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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, it means so much to me. And sorry about the delay with the update after I promised to do so more often. I'm about a month away from my wedding so things are getting really hectic, but I promise to try to update quicker. I have a few chapters written so hopefully I'll get on it :)
Thank you as always to the beautiful and wonderful Mari for betaing this chapter and for her encouragement! *huggles* to you :)
Enjoy everyone and please review!
Chapter 11 – Leaving the past behind

Buffy walked in the front door with a growing feeling of nostalgia. She hung her coat on the banister, moving toward the mumbled conversation in the kitchen. Mrs. Johnson must have brought Dawn home early.

“Hello?” Buffy called from the hall, not wanting to interrupt quite yet.

“Oh, hello dear,” Mrs. Johnson emerged from the kitchen in her mother’s apron. “Dawn and I were baking some cookies. Would you like one?” she asked, warm smile gracing her features.

“Sure, that would be great,” Buffy replied following her into the kitchen. Dawn was perched on one of the stools, an empty plate in front of her, drinking a glass of milk.

“Hi Buffy,” Dawn greeted with a toothy smile.

“Hello, Dawnie,” Buffy kissed the top of her head and sat next to Dawn. Mrs. Johnson placed a cookie and a glass of milk in front of her.

“Well, since you’re home now, I’ll be going. My grandson will be visiting me tomorrow so I best get cleaning,” she smiled at Buffy and slipped off the apron before letting herself out.

“Did you have a good day at school today?” Buffy asked her sister.

“Yeah, it was okay. We did some crafts today and Ms. White read to us.”

“Well that sounds fun,” Buffy savored the cookie while contemplating the best way of brining up the topic of moving with Dawn. She cleared the plates and helped Dawn climb down, “Why don’t we go into the TV room, sweetheart. I have something I have to talk to you about.”

“Okay,” Dawn followed Buffy and climbed up next to her on the sofa.

“I was just talking to Giles because I had a visit from a man from the bank today. You know the bank is where we keep all of Mom and Dad’s money right?” Buffy wanted to do this slowly and carefully.

“Yeah,” Dawn was looking at her hands, head bowed. Buffy had a feeling Dawn could sense the gravity of the situation. Kids are a lot smarter than we think

“Well, I thought we had a lot of money left at the bank, but the man told me that we don’t. So I went to ask Giles to help me and he said that we may have to let another family live in our house for a while,” Buffy watched Dawn closely.

“You want a family to live with us?” Dawn looked up at Buffy, not understanding.

“Well, no, not with us. We’d have to live somewhere else,” Buffy felt her eyes start watering again as she took in the crestfallen expression on Dawn’s face.

“We’d hafta live somewhere else? Where?”

“Well, you and I, and maybe Willow, would have to go look for a place to live,” Buffy saw Dawn’s tears form and fall. “I’m so sorry, Dawnie, I really wish we could stay.”

Dawn cried in Buffy’s arms, not wanting to leave the house where Mommy had lived with them. She liked it here. There was a big backyard and a tree and a porch swing. And her favorite hiding spot would be taken away from her. Buffy had cleared out the closet a few weeks ago, giving their mother’s old clothing to Good Will, but it still felt safe.

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

When an hour later there was a knock on the front door, Dawn had stopped crying and was napping on the sofa next to Buffy. She rose quietly and went to open the door. A pacing Spike greeted her on the other side.

“Buffy, are you okay?” Spike immediately folded her into a hug. She reveled in the smell of leather, tobacco, and spice that was so uniquely him.

“Yeah, fine,” Buffy assured him. “Dawn’s sleeping in the TV room. Let’s talk in the kitchen.”

“Da’ told me you came to see him,” Spike started as soon as they entered the kitchen. He didn’t know how Buffy would react to him knowing, and it had taken a while to get it out of Rupert.

“Did he tell you why?” Buffy asked, tone not betraying how she felt.

“Reluctantly,” Spike replied with a soft smile, he leaned against the counter, spreading his legs wide so he could pull Buffy closer.

“So you know, we have to move?” Buffy searched his face, praying he wouldn’t pity her.

“Yeah, luv. I’m sorry,” Spike brushed a stray hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek. He wasn’t sure what to say, so he just held her.

Buffy was relieved in a way that Spike already knew about her conversation with his father. She did feel a little betrayed at the same time however, seeing as it was her story to tell. But she knew that both of them cared for her and Dawn, so somehow it was a secret that wouldn’t have taken long to reveal. For now, she wanted to enjoy the strong comfort that Spike offered her, before she had to get back to dealing with real life again. Life seemed so much simpler lost in his embrace.

“Should we check on your lil’ sis, luv?” Spike broke the silence a while later.

“Probably,” Buffy murmured into his shoulder. “I just don’t know what to say to her. She understands, but she’s five, so there’s a limit, you know?”

“Yeah, luv,” Spike pulled her face up so he could meet her eyes. “But it’s nothing a good story can’t solve. And we’ll make her as comfortable as possible. ‘S all you can do.”

Buffy tilted her head to accept the soft kiss. His firm lips felt so right on hers and she quickly felt herself melting into him as he slipped his tongue out to tease her bottom lip. She parted her own lips bringing her tongue out to tangle with his, sliding her hands up his well muscled arms. When she pulled back to catch her breath she felt the all too familiar stirrings of desire coursing through her body. If only Dawn wasn’t in the other room…

When the kiss was broken Spike found himself shaking with desire he was barely able to restrain. He wanted Buffy more than he’d ever wanted anyone before. His pants were becoming progressively tighter, causing him to shift uncomfortably. What he wouldn’t give to throw her down on the kitchen bench and shag her senseless this very second.

“We really should check on Dawn,” Buffy searched his eyes, her own reflecting no small measure of regret. She asked herself for the millionth time if it was fair to keep Spike waiting because of her responsibilities.

“’Course, luv.” Smiling kindly he patted her on the bottom and turned her toward the living room. “I can’t wait to have you alone one of these days, pet. Waiting is but the sweetest torture,” he murmured in her ear, fanning the fire inside her.

Buffy groaned out loud causing Spike to chuckle. At least the feeling was mutual.

“Before we go wake bite-size,” Spike pulled up short. “Why don’ we go to the Bronze tomorrow? Rupes’ll watch the tiny terror, we’ll invite your mates, and jus’ take a night off for relaxin’.”

Buffy turned to face him, a mega-watt smile on her lips. A night Bronzing it up would be heaven. One night to be a normal college girl sounded like the sweetest sin she could imagine. The new boots she had bought on a whim the week before may finally get some use.

“I take that grin o’ yours as a yes then,” Spike said when she continued to stare off into space.

“Sounds great! I’ll call Wills and Xander tonight,” Buffy couldn’t help smiling as she felt like her old bubbly self again.

“Mind if I bring along a mate o’ mine? She works at the natural remedies shop in the mall,” Spike asked. “Tara was one of the firs’ people I met when I moved here. We have lunch sometimes. A real sweet girl.”

Buffy raised a brow at his glowing description, a twinge of jealousy churning in her gut.

Spike laughed at her petulant expression. “I assure you, luv, she’d be more interested in you than me.”

“W-what?” Buffy scrunched her nose up in confusion. Her eyes widened comically when she understood what Spike had meant.

“Come on, princess, off to wake sleeping beauty,” Spike laughed and pushed her through the door to the living room.





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