CHAPTER FIFTEEN

It was dusk when Buffy emerged from the bathroom, wiping her eyes. She exited uncertainly, unsure if she was alone. Inhaling deeply, she headed for her room, closing the door behind her. She pulled her tee shirt over her head, shivering as the cold air hit her bare skin. She stepped out of her shorts too, opening the wardrobe and pulling out a pair of jeans.

She pulled them on quickly and grabbed a hooded, long sleeved shirt in a dark green, put it on and covered it with a leather jacket that came in slightly at the waist and hung just past her backside. She didn’t bother changing her shoes. She loosened her bun and rearranged her hair into a plait. She grabbed a few stakes from her dresser drawer and placed them in the usual positions on her body before forcing herself downstairs.

The only person in the living room was her mother, half asleep in front of some old movie Buffy didn’t recognise. The woman looked up when her eldest came down the stairs and made to stand up, but Buffy just gave her a weary smile and shook her head.

She headed for the kitchen instead, letting her prickling senses lead her to the vampire in her house. She found him sitting at the counter with a giggling Dawn, a small smile on his face. She noticed that someone had done what she hadn’t been able to- his eyes were dressed and covered with fresh bandages. He also had ice strapped to his knee. That made her frown slightly- he’d told her his knee would be fine. Still, the frown didn’t stay long, and she paused in the doorway, a tiny smile of her own on her face.

She cleared her throat and both of them turned towards the sound. Dawn’s face sobered slightly, but Spike’s smile stayed, even if she noticed it waver slightly. She stepped forward, arms still folded.

“I’m going to head to Giles’, see if they’ve found anything about this demon.” Her voice was quiet. “Or anything that can help... help you heal. It’s dark out... do you want to come with?”

Spike nodded, and stood. “Sure, pet.” His face was pointed to the right of her.

Buffy gave a tight lipped smile and nodded. “Okay... I’ll just let Mom know we’re going.”

“Can I—?”

“No.” Buffy immediately regretted her tone when Dawn’s face fell. “I mean... you’ve got school tomorrow.”

“But—“

“Someone’s gotta keep an eye on your Mom, nibblet.” Spike told her quietly, his hand on her shoulder.

Her face didn’t lighten at all, but she nodded all the same, “Okay.”

Buffy hugged her sister, brushing the brunette’s hair behind her ear. “I’ll talk to them about moving the research here when it comes to the weekend.” She promised. “You can help out then.”

Dawn gave her older sister a grateful smile and turned to the vampire behind her. “I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”

“I’ll be here, bit.”

 
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Buffy pulled the handbrake on as she pulled up next to the curb, the car jolting a little as it came to a slightly sudden stop. She grimaced apologetically as both of them jerked forward slightly in response. “Sorry. Driving isn’t really a skill of mine.”

“Had to have a fault somewhere, love,” the blonde next to her replied, his hands resting uncertainly on the dashboard in front of him. They’d been dancing around him the entire trip, sliding over the arm rest on the door and the edge of his seat. She furrowed her brow at the might-be compliment, unbuckling her seatbelt. Spike fumbled to do the same as her door thumped shut. She was out of the car and at his door before he did, but tastefully let him manage his own belt before helping him out of the SUV.

“Mom must be in a real good mood... she never lends me the car.” Buffy said idly, stepping back as he found his footing. She didn’t go to him straight away as she had before, letting him find his own feet, but when he reached out uncertainly; she moved towards him, putting her arm around his waist again and let him grip her opposite forearm.

His hold wasn’t light by any means, his nerves and uncertainty showing through in his grip, but it was still careful, like he didn’t want to hurt her. She smiled at that... it was a far cry from the vampire that had tried to kill her constantly not so long ago.

“You didn’t do too badly,” Spike commented as she nudged the passenger door closed with her hip.

“Thanks,” Buffy said brightly as she led him to her Watcher’s apartment. “But you didn’t see the half dozen trashcans that were in serious jeopardy.”

Spike felt her stiffen at her word choice, but she calmed as he chuckled lightly. “’s good point, pet. Maybe it’s safer I carry on in blissful ignorance.”

Buffy rolled her eyes out of habit, but opened the door to Giles’ apartment before she could think up a witty retort for the vampire. She helped him carefully cross the threshold as the others turned to witness their arrival, offering them all a grateful smile for being there.

She led Spike around to the couch this time, which was empty. Tara occupied one arm chair and Willow perched comfortably on the arm much like Buffy had the night before. Giles was at his desk, already with a book open in front of him, and, Buffy was happy to see, Anya was sitting in the remaining chair.

She shot the ex-demon a questioning look in regards to her lack of partner, and she opened her mouth to respond, only to be cut off by the vampire gripping the Slayer’s arm.

“Red...”

Buffy’s expression turned puzzled as she helped Spike to sit, moving past him to sit at the other end of the couch. “What?”

“Red’s here... and Glinda,” he answered, his heading turning in the witches’ direction. Willow’s brow furrowed in response, but Tara smiled warmly, squeezing her girlfriend’s hand. “Can smell them,” he explained quietly, “Sandalwood... incense, lavender. They smell of it.”

“We’re over here.” Tara said, her smile widening encouragingly.

Buffy hid a giggle as Willow sniffed at her hair self consciously. Instead, she winked at her best friend teasingly, and turned back to the vampire. “How do you know they’re both there? I mean, if they both smell the same.”

“Everyone smells different love... Body chemistry,” His hands skittered over his knees, unsure of where to rest. “And Red always smells like strawberries.”

Willow looked slightly surprised. “It’s in my shampoo...”

Buffy grinned at her, before turning back to the vampire next to her. “Who else is here?”

“It’s not a bloody parlour trick, pet.” He grumbled jokingly, before inhaling through his nose again. “Watcher’s here, obviously.” He told them. “He’s at the desk.”

“How did you pick that?” Willow asked. “I mean, doesn’t the whole place smell all Giles-y?” The man in question turned to face her with a raised eyebrow, and her face reddened as she immediately back peddled self consciously. “Not a bad smell, of course. But that smell of-of... books and uh...”

“His chair squeaks.” Spike interrupted with the tiniest twitch of his lips. “And seeing as Anya’s being strangely quiet in the armchair over there, it seemed a likely guess.”

“Right, now that we’ve established that Spike’s other senses are still in, uh... working order,” Giles interrupted before gesturing towards the stack of books on the coffee table. “Shall we?”

Willow moved forward, handing a book to the others after a quick perusal of each cover. She settled back on her chair and silence hung heavy for a moment before Buffy turned to Anya.

“Where’s Xander?”