A/N: This chapter was beta'd by the amazing slaymesoftly. I made some changes after the fact, so any and all mistakes are completely my own.

The next update may be slow in coming because of the holidays, but I think you will find the last three chapters worth the wait : ) Thanks to all who have been reading. The reviews have been better than I ever expected *hugs*


Chapter Seven: Leather Between Old Friends


Such sweet torture, Spike thought. “Will you let me be good to you?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy stared at him with tearful eyes, desperately wanting things to be different for them this time around. “Only if you let me be good to you, too.”

“That's a fair bargain, but one stipulation.”

“What?”

“Bitchy Buffy.”

She glared at him, but relaxed when she realized that Spike was just teasing her.

He smirked at her. “I like her. I love her fire and her sexy anger.”

She was trying to look outraged, but a smile over took the frown as she shook her head.

“You can't be too good to me," Spike said. "Sometimes you've got to let me have it and give me what for.”

“Okay so we take this...thing between us slow then?” Buffy asked.

“That's fair. No fighting today. But tomorrow maybe you could start a fight about something unimportant. Possibly you could call me a pig?” He tilted his head and grinned at her.

Stepping back, Buffy put her hands on her hips. “I was talking about the physical stuff.”

“Oh yeah, that too.” Rubbing his nose, he raised an eyebrow at her. “Maybe wait a week before you start breaking my nose again?”

“You're impossible!” She slapped him on the shoulder playfully.

In all the time she had known him, Spike was constantly changing, and yet he was still the same. She watched him move around the crypt, walking with smooth fluid motion almost as if he was moving the world to suit him. The only thing missing was the black leather duster flowing behind him. That was hanging up in her closest in a garment bag. Although she had to admit, he looked amazing without it. His deliciously tight t-shirt showed off that lean upper body with the muscles on his bare arms flexing and jumping as he moved.

“It's early yet. We can play cards or maybe watch some TV,” he suggested.

“Some mindless TV would be good.”

It was so much easier to obsess about his yummy goodness than to think about her friends and family back at her house. Buffy felt bad that she was content here with Spike while they mourned her death. She shook her head, trying not to think about it.

Going to a chest against the wall, Spike pulled out a pillow and a chenille blanket. He tossed the pillow down beside her on the couch and leaned against it. He gathered her in his arms, wrapping the blanket around them.

“Just relax, luv.” He told her in that wonderful, deep voice of his as he maneuvered them into a horizontal position.

Buffy relaxed against him and let the low volume on the TV lull her unconscious.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep, but she came to slowly when he shifted his weight and tensed up.

“'lo, Platelet.”


With her arms crossed, Dawn tapped a foot and stood over them. “Well this looks cozy.”

“Are you okay?" Buffy sat up quickly. "Does Giles know you came here?”

“I'm doing okay, considering that I just found out my sister is a vampire. And yes, I told him I was coming here.” The girl's sad eyes darted around the room, avoiding her sister.

“And he let you come here all on your own, in the dark?” Spike asked her with narrowed eyes.

Standing up, Buffy straightened her clothes before gazing at Dawn. She desperately wanted to hug her and make the hurt go away for her little sister.

“Okay. I left him a note on the kitchen table. They were talking in the living room and they made me go upstairs. I wasn't going to just sit around while they talked without me. I slipped out the back.”

One minute, Dawn was staring at her with red puffy eyes, and the next, the girl was launching herself into her sister's arms. “Buffy. Buffy!” she cried.

Buffy felt the overwhelming need to run again, but she looked at Spike and found strength in his eyes. Dawn needed her, so she hugged her tight and let her cry. Spike disappeared from her line of vision and she heard the grating noise that the cover for the lower level made when it was moved.

“Here. Sit.”

Dawn's lower lip trembled as Buffy wiped the tears away and held on to her face. She was such a pretty girl even when she cried. The only light, coming from the flickering TV, bounced off her sorrow-ridden face. Buffy used her thumb to wipe away another warm tear.

“It's going to be alright.” It didn't come out as strong as when Spike said it, but she was beginning to believe it now. She could be strong. She had to be strong, because Dawn needed her.

Dawn grabbed Buffy's hands and put them in her lap. “You're my sister, but they wouldn't let me in on their little meeting.”

“You could have gotten really hurt walking over here by yourself after dark.”

“I don't want to go back there. Can I stay here with you tonight?”

Buffy glanced back at Spike who was coming up to the top level. Hopping up on to a sarcophagus, he lit a cigarette.

“Okay, you can stay here tonight, but we'll have to share the couch.”

“Actually,” Spike said. “You two can have the bed. There are clean sheets and I lit a few candles for you.”

He stood up as they passed him. “I think it would be a good idea to have Dawn go home in the morning and let the others know she's okay.”

Buffy nodded as she started down the ladder. She stopped when Dawn came up to Spike. The two were almost nose-to-nose.

“Ask me if I care what you think.” Dawn sneered at him and he was taken back by her anger. “You pervert.”

Spike raised an eyebrow and smirked at her. Buffy knew he was just putting up a wall to cover the hurt; she could see it in his eyes.

“Dawn!” Buffy looked softly at Spike, feeling bad for him, before she frowned at Dawn. She had a lot of explaining and lecturing to do to her little sister. “Come on.”

As soon as her feet touched the ground, Dawn went straight for the night table. She stared at Buffy with accusing eyes and held up the framed picture. “You've been staying here? With him?” She put the picture down and used two hands to lift up the black duffel bag. “And what about this? When did you get all this stuff?”

“Spike got it for me last night.”

Buffy sat on the bed and patted the spot beside her. Dawn sighed and sat down with her.

“What happened with Spike before the summer wasn't all his fault.”

Dawn nodded her head. “I read about this. Many rape victims feel like it was their fault. It's not your fault.”

“I wasn't raped. Xander told you what he believed happened. It wasn't like that.”

“So he didn't try to rape you?” Dawn asked, clearly confused.

“We pushed each other over the edge during that time. We both did terrible things to each other.” Buffy reached over and smoothed the hair away from Dawns face. “I need you to believe me when I say that we were both wrong. I wasn't ready to admit that when Xander told you about what happened. I was wrong to let you think he was the bad guy all this time.”

“But he is the bad guy, right? The evil soulless demon with a chip in his head.”

“There's no way you believe that, Dawn. He protected you and loved us. He wasn't all evil. Look at how he watched over you when I was...gone that summer.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike sat in his chair nursing a bottle of bourbon. One bottle wasn't enough to get him drunk, but it was enough to make him feel mellow. He watched “Movies 'til Dawn” on channel 13. Tonight they had a very poorly done Viking movie showing. It was worse than even the normal bad for this time of the night.

When the girls had first gone down stairs, he'd heard loud voices that turned into soft murmurs. At some point, much later, he heard Dawn's loud laughter and Buffy's softer laugh. An hour ago, things had gone quiet and he fought the urge to go down there and make sure they were both covered up.

The topless, oiled and bronzed Viking was just getting off the ship and preparing to conquer the land and people when he heard someone come up the ladder. Dawn stood by the opening, hugging herself, so he used the remote to hit the mute button.

“Everything alright?” He didn't know how to act around her anymore. He didn't want to say the wrong thing or set her off.

“Yeah.” She walked closer to him and sat on the arm of the couch that was farthest away from his chair. “I used to always think it would be cool to have a sleep over here.”

“Yeah?”

“I didn't realize how cold it would be down there, even in the summer.” She rubbed her arms and shivered.

“You'd probably rest better in your own bed.”

“Yeah.”

“Shall I walk you home then?”

Dawn was quiet and kept stealing glances at him as they made their way across the graveyard. Spike was on full alert. It wouldn't do to have her get killed while big sis was fast asleep in his bed. As soon as they hit the street he relaxed just a little knowing that most demons would be sticking near to home this close to sun up.

“Buffy says I should forgive you for what you tried to do to her.”

“Really.” If he talked too much he'd end up putting his foot in his mouth, so he just kept walking with his hands in his jacket pockets.

“She wouldn't give me details because I'm still like a kid, but she says she was partly to blame.”

He stopped short and she turned to face him. “She is wrong. She is completely blameless. And all of it--every last bleedin' thing was my fault.”

He walked past her and kept up a fast clip. Spike could hear her shoes clicking on the payment as she caught up to him.

“So I shouldn't forgive you then?”

“You do as you like. Just don't blame your sister for any of it.”

“My sister is no saint you know. I think I will forgive you.”

She nodded firmly and looked serious so he did his best not to smile at her.

“Thanks ever so.”

They made their way across a deserted Main street. “I tried to convince Buffy to move back into the house, but she says her very sunny room is no place for a vampire. She told me to let Faith stay in her room.”

“Makes sense.”

“I suggested the basement. We'd have to fix it up for her but she says she doesn't want to make any decisions right now.” She grinned at him. “I think she feels right at home in your crypt.”

He'd be happy if she never left his crypt again or his bed for that matter. His mind wandered as he pictured her stretched out there now. Would she mind if he slipped in beside her when he got back? He quickened his pace a bit more. He looked over at the Bit. He loved the girl, but she sure could talk.

Spike walked her to the front door and planned to stand by his tree for a few minutes to make sure all was well in the Summer's place, but Dawn grabbed his arm and pulled his head down to her ear.

She whispered, “Meet me at Buffy's window real quick.”

She was gone into the house before he could respond. He stood there for a moment, shrugged, and made his customary way up to the window. Squinting when the light went on, he watched her go to the closet and disappear into it. As she backed out, Dawn struggled to hold up a fancy blue garment bag that was as tall as she was. She slid the window up and pushed the bag at him.

“Buffy wanted me to get this in the morning and bring it to you.”

He unzipped it and peeked in. His duster. Spike could not believe that Buffy kept it, but he couldn't possibly wear it again. A brief image of Nikki on the train floor with a broken neck flashed into his mind. Jerking his hands away from the cool material, he zipped the bag up.

“The sun will be up soon. You need to hurry.” Dawn told him as she shoved the bag all way out the window. “One more thing.”

He couldn't take his eyes off the bag or bring himself to pick it up off the ledge.

“If you have that old thing back, you don't need the bomber do you?” When he didn't respond, she asked, “Can I have the bomber?”

Spike looked up at her hopeful face. “Oh sure, Nibblet.”

He shrugged out of the jacket and passed it to her. Clutching it with a smile on her face, she thanked him as he jumped down with the garment bag.

He attempted to run at full speed back to his crypt, but the bag kept tangling him up and slowing him down.