The maid woke Dawn up at exactly 6:00 in the morning, just as she was asked to. She stayed in the room until the young girl was out of bed, wanting to be sure that she would wake up. On her way out the door, she took Dawn’s nightgown to wash for the upcoming trip.
The younger Summers pranced around the room, giddy about her day with Spike and Buffy. She took a quick shower then dressed herself in a plain skirt and shirt. Sitting in front of the vanity, she did her hair. Dawn brushed it back and held it together with a ribbon to keep the hair off of her face.
She paused to look at her reflection; she appeared older and her hair had grown fast in the three and a half weeks she had been in the foreign world.
Dawn was excited to tell her friends about her trip. She realized she wasn’t able to tell Janice, but she would have so much to share with Tara. Tara was always a good listener.
The maid came in to announce that it was 6:45. The Key rushed out the door to pound on Buffy and Spike’s door to see if they were awake and ready. Even if they weren’t she wanted to play with the pets until they were finished getting ready.
Buffy woke up at 6:00 and rolled over to smile at Spike. She basked in the feeling of happiness and comfort ability she always felt when lying next to him.
Spike woke up to find his mate staring at him with a silly grin on her face.
“Excited about your day with Dawn?” he laughed.
“And with you. We can go to the beach and then for a walk in the garden and then we can have our last lunch on a picnic in the garden. Then we can watch the sunset somewhere of Dawn’s choosing. Then we have to collect the trees and Dusty and Fuzzball and we get to go home!“ she paused to catch her breath. “Do you think we can sleep in the single for a day until we arrange the sleeping arrangements for the next day,” The Slayer rambled with enthusiasm.
Spike was glad to see her excited and nodded. “I think that can be arranged. We will just have to snuggle very closely,“ he purred.”--and find a place for the pets to sleep.”
Buffy laughed, “Dawn will probably want them in her room at least until they have their first baby, then she’ll probably want the baby.” Spike chuckled and shook his head as Buffy got out of bed, “Come on, it’s shower time!”
Thirty minutes later, Spike and Buffy were dressed and sitting down at the table to eat some breakfast. Buffy was starving and Spike was eating because he enjoyed the food.
Buffy laughed when she heard the banging at the door.
“Dawn, you can come in, we are dressed and eating.”
Dawn rushed into the room, “Food! I just ate in my room but yours smells so much better than mine did.” She pushed Buffy almost off her chair, trying to sit on the corner as she started to munch on Buffy and Spike’s plates. Buffy and Spike both looked at each other and shook their heads. Spike handed his plate and offered her his seat as he went to talk to Helena.
Helena announced that usually the King gave money to those who win and offers a job but since he could do neither to the traveling couple, he would instead offer their clothes and anything else they wanted.
Spike smiled. “The clothing would be great. I’m rather enjoying the way the soft leather feels and Buffy looks great in them.” Buffy turned around clearly embarrassed hearing Spike talk about her in such a fashion.
Dawn and Buffy both had finished their food and Dawn stood up.
“We have to go meet Titana and Ogie!! I put on my bathing suit under my skirt and shirt only you can’t tell. Can I have a towel?”
The maid nodded towards Dawn as the last part she said was in the native language. The maid disappeared to return with three furry towels. Buffy and Spike picked up Fuzzball and Dusty, and then Spike grabbed is duster to put on. Dawn carried the three towels.
Spike was wearing shorts because Buffy had insisted on it, telling him that he could not skinny dip with other people around. The Slayer and her sister were in their bathing suits.
At two minutes after 7:00 they made it to their destinations. Everyone was introduced and the party began.
Dawn grabbed Fuzzball and Dusty to race with Titana and Ogie to the beach as Spike took a few minutes to walk, side by side, holding Buffy hand.
Spike whispered, “I love you, Buffy and I promise I won’t let anything happen in Sunnyhell to change that, especially not the opinions of others.” Buffy nodded in agreement and placed a kiss on his lips. He could feel her desire through the claim but held back the kiss. “Luv, we have to be getting used to waiting.”
Buffy pouted playfully as they continued their way to the beach. Buffy paused to admire the site in front of her; Dawn was splashing in the water with her two friends and having a grand time it appeared.
Spike saw a far away look in her eyes as she leaned against him and opened the claim to hear what she was thinking. He heard her thoughts echo through her head, ‘I haven’t seen Dawn this happy since before mom died and it wasn’t even a real memory. I wonder if life will ever get back to normal between mom dying and now my new life. I don’t want to be normal, I just want to have a routine that I can settle in.’
She looked at Spike when she felt his presence in her mind and smiled. He smiled back, also shocked by what he heard. He was thinking she’d be wishing for kids of her own or wishing for a different future, not just Dawn happy and for a routine. He squeezed her hand slightly and looked up at the sun as though memorizing it for last time.
He thought to Buffy, ‘Shall we?’
She nodded and shed her skirt and shirt, leaving on her bathing suit that she had put on underneath. She watched as Spike removed his shirt and pants, leaving on the shorts he had protested in wearing.
Buffy ran off in front of him while shouting, “Last one in is a rotten egg!”
Spike laughed as he raced after her. He caught her just before she touched the water and whirled her around as she shouted, “Cheater!”
He dragged her with him as he walked backwards into the water, getting his feet wet before Buffy.
He grinned and placed a kiss on her cheek. “You’re rotten, dear.”
She wiggled out of his grasp and dove into the water and came up. “Haha, I was first!”
He chuckled and swam after her. Dawn watched with a slight smile on her face, glad to see her sister so happy.
Titana and Ogie stared after them as Titana whispered to Ogie, “Do you think we will have that someday?”
Ogie nodded and gave her a gentle kiss, “Yeah, probably takes years to get that comfortable.”
Dawn overheard their conversation so she decided to join in. “They fought for a year, only to be reluctant partners to kill Buffy’s ex-boyfriend who was trying to end the world. Then they fought when he returned for another year only to again be reluctant partners against a few more evils. Then fought again once or twice off and on for another year only to have Spike fall head over heels for her. She finally started to get along with him only to die and be brought back a wreck and they finally get thrown together and fall in love on a trip to save me. No love is perfect.“
The three watched as Spike dunked Buffy, only to have her come up to gasp for air. The vampire came up gracefully. Buffy whined and splashed water. She got water in his mouth and he playfully spit it back at her.
“You don’t have to breathe!”
Spike chuckled and went under the water just as Buffy jumped up to try to splash him. Confused for a moment, the slayer glanced around trying to part the water with her arms to find Spike when he suddenly popped up behind her and splashed her with water, “All the better to get you with my dear.”
Buffy gasped as suddenly Spike grabbed her swinging her around in the water as he tickled her. He finally stopped and she wrapped her arms around him. She leaned in close to kiss him, resting her forehead on his. It was then that she noticed their audience. She blushed as she pulled away, embarrassed.
Dawn smiled at her two friends, “See, no love is perfect and no journey is easy but it’s the results that matter.”
Titana held Ogie’s hand under the water as Buffy and Spike swam over to the kids.
Spike splashed Dawn. “You’re too dry!”
Dawn whined. “I was trying to keep my hair dry.” Spike chuckled and dunked her gently under the water to let her up immediately as she sputtered, “Now I look like a drowned rat!”
The others laughed, thinking that about covered how Dawn looked with her ribbon dripping in her face and her hair drenched.
After two hours of playing in the water and then having a game of ‘kick the grass ball’ around on the beach, everyone was laying on the beach to relax; Dawn was lying down, playing with Fuzzball and Dusty, Spike was lying with Buffy and resting her head on his chest. They were both enjoying the feeling of the sun on their skin. Titana was lying on her towel, sunbathing while Ogie skipped rocks on the water.
Spike could tell the morning was winding down and motioned for Dawn to come to him.
He whispered to her, “Want to say goodbye to your friends? I think we should head back, get some grub, then see about taking a walk if that’s ok with you?”
Dawn nodded eager to see the garden.
“Can you show me where you found Fuzzball and Dusty on the way home?” she requested.
Spike nodded and woke Buffy, who had been sleeping, telling her it was time to go.
Dawn gave her friends a hug and Ogie came over to Spike and offered a handshake. “Thank you so much for helping me to win back, Titana. We couldn’t have done it without you. I’d probably be dead if it weren’t for you.”
Spike chuckled and slapped him on the back. “Nah you’d have won.”
Both Ogie and Spike knew better and he patted Spike on the back. “Thanks just the same.”
Titana smiled at them. “We are going to walk back separately. I’d like to spend a bit longer sunbathing.”
The group nodded as Dawn picked up Fuzzball and Dusty. They had been running around in the sand. Spike collected his duster and the towels and together the three started to walk back.