It always was, after the annual apocalypse.
Buffy didn't know why, but she was grateful nevertheless. There were so many things left undone, now that real life started to pound against her door again. Bills and more bills. There seemed to be a never ending supply of them.
She had to close down her mother’s gallery, which was particularly hard for her to do. This was the last thread of her mom’s life coming undone, which left Buffy feeling utterly alone. On top of all the emotional turmoil, the exhausting hours she spent working on liquidating the art gallery didn't help with her growing pile of bills. Since most of the art was only on commission, there was little money left once she had paid the gallery’s expenses, broken the lease and returned the commissioned pieces to the artists. The few exhibits the gallery actually owned didn’t tip the scales.
Her friends spent their summer away from Sunnydale. Willow and Tara had gone to a camp celebrating the wiccan midsummer solstice. Buffy was uncertain what they actually did there - cut barley, brew elixirs, meditate or maybe dance nude in the moonlight? The witches had been really excited to go on their first vacation together and they had started talking about moving into their own apartment near the campus when the next semester started.
Xander’s idea of summer fun was a car ride to hot, dusty Las Vegas. He still flinched when Willow teased him about his last attempt at a road trip, which landed him just a few miles outside of Sunnydale in a strip club. Maybe he’d have better luck this time. Of course, with Anya as company, this trip might end up in a demon strip club. Anya had been excited about the prospect of going to the Mecca of all gamblers. She’d claimed to be a crack at Black Jack, so no doubt she was ecstatically counting her winnings every night. Poor Xander would have a hard time standing against that attraction.
Giles had been summoned by the Council back to the mother country at last. The official reason was to train him in the newly installed computer-based research library. Buffy wasn’t very happy about Giles spending so much time at the Tweedie’s evil headquarters. She was sure they would at least try to indoctrinate him again. Now that she had him housebroken… Giles had also intended to utilize the vast resources of the Council’s collection of ancient texts in order to do some more research about the properties of the Key. Buffy agreed with him; they had to learn more about the nature of the Key. Just because the lock was gone didn’t mean that the Key’s power was gone too.
So, everyone was away. This left just her and Dawn.
And Spike.
One day in early summer Buffy had found Dawn at Spike’s crypt, watching Passions with him, snacking on chocolate Weetabix, and chatting. It was innocent enough, so Buffy didn’t intervene. Spike seemed happy with the arrangement. When Dawn wanted to visit her friend Janice after dark, it was Spike who accompanied her. Soon he was spending more and more time at the Summers’ home, joining them for pizza nights, even watching chick flicks with them.
And it didn't creep her out. She was even grateful to him for keeping Dawn out of trouble. How weird was that?
The Spike she was coming to know was so different from the evil enemy who’d first come to Sunnydale and tried oh so many times to kill her. Who would have thought that he’d make such a great babysitter? Well, a hormone-driven-teenager sitter more accurately. He tolerated Dawn’s antics and had endless patience listening to her chit-chat about everything and nothing. He even succeeded in getting Dawn to read and talk about books – in her free time, just for fun.
One afternoon Buffy came into the house to find the two of them, Spike and Dawn, lounging together on the sofa. They had a heap of books between them and were reading passages to each other. Not just any passages: Shakespeare! They were reciting ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and Dawn had insisted on being Puck, while Spike impersonated all other characters. Buffy was just glad that Dawn’s school-girl crush on him had converted into something more like the adoration for an older brother.
Which made him Buffy’s older brother too – ICK! That didn't sound right, but Spike evaded all definition. What was he to her? He was constantly changing, redefining himself and his position in her world. He’d snuck into her life and now he’d dug himself in, firmly rooted, sometimes irritating, but always noticeable. Like a small stone in her shoe. Or a grain of sand in an oyster…
It was a warm night in early August. Spike was sitting on the steps of the back porch with Dawn while she prattled away about something her friend was interested in. Latest fashions, movie stars, the new ‘in’ boy band? He wasn’t really listening, but would utter an undefined grunt now and then to keep up appearances. Spike leaned back on one elbow and stretched out his legs. Savoring another deep drag on his cigarette, he stared up at the starlit sky and wondered how Buffy’s patrol was going.
He didn’t mind being here and watching over Dawn, because when Buffy came home she would normally sit with him and tell him what went down. But he would have preferred to accompany her for a spot of violence. The calm and quiet was getting on his nerves. And when he got antsy he was more likely to put his foot in his mouth and get into a row with the Slayer. Or go to Willy’s to get drunk and provoke a brawl, which didn’t do much good either.
Besides, getting drunk wasn’t as much fun anymore. Firstly, it was a waste of money, since one disapproving glance from Buffy sobered him up quicker than you could say, “Salvation Army.” Secondly, he feared what he might say when he was down under. Buffy hadn’t mentioned anything about him declaring his love to her since the incident with the cattle prod and the shackles; one of his less than stellar ideas. He didn’t want to risk their tentatively evolving friendship with some stupid drunken confession. He may be impulsive, but he was no idiot.
Suddenly he noticed that Dawn had stopped talking. There was a roaring, like thunder rolling down the deserted street. Stupid, stupid, stupid! He should be the one with the fine hearing and he missed it while mooning after Buffy.
He pulled Dawn to her feet and over to the back door. “Niblet, quick! Go inside and don’t turn on any lights. I‘ll take a look and be right with you, yeah?”
Bloody hell! Spike watched as a large group of gleaming motorcycles came cruising around the corner, each straddled by a hunk of a demon. The riders were all clad in tarnished black leather jackets, adorned with crudely painted signs of a horned beast in flashy red and yellow colors. Hell Riders! What were they doing here? They might look like dangerous buggers, but even as a group they had avoided a direct confrontation with the Slayer and skipped Sunnydale for easier pickings.
Crouched behind a bush, Spike observed through the foliage as the convoy stopped at the intersection and, after some heated discussion, divided into smaller groups. He looked over his shoulder back at the dark, deserted looking house, where he caught a glimpse of Dawn peeking out the window. What should he do? Look for the Slayer or keep watch over his Niblet?
As he hesitated, he heard the sound of boisterous laughter and breaking glass echoing up the street. This tipped his decision and he returned quietly to the house. Taking care of Dawn had to be his top priority. Buffy could fight for herself, but she would never forgive him if Dawn got even a scratch. Hell, he would never forgive himself.
“What are they?” Dawn assaulted him as soon as he entered the kitchen. “They sound dangerous! Will you fight them? What do we do now?”
Spike rummaged through the weapons chest. Bugger all! After the fight with Glory, they’d never gotten around to replenishing the weapons supply. Where could he keep Dawn safe? The Magic Box would be his best bet. Nobody would expect someone there after closing time. Good timing for the bloody Scoobies to be out of town, when he needed them to watch over Dawn. He knew it was unfair, but he felt better for blaming them. He yearned to get Dawn someplace safe and then find Buffy as quick as possible. There were far too many bikers for the Slayer to handle on her own.
Spike turned back to the agitated girl and laid his hands soothingly on her shoulders. “Dawn, listen to me carefully. We’ll sneak out the back and head over to the Magic Box. The training room has a sturdy door and there’re no windows to smash in. You’ll be as safe as houses there. After you’re securely tucked away, I’ll go and help Buffy, yeah?”
As she nodded hesitantly, Spike grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door. “And keep as quiet as you can, Niblet. No sense in alerting the bad guys.”
He smiled reassuringly at her and off they went, meandering through moonlit back yards and deserted alleys, always staying hidden in the shadows, until they arrived at the shop. Good thing Buffy and Dawn had been entrusted with the keys to the shop while Giles was out of town. Spike would have hated to have them vulnerable in the open while he fiddled with the locks.
He tucked Dawn in a dark corner behind some training equipment, piled some mats up around her and checked to make sure she was invisible to an intruder. After he reminded her a last time to keep quiet and stay put, he let himself out into the night again, locking the door quietly behind him.
It had been a boring patrol, not even a fledgling provided a short distraction. Irritated, Buffy stomped through the dark, deserted graveyard. She kicked a stone across the lawn and sighed. She hated to waste her time like this. She could be at home, eating ice cream with Dawn and having a sisterly chat; maybe watching one of the rented movies with her. Dawn loved the ones with the happy endings. Buffy knew that Dawn felt neglected and even Spike’s company couldn’t compensate for her need for her family… or what was left of her family.
When Buffy heard the thunder of the arriving demons, the quiet night she’d just lamented turned into a nightmare. She knew that such a large group of demons were even beyond her fighting capacity. She’d been able to pick off two lonely bikers who had stayed behind to loot apparently empty houses. Mostly they had fun smashing windows and overturning cars and setting them on fire. You would have thought at this time of evening that there should have been more people around, but everybody seemed to be hiding. Good for them and good for her. So the field was clear and she didn’t have to shove bystanders out of the way or worry about accidently hurting an innocent.
Buffy was sure Spike had taken Dawn somewhere safe, somewhere the demons would never bother to look for her. In her heart she knew, she could entrust him with her life and with the life of her sister. After all, he’d made a promise to a lady... But now she was going to need Spike’s help, and soon. As Buffy warily worked her way towards the center of town, she kept an eye out for him.
Buffy had eliminated another small group of the demons vandalizing the Espresso Pump. They weren’t as tough as they looked, with their armor and metal-clawed gloves. There were just too many of them. When she arrived at the main street, she cautiously explored the area. Acrid smoke from a burning garbage can stung her eyes and obscured her sight. She began gagging on the fumes as the smell of charred litter, smoldering plastic, and the cracking of the heated metal assaulted her senses.
As Buffy stepped around the corner of the movie theater, what she saw made her jaw drop. Had she stepped into some bizarre dream world? She wiped her eyes to make sure she was not dreaming. On the dark street, only lit by the flickering flames from a burning car nearby, stood Spike, motionless. Feet spread wide, black coat billowing in the breeze, arms slightly to the side. Poised like some gunslinger of forgone time.
Opposite him was an imposing demon, wearing a feral grin and revving the engine of his motorbike to an earsplitting roar. Spike only squinted his eyes, not blinking, not flinching. His whole body quivered under the intense concentration as he waited for the demon to attack.
Suddenly, the Hell Rider let loose the bike’s brake and it sprang forward with a giant leap. It thundered down the street, directly at Spike. Move, move, move! Buffy chanted silently, holding her breath as she watched, transfixed. But he didn’t. He just stood there, staring at the approaching avalanche. She dug her nails into her palms. Surely he must know what he was doing. But hell, she didn’t have a clue.
Just as the bike reached him, Spike sprang in the air as if gravity didn’t exist for him. Like a giant bird, he flew up and up, black leather wings spreading out as he somersaulted over the demon’s head. At the apex of the curve, he reached down and neatly snapped the demon’s neck; she could hear the loud crack over the thunder of the bike’s engine. With a triumphant roar, Spike gracefully touched down behind the tumbling bike.
Wow! Double wow! Crouching Dragon meets the Matrix. She knew that, although the movies did it with wires and stuff, Spike was putting this down for real. He was exhilarating to watch, graceful and deadly, and she shivered at the little jolt of pride that zipped through her.
Spike turned and sent her his best ‘Big Bad’, shit-eating grin. He was so full of fun and life that it seemed to radiate off him in waves. How did he do it?
“There you are, luv. Was lookin’ for ya. Wanna dance? There must be still some beasties ‘round!” With that he pulled the heavy bike effortlessly up and gave it a quick check. “Dawn’s safely tucked away, so you don’t have to worry ‘bout ’er.”
A well of joy opened up inside Buffy and she began to giggle as the bubbles of pure delight tumbled up her throat. “Well, I don’t want to spoil your fun. I can just sit back and watch you finish up the horde,” she teased. ”Maybe it would be fun to watch some old western next time? We might even find a red cape for you to play toreador… or a lance for a joust…” As the giggling crescendoed into a full blown laughter, Buffy bent forward and put her hands on her knees to keep from collapsing on the pavement.
“Ah, nothing better than a bit of violence once in a while. But I’m generous, don’t mind sharin’ the fun.” He grinned back at her, then settled onto the bike and patted the seat behind him. “Jump on and we’ll see who wants to ‘ave a bit of the rough and tumble tonight.”
And that they did.
They’d chased the last of the demons out of town and far beyond the, “You are leaving Sunnydale,” sign before Spike cut the engine of his bike and dropped the kickstand. Buffy slid off from behind him as she watched the demons’ tail lights disappear on the horizon.
"Told you, it’d be fun.” Spike smirked as he dismounted, caressing the smooth curves of his new acquisition. “Always wanted a motorbike and this little lady is just what the doctor ordered."
Spike leaned back against it with a smug grin, his thumbs hooked behind his belt buckle, his long fingers framing his crotch and drawing Buffy’s eyes down. "They say bikes make the girls horny."
The sight was so outrageously cocky, she couldn't help it but breaking down in another fit of giggles. “You… you are… so full… of yourself, Spike!”
At that he just raised his eyebrow mockingly and grinned at her. "Let's get you home luv, before you’re unable to hold onto yours truly anymore. I’d hate to lose ya on the ride…"
She could only nod, tears of laughter streaming down her cheeks. God, it was good to laugh.
Buffy swung up behind Spike and leaned against his back, her nose buried into the soft, well worn leather of his coat… and hold on she did. Her right hand sneaked under the protection of his coat to lay flat against his tight stomach. She could feel his muscles jump under her touch as she snuggled closer to him. Then off they went, and all she could do was hold her breath and press her face against the nape of his neck, his loosened curls tickling her skin.
The trip was over too soon for her, as they arrived back at the Magic Box to retrieve Dawn.
“Spike! This is sooooo cool!” Dawn gushed when she saw the motorcycle. “Where did you steal it? Will you take me for a ride too? Buffy, can I? Please? Say yes! God! This is sooo awesome, wait ‘til Janice sees me!” Dawn spilled out the words so fast, that Buffy was afraid her sister would faint for lack of oxygen.
When Buffy saw Spike’s indulgent smile, she couldn’t deny her sister. “Okay, but only if Spike agrees and you have to wear a helmet and… proper clothes – boots, jeans… you can borrow my leather jacket. And you have to go slow and stay off the freeway.”
With a squeal Dawn flung herself at Buffy “You are the best sister ever!”