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Chapter Three


Dawn shifted in her seat, uncomfortable. An annoying man behind her kept accidentally knocking the back of her seat with his knees. She wanted to say something or to kick him really hard, but she just turned to look outside the window, clutching her bag to her chest. Miles of pavement whizzed past, headlights and reflectors twinkling in the inky blackness. The swift steady movement of the bus was relaxing and the darkness played like a lullaby, wrapping her up like an infant. Her long legs ached from sitting and her stomach gnawed furiously at nothing. She wanted nothing more than to give herself over to slumber, but resisted. Dawn fought to keep her eyelids open as they grew heavier by the second. She knew what Buffy would say if Dawn were to fall asleep on a bus full of strangers. Then again, she knew what Buffy would say if she knew her little sister was on a bus heading for Vegas. She shrugged, figuring it was best not to add to the lecture she was sure to receive, by compounding it with a trip to the hospital or the police station.

Secretly, there was another reason for forcing herself to stay awake. Dawn knew something was wrong, something serious and frightening that scared her from closing her eyes for fear they would never open again. She had heard the saying “waking up dead” and always thought it was ridiculous. How could anybody “wake up” dead? But, God help her, that was exactly the way she felt. Of course she might be wrong. But watching Ashley die… No. Dawn pushed the thought from her head. She wouldn’t think about that now. She wouldn’t think about any of it now. She pressed her forehead to the pane, trying to soak it all in, the lights, the road, and the cars careening down the highway. People were traveling, going home, going to work, and just going. She couldn’t help but wonder if Buffy and Spike were among them. She swallowed the lump in her throat, blinking furiously. She missed them so much.


******


They were on the road again. They were always on the road. Another night spent in another seedy motel, no different from the first, with Spike sleeping all day; the occupants in the next room changing every hour. The rhythmic banging and manufactured moans were almost more than Buffy could bear. She was already wound tighter than a ball of string, and it was getting harder and harder to detach herself from emotion.

She glanced over at Spike, who seemed to be engrossed in his driving. It was his fault, Buffy decided. Looking so good, making her want…..probably not good to go down that road. She sighed, closing her eyes. Turning, she pressed her forehead against the cool glass. It was going to be a long trip.

Spike glanced at Buffy out of the corner of his eye. Did she have to turn in the seat like that? Didn’t she know what a perfect view she was giving him of—he abruptly turned his eyes back to the road. Better not let his thoughts stray that way. Still…he looked at her tempting bottom once more, making sure Buffy didn’t notice. Letting his mask slip momentarily, he smiled.

“What are you smiling about?” Buffy half asked, half demanded.

Spike looked at her, startled. Then, against his will, his eyes slid down to her backside again. “Me? Nothing!” He said shrilly.

She followed his eyes down. Her mouth opened in surprise, and her cheeks flushed red. “Spike!” She squeaked. “You are such a perv!” She scrambled into the backseat. “Do NOT look back here under any circumstances!”

“Well, you can’t really blame me, pet. Shoving it in my face like that. I can’t help but look, you know!”

“Shoving it in—” Buffy broke off, seeing the smile on his face. He started to laugh, and then she did too. Just like that the tension was gone. Rolling on her side she smiled at the back of his head. "Wake me when we get to a hotel."

"You mean you don't wanna keep pointing out all the license plates?" Spike teased her about the game she had suggested earlier.

With closed eyes Buffy spoke. "You really should have played. It's fun."

"Doesn't sound like a good time to me."

"Well," Buffy huffed. "You don't know what a good time is."

Spike didn't offer a rebuttal; instead he caught a glimpse of her in the rearview mirror curled up on her side like a contented cat. He knew what a good time was, quiet moments like this. A smile from Buffy was rare, and a real smile? Those were almost nonexistent. He could count on one hand the times she’d given him a smile like that, and he treasured every one.

*****


The lights were blindingly bright as Dawn sat enthralled by it all, waiting for the bus to pull to a stop. The whole city twinkled; neon colors and noise filled the streets. Sidewalks packed with people at even this late hour. It just was so alive.

Her foot tapped impatiently as they got stuck in a line of buses unloading. She wanted out, she wanted to explore. Dawn had never been to Vegas before. Buffy had gotten to go, she had a skating competition, but Dawn was too young. She still remembered the disappointment about being left at home, even if it never actually happened. There was a nagging gnat of a thought that told her not to linger, but the youngest Summers pushed it down. She was in Vegas; Sunnydale could wait a day or two… She was probably wrong anyhow.


*****


Two hours later, Spike pulled into the parking lot of a Holiday Inn. It was late, a little after midnight. His eyes were tired, straining to read the sign that advertised two nights for the price of one. He knew they should stay on the road. Knew that they needed to get to Dawn, but he was already beginning to lose strength. It had been over two days since he had fed and then it had been pig’s blood, with no real strength to it. He would have to find some time to discreetly slip out to a butcher's without Buffy noticing. Didn’t want her reading too much into him not drinking the blood she had handed to him, a promise was a promise was all. He reached back and shook Buffy gently. “Luv? We’re here.”

Buffy sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. The first words out of her mouth were: “We can’t afford to stay here!”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Yes, we can. It’ll only be about sixty-five dollars, and that’s for two nights. Can we go inside now?”

Buffy looked at him, and then proceeded wordlessly to the office. Spike shook his head and followed.

"Spike! Why did you pay for two nights?!” Buffy hissed at him as they walked out of the manager’s office. “We are supposed to be looking for my sister! This is NOT some little vacation!"

Spike waited a minute to answer. He couldn't very well tell her he was getting weaker by the minute, and he was only standing up straight by sheer willpower.

"Buffy, luv, we don't even know where Dawn went. It's a pretty safe bet that she's headed for Sunnydale. We can't keep going non-stop like this! You haven't eaten hardly anything, I haven't-" He broke off, realizing what he'd almost let slip.

"I haven't been sleeping well." He covered smoothly. "We need to recharge our batteries. If you are going to fight your sister back into hiding, you had better be at your best! You Summers' women are known for your stubbornness!"

Buffy looked at him, thinking. She was pretty beat, and hungry. She touched her hair. She really wanted it dyed. She smiled. "Alright, Spike, you win. But just this once. After all: me Slayer, you Vampire? We should be able to go like the energizer bunny!"

"Well, if you want-" Spike began with a leer.

"SO not what I meant!" Buffy interrupted.

Within twenty minutes, they were in the room standing on opposite sides of the only bed. They stared down at it, then at each other.

“You know we aren’t going to—I mean—we can’t—Spike?!” Buffy finished, frustrated.

“Relax, pet. I promise I won’t try anything. If I do, you can kick me out of the bed, okay?” Spike said soothingly.

Buffy looked at him, chewing her lip nervously. She wanted to fight about it but what was the point? She couldn't fix the hotel being out of double beds. “Okay.” She said finally. “But if you do try anything, I'm gonna kick you extra, extra hard in the.... Umm..." She blushed slightly, unable to articulate, feeling for all the world like she was back in middle school. "Well, I will kick you somewhere it will hurt!" And with that she turned and rushed into the bathroom to take her shower.

Spike stood for a moment baffled and slightly amused at her antics before collapsing on the bed. With a shaking arm he managed to prop himself up as he fumbled with the remote. He didn't care what was on the telly, but he didn't want Buffy to think anything was different. Nonchalant, that was the key, he might tease her but he didn't mention how much he loved her, and she did her part by acting as if she didn't know. He would find a way to feed later, for now he could play normal.


*****


The air was hot and dry attacking Dawn's lungs, making it difficult to breathe. She held on the rail as she descended the steps, soaking in the city. There were people everywhere, laughing with each other, embracing, lovers, friends, family. She alone stood apart with no one to greet her. Her stomach grumbled again, another reminder that she had spent the last two days living off junk food she could sneak into her bag at stops. She followed the crowds out of the bus station, trying to blend in. Once the herds of people thinned, getting into cars or haling cabs, she could see this wasn't the best place to be alone at. This wasn't the glitzy strand she had seen on her way in, no they had dumped her about ten miles south of that. The sidewalks were narrow and littered with advertisements for strip clubs and all you can eat buffets, a cruel joke on her sad state of affairs. She briefly entertained the thought of eating and then sneaking out the bathroom window to avoid the tab, but decided against it. She wanted to remain as anonymous as possible, not bring more attention to herself.

She trudged onward, arms wrapped tightly around her bag, goosebumps dotting her neck despite the heat. Her mind raced in circles, now what? Where was her great plan now? She hadn't even given much thought to how she would get from Las Vegas to Sunnydale. God, how could she have been so stupid? She wanted to sit down on the curb and cry, to just give up right then and there. The exhilaration of being in Vegas had vanished as quickly as chips on the blackjack table. Spotting a tiny chapel she sat on a green painted bench just outside the door.

A payphone sat a few feet from her, hanging against the white washed brick of the small building and Dawn thought it looked like a nagging mother forcing her to do what she hated the most. She didn't want to call home, if Buffy answered the phone what would she even say? 'Hi I'm in Vegas. Can you come and pick me up? By the way, can you wire me money for food, too?' Yeah that would go over real well. If Spike answered it would be different. He wouldn't ask stupid questions, he would just make sure she got what she needed. Problem was, she couldn't be sure.

Of course there was always Giles or Willow. Sunnydale was a few hours away sure but it wasn't exactly a long distance road trip. She ticked off the numbers in her head; they came slowly, a fuzzy haze of time making them difficult to remember at first. She repeated them out loud, rearranging digits till it sounded correct and then stood. It wasn't the best of plans but it wasn't as if she had a lot of options. Picking up the dirty receiver she dialed 1-800-COLLECT and waited for the operator to connect her, praying that her little nagging feeling of something not quite right, was wrong.





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