SECTION 4 - YOU'RE THE ONE

When the cold wind blows
And the rain keeps tumbling down
And there's no one there
And the morning light shines on

You're the one to lend a hand
You're the one who understands
You're the one to comfort me
The keeper of my heart

(Clannad, Album - anam, Words and lyrics A. Brennan, Additional lyrics M. Brennan)



Chapter 4.06
Tuesday, May 14th, 2002

"What the hell did you say to him?" Dawn hissed at her date. "I haven't seen him this pissed since I gave him the slip in the middle of a riot."

"Nothing that didn't need saying."

There was a loud crash from somewhere upstairs in the house. Dawn flinched at the sound. "Okay, I've never seen him this pissed."

"Look. Maybe you shouldn't go in there. I mean he seems pretty violent. It might be better if you came home with me and give him some time to cool off," Brandon offered.

"Not a good idea. Spike's all mouth. The only thing that's in any danger is the furniture. It's best to let him-."

Dawn was cut off by the slam of Buffy's window opening at speed, shortly followed by the bellow of an irate vampire. "Goodbye is two syllables, Dawn. Just say it and get your skinny arse up here now. Don't make me come back down to get you."

"Shit. Look, I'll call later if I get a chance, or I'll see you at school tomorrow." Dawn gave the kid a quick peck on the cheek before running up the path. She turned at the steps to see that he hadn't moved. She made a shooing gesture with her hands and mouthed the word, "go," before darting through the door and up the stairs.

Dawn picked her way over shards of brightly coloured pottery to get into her sister's room. Before she'd even cleared the debris Spike was in her face.

"What the hell am I to you, Dawn?" he yelled.

The teenager wiped a stray trace of spittle from her chin. "What?"

"That's what I'm asking you? What do you think I am? Am I meant to be some male version of Marlene the man-eater? Am I just some git who's walked in an' taken your sister away, 'cause I'd really like to know. Huh?"

"Spike, I nev-," Dawn stuttered.

"Name one proper date that me and your sister have had, where you haven't been included."

Dawn fishmouthed, gasping for breath as the tears started to flow.

"No? Well, tell me who the stupid git is who'll clear his whole day just so he can help you with your soddin' homework. Still too hard for you? Okay, lets go for the real easy question. Tell me the two people in this world who you know unequivocally would die before they would let anything happen to you?"

"Y-you and Buffy," Dawn hiccuped through her tears.

"Then where the hell do you get off telling some wanker you've only known for five minutes that we make you feel like an outsider in your own house? Making us out to be some sort of bleedin' nymphomaniacs. Except when you've caught us off guard, have we ever done anything to embarrass you in any way? For Christ's sake we spent tonight at opposite ends of the bloody table. And when your mate was over watchin' all the videos, we were sort of cuddled up together on the floor but that was it. When we've been at the Bronze we've been so bloody circumspect it made my bloody teeth ache and this is what you think? But you want to know where you really twisted the knife in? When you didn't come to us.

Just get out, Bit."

Dawn stumbled from the room, her sobs now clearly audible. Buffy looked back and forth between the open doorway and the vampire, who stood with his back to her facing the window. It only took her a second to decide. Reaching out a hand to take his, however briefly. "You know I've got to go to her?"

"I know."

"I'll be as quick as I can."

She thought he gave the barest of nods, but she couldn't be sure. Either way she had to go do what she could in the way of damage control.

Spike eschewed the door in favour of the window. Even in his Doc Marten's he moved so quietly that when he jumped from the porch roof to land next to Brandon the boy jumped about a foot.

"I thought I heard Bit tell you to go home."

"She did, but I'm not going anywhere until I know she's alright."

"I say you are. You don't have any part in this. This is family business. My family, not yours, not yet and at the rate you're going, not ever. Now get on that bike and go home and before I see Dawn on it again, I expect you to have replaced those tyres."

Finally, Brandon seemed to get the message that this was one battle he couldn't win. "Okay. I'm going, but if there's one mark on Dawn tomorrow, I'll be calling Social Services."

Spike gave a snort of laughter as the boy climbed on his bike. "You picked the wrong night, son. Come tomorrow, Dawn will be so stiff she can barely walk. She'll probably want a cushion before she'll even sit down. The last thing she's going to be thinking of is going anywhere near the back of a motorbike, but no one will be responsible for a single mark on her except herself and if you ever dare to suggest otherwise, then you will see me angry.

Now go."

The vampire stepped back onto the porch, lighting up a cigarette as he watched the boy leave. Spike hated to say it, but the kid had balls and he was willing to stand up for Bit against a pissed off vampire. Against all his better instincts, Spike actually quite liked him. Once the taillights had disappeared into the distance Spike made his way round to the back porch and took a seat on the steps. Buffy would know where to find him.

 

 

 

"I didn't mean it the way he made it sound," Dawn snivelled. "I love you guys, and I love that you're together. It's just hard adjusting."

"Dawn, I get that it's not easy for you, but you understand why he was so mad, don't you?"

"I didn't mean to hurt him."

"It's not me you need to tell," Buffy gave her a sympathetic smile.

"I can't talk to him when he's mad like that."

"He's not. Not any more," Buffy told her.

"How can you know that?"

"Because I could feel it and I don't any more."

"See, that's what I meant when I said you two made me feel like an outsider. You're so. connected. How can I be a part of that?" Dawn asked.

"You are a part of it. However much Spike and I feel for each other, we both love you. If I'm. Look, get Spike to explain. He's the one who's good with words. But part of what I love about him is that he loves you. And it wouldn't matter what there was between me and Spike, if I thought it was better for you for us to be apart, then that's how it would be.

Between the two of us, we own that man, heart and mind, and it's probably a closer call than you think as to who has the bigger share. You're the closest thing to a daughter he's ever likely to have, and he couldn't love you any more if you were his own flesh and blood. And, hey, you are my flesh and blood so what does that say?

He's out back. Go talk to him."

"More freaky couple stuff?"

"Nah. Just straightforward slayer sense. Least I hope he's the only vamp hanging around our back porch."