what, Buffy.  Can't ignore something just cause
you don't want to deal."

"God, Spike, now you're starting to sound just like Giles."

"No need to get insulting, Slayer," Spike said with an affronted
voice.

That got a real smile out of Buffy and Spike hid his own smile.  They
walked along in silence for a while, stopping once to dust a
fledgling rising from his grave. 

"The lawyer said Dad could take Dawn from me," Buffy said suddenly.

Spike stopped and stared at her.  "Not if I bite him first."

"Spike, you can't bite my dad," Buffy told him calmly.  "Your chip
would go off."

"Yeah, well I could probably bite him enough before my head exploded
to keep him from taking Dawn from you."

Buffy smiled and said, "I don't think we'll need to do anything that
drastic, but I may need your help if he does try to get custody."

"Whatever you need, Buffy, you know that.  All you need do is ask."

Buffy nodded.  It was something she was beginning to understand.  It
was something she was beginning to depend upon. 

She just wasn't sure how she felt about it.

Chapter 6

"Here, Spike, take this one too." 

Another box was loaded into the vampire's arms.  He could barely see
around his burden to watch where he was going.  Glaring at Xander, he
shifted the load and then headed for the house.  Spike wasn't sure
exactly how he'd been roped into helping move the Wiccas into Buffy's
house.  One minute he was at home watching the telly, the next Buffy
had bounced into his crypt and told him she needed him.  He'd come
straight away of course, figuring that there was a demon needed
killing or some other evil afoot.

Instead he found himself first loading boxes into the back of
Xander's car and then unloading them at the Slayer's house.  Buffy
had found a way to take care of the problem of leaving Dawn home
alone.  With the end of the semester, Willow and Tara had needed to
find an apartment for the summer.  Buffy decided to offer them her
mom's room.  She hadn't been able to handle the thought of moving
into it herself so it was still empty.  The girls could live there,
rent free, and help with cooking, cleaning and staying with Dawn
while Buffy patrolled.  It seemed the perfect solution.

Dawn had been thrilled.  Not only would she not be alone at night,
but she would have two of her favorite people in the world living at
her house. 

So now the big moving day had arrived and Buffy had figured that
another set of supernaturally strong arms would come in handy so she
fetched Spike from his crypt.  And if anyone watching thought it odd
that they'd waited until after dark to move, well this was Sunnydale
and people learned never to question such things too closely.

When Spike had carried the first load up to the front door, he paused
just outside.  Buffy was ahead of him carrying a boxful of books up
the stairs to the second floor.

"Slayer, I'll just leave this here.  Get the next load."  He bent
down to deposit the boxes on the porch when he heard, "Come in,
Spike."

Glancing up, he saw a small smile on Buffy's face.  Swallowing back
the lump in his throat, he picked up the boxes again and carefully
stepped over the now barrier-free threshold.

They looked at each other for several seconds before Buffy said
quietly, "Bring the boxes upstairs, Spike," Turning she headed up the
stairs again.

When the last box had been carried into the house and up to the
bedroom, everyone collapsed in the living room and waited for the
pizza delivery guy.  On the last run from the dormitory Spike had
made Xander stop at a store so he could buy some beer, making Xander
pay.  Now he sat next to Buffy on the couch drinking a beer and
enjoying the warmth of her body pressed closely to his.  Dawn was
animated tonight, happy and laughing.  Spike kept the cynical look
carefully pasted on his face.  The last thing he needed was for
anyone to realize just how content he was being here.  Everyone would
assume it was just about getting close to Buffy and that was partly
true.  But it was also the fact that he considered these people his
family.  A family he didn't much like most of the time, a family he
certainly didn't want, a family he periodically wanted to slaughter,
but his family nonetheless.  They wouldn't like it if they found out
how he felt so he kept it to himself.  Only Buffy and Dawn were
comfortable around him.  The others accepted his presence, but they
were still leery of him.  Which was fine with him.

He was The Big Bad.  They should damn well be scared to death of him.

After the pizza had arrived and been duly consumed, he and Buffy left
for a short patrol.  They found a trio of young vampires stalking a
pair of teenaged girls near the Sunnydale Cineplex and quickly
dispatched them.  A pass through Willy's found everyone and
everything behaving.  Spike wanted to stop for a quick one, AB
negative with a shot of JD on the side, but Buffy just gave him The
Look and walked out the door.  Spike looked longingly at the bar but
followed in her wake. 

It was quiet in Sunnydale and Buffy enjoyed the calm.  She'd been
through so much the past year that sometimes she'd thought she would
shatter from the pressure. 

But now it was over.  Glory was gone and Dawn was safe.  She knew she
owed a large part of Dawn's safety to Spike.  How this evil, soulless
vampire had become Dawn's Champion, Buffy would never understand. 
She knew that partly it was because of what he thought he felt for
her, but Buffy also believed that in his own crazy way Spike truly
did care about Dawn, just as he cared for Joyce.

He was a strange one, no doubt about that.  And the fact that he was
becoming so important in her life left her teetering between
apprehension and acceptance.

And since Buffy didn't want to expend the energy necessary to deal
with this conflict, she did what she did best and avoided thinking
about it.  For right now, things were fine.  Spike helped her
willingly with no apparent expectation of anything from her.  And as
long as that held true, she was content to leave well enough alone. 

For his part, Spike was enjoying the time he spent with Buffy.  He
hoped that with continued contact, she would begin to realize exactly
what she felt for him.  He wasn't fool enough to think that she loved
him.  Not yet anyway.  But she would.  He believed she would.  And he
was eagerly anticipating the time when she would at last recognize
her true feelings for him. 

The patrol finished, Buffy left to return home and Spike decided to
return to Willie's for that drink.  And perhaps there'd be a kitten
poker game going on in the back room. 

***

The summer passed as most summers in Sunnydale did with enough little
bads in attendance to keep the Slayer occupied but no Big Bads to
make things difficult.  Buffy and Dawn both enrolled in summer
classes, Buffy petitioned for legal guardianship of her sister and
she and Spike continued to patrol together.  They were occasionally
joined by one or another of the Scoobies, but for the most part they
patrolled together alone.  Giles worried about the amount of time
Buffy was spending with Spike, but whenever he tried to bring the
subject up, Buffy would dismiss his worries.  He was good backup, she
insisted, nothing more. 

The four girls fell into a comfortable routine.  Buffy and Dawn
attended classes while Tara and Willow got part-time jobs for the
summer; Tara at a local bookstore and Willow with a small, upcoming
software firm that was located in a town just thirty minutes from
Sunnydale.  Since Buffy still wasn't comfortable driving, she was
more than happy to let Willow use Joyce's "geek machine" for the
commute.

Buffy healed that summer.  The depression she had fallen into the
previous spring was at last beginning to lift even though there were
still times when she missed Joyce so much she couldn't breathe. 
Sometimes something would happen during class or patrol or Dawn would
do or say something and Buffy would think 'Wait till Mom hears about
this'.  And then she would remember that Joyce wasn't there for her
to tell.  And when the pain came, she invariably went to visit
Spike.  For some reason she could not explain, he was the only one
she felt comfortable around during these times.  Perhaps it was
because he never gave her the "Buck up, Buffy" speech but would talk
quietly and fondly about Joyce.  And if Buffy was at first surprised
by the depth of his affection for Joyce, by summer's end she just
accepted it as another one of those odd quirks that made Spike so
different from anyone else she had ever met.  And when she visited
her mom's grave when they were on patrol, he would give her privacy. 
She never felt awkward or felt the need to hide her grief from Spike.

But for the most part, the summer was good.  Buffy learned how to
laugh again.  She and her friends and her sister spent the occasional
day at the beach and many weekend nights at The Bronze.  Spike joined
them at The Bronze on a fairly regular basis and everyone became used
to the squabbling that inevitably happened when Spike and Xander were
in close contact.  No one took the squabbling seriously, least of all
Spike and Xander.  Buffy would claim they were friends except both
men would have denied that possibility vehemently.

Spike loved hearing Buffy laugh again.  More and more he saw traces
of the girl he'd met when he first came to Sunnydale; a girl full of
piss and vinegar, quips and sarcasm.  He had thought he loved her
during the time of Glory, but now he knew that that was a pale
infatuation when compared to how he now felt.

She became his entire world.

The fall term started at both the temporary Sunnydale High and UC
Sunnydale.  The three older girls signed up for their classes at the
University.  Buffy was relieved when Willow and Tara declared that
they would remain living at the house on Revello Drive and commute to
classes. 

Classes had been in session for only a week when the first wave that
would build into a tsunami broke in the smooth sea that had been the
Spike and Buffy partnership.  And it all came about because of a
piece of candy.

It was a cool night in early September.  Storm clouds had obliterated
the sun for the past two days and a drenching rain from the north had
plunged temperatures to an unseasonable low.  Buffy wore a light
jacket that night.  Patrol was routine and when they came upon a pair
of vampires in one of the town's many cemeteries, they each took one
on.  Buffy quickly dispatched her foe, but Spike was taking his
time.  Noting that Spike was in the mood to play, she hopped up on a
tombstone to watch and stuck her hands in her jacket pockets to keep
them warm. 

Feeling something brush against her right hand she pulled it out and
found a sucker she had forgotten was there.  A group of students were
giving the candy out with donations dropped into their canisters that
morning.  Buffy wasn't even sure what the donation was for, but she
dropped a bill in, took the sucker and shoved it in her pocket as she
rushed off to class.

Unwrapping it, she stuck it in her mouth sucking gently, occasionally
pulling it out to lick and then placing it in her mouth again.  It
was during one of the licks that Spike finally noticed what she was
doing.  Staking his opponent without a second thought, he turned his
full attention to Buffy.

Eyes narrowed, a sly grin on his face, he approached her with a loose-
hipped swagger.

"What'cha got there, little girl?" he purred.

Buffy pulled the sucker out of her mouth, examined it closely,
said, "It's a sucker", and popped it back in again.  She wasn't sure
what devil made her do it, but she began to pull her cheeks in as she
slowly sucked on the small, round hard candy.

"Yeah?  Tootsie Pop, is it?"

A wicked gleam in her eyes, she shook her head.  "Uh, uh.  It's the
kind they named after you."

Spike looked confused for a moment.  "They named a lolli 'Spike'?"

Buffy shook her head again.  The wicked gleam was even more
pronounced.

"Nope.  Dum Dum."

Spike blinked and then growled, "Oh, is that right, Slayer?"

At Buffy's smirk, he reached out and grabbed the hand holding the
sucker.  Slowly bringing it towards his mouth, his eyes never leaving
hers, he asked, "So, what flavor is it?"

Buffy's breath caught in her chest as she watched him open his mouth
and take the sucker in.  He kept hold of her hand and she could feel
his soft lips brushing lightly against her skin as he slid his tongue
around the candy.

"Cherry," she said in a breathless whisper.

His eyes held hers as he sucked and swirled his tongue around the
rapidly disappearing red ball.  Pulling it from his mouth he said in
a deep husky voice, "Yeah?  I like cherry."

Pushing the candy back towards Buffy, he asked, "You?"

Buffy obediently opened her mouth and received the sucker.  Eyes
still locked on his, she nodded her head and began to once again
slowly suck. A deep aching pain began to blossom between her legs. 
She was wet and throbbing and she couldn't tear her eyes away from
Spike's. 

Spike could smell her arousal and it made him so hard he almost
groaned in need.  Stepping forward, he stood between Buffy's legs,
his lips slightly parted as he watched her tease him with her mouth. 
Buffy pulled the sucker out of her mouth.  There was nothing left but
a tiny red stain on the white paper stick.

"It's all gone," she breathed.  "There's nothing left to suck on."

Spike lowered his head until his mouth was only a few millimeters
above hers.  "We can fix that, Buffy," he murmured, and then he
lowered his head the rest of the way. 

The kiss was everything he'd known it would be and more.  Buffy
slipped her hands inside his coat and around his back holding him
close to her.  Spike put his hands on her hips, tilting her slightly
up towards him.  Their tongues danced with each other and when Buffy
wrapped her tongue around his, drew it into her mouth and began to
gently suck, he moaned out loud and thrust his hips roughly against
the juncture of her thighs.

It was the sound of his moan and the feel of his erection that
brought Buffy back to her senses.  One second she was clinging to
him, loving his tongue and the next she pushed him back and jumped
off the tombstone.

"No, Spike!  No.  I.. I.. I have to get home.  Dawn's waiting."  With
that she turned and ran as if the hounds of hell were on her heels. 
Spike watched her run away from him in frustrated amazement.  He
wanted to run after her, throw her to the ground and fuck her until
his eyes bled.  Unfortunately, he couldn't even walk at the moment.

Breathing deeply, he tried to gain some control.  When at last he
could move, he limped home and gave himself what relief he could.