Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox studios. This story is not meant to infringe upon anyone's rights, only to entertain.

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CHAPTER 2


Dawn dared to move closer to him. Why wouldn't anybody tell her anything? Yes she was a teenager and yes, maybe she didn't understand everything there is to know about emotions but she was a person wasn't she? She could feel. She could think. Why does everyone always have to walk on eggshells around her? It's like this big secret that everyone is always in on except her. The only person that seemed to understand her was Spike and now here he was giving her riddles.

He saw her as a person -- an individual, not as a child. He talked to her like a grown up but now he was being tight lipped. Why? All she wanted to know was why? There were always reasons to why people do the things they do. Whether it be a smart action or a dumb one, there were always reasons.

One hundred forty-seven days ... He counted one hundred forty-seven days till she came back. And now within two days nothing seemed to matter to him anymore.

"Spike? What are you talking about? What worked?"

"I've said what I needed to say Niblet. Best that you start heading home."

"No!" Dawn said standing her ground.

"No?! That wasn't a suggestion."

"Well your not my father nor my mother nor are you my guardian so you can't really tell me what to do."

"In case you've forgotten, this is my crypt, so when I say you should go ... You. Should. Go!" Spike didn't understand why Dawn was being so adamant about knowing what happened. He didn't want to dwell on it any longer. The more he thought about it, the more his chest hurt. The throbbing pain a constant reminder of the spell he weaved not too long ago.

Magic always had consequences. That's what he always believed in and he wondered what the consequence would be for the spell he cast. But it didn't really matter. As long as it worked he would pay whatever price. He would kill whatever beastie resulted from the spell and overcome whatever obstacle the fates wanted to throw at him for denying himself perfect happiness. Perfect happiness. ... Sweet, alluring, complete perfect happiness. ... Maybe that would be his punishment. To remember how it felt. To relive memories of how it felt. That was all that was left.

As each minute passed that was all he had to cling to to remind himself of what he had with that bitch of a Slayer. Soon it would be forgotten and then he could finally move on. But Dawn had to leave. Her presence and her words kept poking and prodding into his mind, like the sting of the dagger that he used to cut himself. It had to heal. And for it to heal he needed peace. He needed the bitch Slayer's sister gone.

"But Spike?!" Dawn whined.

"I said leave!" he bellowed out. "I have nothing against you, Bit. But it's best you leave."

"But it's dark out and well ..."

"You should have thought about that before coming over here." he said finishing off the blood in his glass before slamming it down onto the table in front of him. The glass shattered from the force he used making Dawn cringe.

Spike took in a deep breath realizing that the only way for him to be rid of Dawn would be to take her home. "Fine." he said through clenched jaw. "Walk on home and I'll follow to make sure you get back safely."

"Oookay." Dawn replied nervously. She waited for him to stand and grab his leather duster before turning around to head out of his crypt.

The walk home was uneventful which made it all the more awkward because she was walking by herself with Spike a few feet following from behind. He was never like this. Never this distant... not to her. They made it back to their house. Dawn fumbled for her keys then opened the front door. She held the door open for him, waiting for Spike to reach the threshold. But he shook his head when Dawn asked him if he wanted to come in. Once she was safe inside, he told himself he should just go. But part of him felt a little guilty for his outburst earlier. He hung around outside, sitting down on the porch steps as he enjoyed his cigarette. He'll stay for a tiny bit. Maybe till he could smell one of the Scoobies coming then he would leave.

Soon enough he smelled the Slayer ... the familiar vanilla scent wafting in the air. There was someone else with her. He flicked the cigarette butt on the ground and extinguished it with his boot. He stood up in one fluid motion and hid his hands into his coat pockets.

Buffy and Xander rounded the corner and made their way to the porch. Seeing the shock of platinum blond, Xander rushed up to Spike, anger in his eyes.

"Hands off the merchandise Whelp!"

"What are you doing here, Spike? Haven't you done enough?"

"To you? Hardly. But I'm not in the mood so piss off!"

"Xander, let him go!" Buffy interjected.

"So that's it. You're just going to let him walk?" Xander complained.

"Look, I'm tired and I don't want to talk about it anymore. You should just go home." Buffy replied.

"But Buffy ... "

"Xander, I can handle this. Okay!"

Xander gave Spike another icy look before turning around to do as Buffy requested. When he was out of sight, Buffy turned her attention to the vampire standing not too far from her.

"What do you want?" Buffy asked coolly as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Nothing. Brought Dawn home. Night." Spike said curtly then walked passed her.

"Wait. Dawn was in your crypt tonight?"

Spike stopped but didn't turn around to face her. "Not my decision, Slayer. She would have stayed there too if I didn't bring her here."

"Why did she?"

"Was asking a lot of bleeding questions. Maybe you need to talk to your sister, Slayer."

"Spike about last night ... "

"What? What's done is done. I can't turn back time. If I could do you really think we'd be here right now? You made your decision and I made mine. Life will go on, eh Slayer?"

"Uhm.. yeah." Buffy closed her eyes as she felt him moving away. She should be happy. It was over now. Whatever impulsive and foolish notion that made her confide in him and be with him should be gone now. She had broken it off, reasoned with herself that it was wrong and now it was over. He was a vampire -- a soulless creature that could never ever love. And for that reason she knew with perfect certainty that she could never love him back. So there really was no emotion to return. It was just convenient and comforting. A bit of softness to help blur the brightness and harshness of the real world. "A bit of cold comfort" he would tell her with lust in his deep blue eyes as he would lick his lips That look melted her time and time again just weeks ago. That look wasn't there now.

If that was all it was ... if she was just using him, then why did it hurt so much? Why did it hurt seeing him with Anya? Why did it hurt when he twisted what they had and perverted it by forcing himself on her? Why did it hurt when he uttered those words to help him move on? If he couldn't love at all, why did he need a spell to make him forget? But he was right. It was done and cannot be undone until one of them meets their death. He gave her what she wanted. But it seemed like she was losing more than she ever expected.