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A/N: First, I'd like to thank everyone that has reviewed. It is always nice to know the work is appreciated.
Second, this is a warning, there is mention of Buffy/Other this chapter, nothing graphic, but still a warning. Just remember it is a Spuffy story eventually.


Spike left Tara in charge of the pasta as he went to greet Giles.

"Spike," Giles nodded, waiting to be invited into the home.

"Come on in Watcher, Buffy said to expect you. We're just sitting down to dinner if you'd care to join us."

"Yes, thank you." Giles was stunned at the vampire's behaviour.

Dinner was made with small talk. Dawn held most of the conversation, babbling about school, boys, and her new part-time job. She was working for Anya stocking shelves. She worked after school and had to contend with Xander and Willow, but for the most part she simply ignored them and Anya kept her busy working, no time for socializing when there was money to be made.

Dawn and Tara went to the living room to finish their school work. Spike cleaned up the table and dishes while Giles prepared them some tea.

"So, tell me," Giles began, getting two mugs down. "Why?"

"What do you mean?" Spike asked, trying miserably to act innocent.

"You know what I bloody mean, so tell me what I want to know."

"I don't think it's a good idea to speak to me like that in my own home Watcher."

"I'm sorry, I'm just trying to understand."

"What's to understand?" Spike asked. "I love them. It's hard not to. I wanted to make sure they had a home. Dawn needs stability, she's had so much go wrong. Buffy will need a place to live when she ever returns. I don't need this, I was content in my crypt. Somebody had to take care of them though. They like to think they're adults, but not one of them is really ready. I'm not molly-coddling. I don't do that. Dawn needed a parent, and the Slayer can't take care of it all. She was dead, happily finished her existence in heaven with her mum. She was done and to be brought back here, shoved back into it all. It's a hell of a lot of responsibility for one person. Especially when her supposed friends dump it all back on her. And she's too young herself to have to raise a teenager alone."

"She spoke with me about most of that. It was too much. I am as much responsible as the others." Giles nodded. "What I want to know is why and how?"

"I like this house. It's belonged to Joyce." Spike replied. "And the money, how can I afford this, the house, taking care of Dawn, basically financing Buffy's trip?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think? I'm over a hundred and twenty years old. You don't think I own some property, have investments, bank accounts all over the world? I may live meagerly, but I don't have to."

"So all the money you'd asked for and stolen was what exactly?" Giles asked.

"I was evil, what did you expect me to do?" Spike rolled his eyes.

"Spike?" Dawn called. "I have some questions." Dawn plopped down on the island beside him.

***

Giles decided to remain in Sunnydale for a few weeks. He wanted to witness the interactions of the group.

Dawn and Anya seemed to work well together. The teenager became quiet and focused only on her work as the others showed up. She took her dinner break across the street with a boy from school. They worked on their homework together.

Giles spoke with the social workers about Dawn's progress. He witnessed the changes in her when he visited the house and the Magic Box. He could tell Anya was becoming increasingly annoyed at her fiance. Tara was happy in her home. Spike kept the demon population in check.

Giles saw the amazing job that Spike was doing here in Sunnydale. He was going to be leaving after having a serious talk with Willow and Xander. He really hoped they would realize their mistakes.

***

As Buffy traveled through Europe she enjoyed many things each local culture had to offer. She wrote home plenty of times, calling more often to know what was going on there. She missed home though, at least certain aspects of it. There was a different reason she loved each place she visited. That reason usually made her feel something. Something that put a spark back inside. She finally had her chance to discover things about who she was on her own. She was beginning to like who she was meeting.

There were still the moments of doubt. The moments of loathing. Moments where she almost picked up the nearest sharp object and reopened old wounds. In those moments she called home, knowing that talking to him would clear things for her. It often did, but she would be loathe to call him unless she was alone. She wasn't always. Buffy knew it hurt him to know she was with others. That she wasn't his.

***

Spike knew she thought he was hurting when she called and she wasn't alone. He was hurt, but it he knew she would never be his, not really. He'd accepted that, he wanted her happy. He wanted her whole again. If others helped her along the way, he knew she needed them.

***

"It has to stop." Willow shouted as she entered the magic box. Dawn and Anya looked up from their inventory count and rolled their eyes. They went back to their work.

"She needs to be back here. She needs to never have left. Then everything would be normal."

"No one here wants to listen to your crap Willow." Anya blurted. She moved onto the next shelf, motioning Dawn to follow.

"What?"

"We're tired of it." Dawn replied. "Even Giles knows it's going good. I know he told you to quit it. It's not like Buffy's never been gone before."

"She doesn't need to be." Willow protested.

"Yes, she does. She can't take care of me Willow, she hasn't grown up yet. Neither have you." Dawn spat. "Anya, I'm going for my break now."





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