Willow was pretty proud of herself. She'd gotten herself and Buffy out of the house for a much-needed girl date, despite having absolutely no help from Buffy. Willow had clenched her teeth and asked Spike to watch Dawn - it was better than asking Tara, that was for sure - and cajoled Buffy into dressing up a little. Really, if Buffy didn't stop wearing so much grey and black Willow was going to scream! And now they were sitting at the Bronze, full of pizza and maybe gearing up for ice cream, and Willow felt it was going well. Buffy had talked a little about her money worries, and how she felt about Giles leaving, and how she was glad to have gotten back into college but that she really hated Romantic Poetry. Willow had managed to only mention Tara twice - ok, maybe three times - and had stuck to her inner rule of not mentioning magic or Spike's stupid protection spell, since that seemed to annoy Buffy. 

But now, drink in hand at the bar, Willow couldn't resist anymore. She was so excited to tell Buffy about Yllaine, and maybe it would get back to Tara and maybe... Willow turned to Buffy.

"So, Buffy, Giles called me," she began. 

"Really?" Buffy's face fell. "He hasn't called me at all since he left, even though he promised to."

"Uh, I think it was from a payphone or something. He sounded like he was in transit somewhere and really busy. And it was a short phonecall because he just had one important thing to tell me!"

"What was that?" Buffy asked, and even though Willow sensed that the question was obligatory it was enough invitation. 

"Ok, well, he told me that he'd talked to the Devon witches and that they recommended someone who could be a better teacher for me than he could. He said this lady would... um, not get pissed about some of the stuff I've done, and help me, um, ...not have to use magic all the time." That was Willow's least favorite part. Giles had actually called her a specialist in advanced magic and "magical rehabilitation" because apparently even powerful people got overwhelmed by magic's potential blah blah blah...

"That sounds great, Will," said Buffy. "Do you have to leave Sunnydale, though?"

Willow heard the defeat in Buffy's voice with that question, and was happy to be able to make it go away. "No, no, she's here! Her name is Yllaine and I met her yesterday, and she's amazing. She knows all these white magic spells and has so many books... I wish I'd met her before! She's so beautiful, and really kind. She's not mad at me at all, and she makes it sound so easy to not do magic all the time."

"How's that?" asked Buffy.

"Well she can sense the residue left behind by a spell, and she explained that a lot of it actually makes things around you... stickier. Like your spells aren't as precise or sometimes not as strong when you've done lots of little things. Which makes so much sense! So not only is there a good reason not to use magic for convenience, but she could tell if I had anyway and I want her to like me. I think you'd like her too, Buffy."

"Yeah," Buffy nodded her head a little. "Maybe you can bring her to dinner in a few weeks, or something."

"That sounds great, but she's all... strict student-teacher relationshippy right now. I'm hoping she'll relax after she sees how committed I am, though."

"I'm sure she will... I'm happy for you," said Buffy. 

Willow had almost finished her drink, and as she gestured to the bartender for another she decided to just go for it. "Buffy... are you happy? I mean, happier? I can't tell... I can't even tell if you blame me or not. For -" Willow took a deep breath. This was the sort of thing Yllaine would do, she told herself. Acknowledge verbally her mistakes. If Yllaine ever made any, which Willow kind of doubted. But. "For pulling you out of heaven," Willow finished.

"Oh, Will..." Buffy paused for a long time, and Willow felt a kind of sick ball start to form in her stomach. "Of course I don't blame you. I know being here is better for Dawn but-"

"Dawnie told me the first thing you said when you came back was "is this hell?" interrupted Willow.

"Um - I don't remember. It might have been. It's not that you were wrong -" Buffy hesitated. "It's just hard for me. I want to be here with Dawn, and you, and when Giles was here I felt..."

"It's hard but it's getting better, right?" Willow prompted. 

"Yeeeah, I guess." Buffy drained the rest of her drink. "Anyway, I don't remember heaven as much as I used to."

"Well, Buffy, you can always rely on me," said Willow, proud of her friend for moving forward. "I will always try to help." The witch took what she deemed an adequate pause. "So anything happen with that protection thingy of Spike's?"

Buffy ordered another drink and shook her head. "Not that I can tell. It hasn't hurt me, if that's what you -" 

"No, no," Willow lied. "Just curious!"

"I dunno, I guess I haven't gotten in trouble fighting recently. And maybe it's a one shot deal, or something."

"Or it could just not be working! Maybe Spike broke it when he was bringing it back."

"It did seem to hurt him a lot, when it transferred to me..." Buffy sounded reluctant, so Willow decided it was time to change subjects.

"Whatever, I'm sure you'll find out." Willow patted Buffy on the back. "BUT while we're on the subject of spells, can I tell you about this one Yllaine is going to let me try?!"

***************

Spike was assiduous in ignoring the popcorn that was being aimed at his head in regular intervals. They were watching a bloomin' Bogart flick, didn't teenage girls like the moody secret-filled look anymore? Apparently not, because finally Dawn flung a whole handful at Spike and just started talking over the movie.

"Ok, Spike, come on! Why don't you come over anymore? You watched me almost every night for a whole summer - don't you miss me? I miss you! Buffy is so meh all the time and nobody tells me anything. And now you just want to sit quietly!"

"I don't come round that often for a lot of reasons, pet," said Spike, finding a pool of patience inside himself. "One, nobody has asked me."

"I'm asking you!" 

"TWO, there's not the need anymore, so much. Willow is home to keep an eye on you and vamp activity is down."

"But it's down because there's a bogeyman here! You should be extra watchy right now," complained the teenager.

"When Buffy asks for me, I'll be here," said Spike. "You, too, if you want to know. I just don't want to come round when you and Buffy might need some time together." 

"When Buffy spends time with me it's like hanging out with a bowl of pudding," said Dawn. "Actually, worse, pudding is tasty and edible. Buffy is just... there like a gelatinous puddle. She hardly talks to me. I told her I had a crush on this guy Zac, in my class, and she just nodded!"

"Maybe your crushes aren't all that interesting, eh?"

Dawn hit Spike with a pillow. "I at least expected some kind of cross-examination and lots of warnings about boys! Plus, Buffy used to think hearing about my crushes was fun. And Zac is so... perfect. He's got red hair - I know, right? who would've thought I'd go for a ginger! - and the best hands, and -"

"Dawn," Spike remembered why he used to like feeding on teenage girls - when the chatter ceased it was flippin' blissful. "I don't think hearing about your crushes is fun."

Dawn skewered the vampire with a look, in that way only put-out 16 year olds can. "Ok, SPIKE." She folded her arms. "Let's talk about your crush. On my SISTER." Spike hooded his eyes and thought about murder. "Come on, it'll be fun!" 

"Shut up, Dawn."

"Actually, you're right. I don't want to talk about Buffy, exactly. What I really want to know is: are you ever considerate and sensitive towards anybody else?" Dawn raised her eyebrows and half-pouted and Spike found himself startled. What a question.

"Well, Niblet, depends on what you call considerate," he tried.

"Just ‘cause you have a pet name for me doesn't mean you don't have to answer the question," Dawn shot back. Spike winced. "You're so... smart with Buffy. You seem to make her more relaxed than any of us these days, and that's gotta be because you're actually thinking about what she wants."

"Not exactly..." Spike said, giving in to the kid's line of questioning. She was a Summers, it wouldn't stop until he addressed it. "I guess I think about what she wants but I don't worry about it. You lot worry about it, left right and center. Buffy doesn't want to be worried about. Makes her feel pressured and like she has to lie. I just let her be and sometimes talk to her like I did before."

"I try to make it like it was before, and it doesn't work!"

"Not make it anything," said Spike, knowing as he said it that he was trying to make something - make Buffy love him. But that was besides the point, here and now. "I said treat her like before on occasion, not pretend that she's the same. You're not always going to get a response from her for now, Dawn. She's been through a trauma and needs to be gently reminded of who she is, not whacked over the head with it."

"Who's whacking anybody?" demanded Dawn.

"Well, I'll be whacking Zac if he puts a single orange-fuzzed little toe wrong," Spike said, done with the conversation. "I may not be as ‘sensitive' as you hope, Niblet, but my promise to protect you is... up to my own interpretation." He dug up an evil, unpleasant smile for her. 

"Uhhhh Spike!" squealed Dawn. "I don't even know if he likes me, and besides you can't hurt humans!"

"I can get one good blow in," retorted Spike, "and I doubt Zac would need much more than that."

 "Who's... blowing Zac?" asked Willow, and the two looked up to see her and Buffy in the door frame. Willow started to giggle, "Not me, that's for sure!" 

"Willow! Dawn's right here!" 

Spike could feel Buffy's sisterly ire from the couch. He stood up, popcorn falling everywhere, and turned on the light.

"OW," Dawn protested, shielding her eyes. "Spike, we haven't finished the movie. And Buffy I know what a blowjob is, how old do you think I am?"

"You weren't watching the movie, pet," Spike cut in. "And I should be off, the ladies are home now." He sniffed and waggled his eyebrows. "Even if Red is a little drunk."

"I am NOT," said Willow, and gave Spike a rather hard ‘friendly' punch.

The vampire looked down at his arm like it was painted blue, and then looked at Willow. "Oh, we aren't chums, Red. So I think that little bit right there proves you're not in your head."

"Shut uppp, then, Spike, if we're not ‘chums'," Willow made a face at him.

"Ok," Buffy jumped in, even though Spike could see how tired she was. "Will, let's get you up to bed. Dawn, why aren't you in your pajamas?"

"Cause it's Friday night!"

"And now it's way past midnight," said Buffy. "Go get ready for bed."

"But I'm not tired," the younger Summers seemed like she was about to start in on a right proper whine, so Spike intervened.

"Dawn, listen to your sister. Go to bed now and I'll come visit again before the weekend's out." The girl looked at him with suspicion. "For a while. I'll come just to visit YOU. Now quit acting like a cranky toddler."

"Fine," Dawn started to flounce towards the stairs and then stopped. "And stay away from Zac!"

The name started Willow on another giggling fit. She followed Dawn up the stairs, asking "Dawnie, who's Zac? And why is Spike blowing him...?" That made full-on laughter tumble down from the upstairs landing, and Spike caught even Buffy grinning a little.

"You think that's funny, eh love?" asked Spike, sauntering into Buffy's personal space. "Don't tell me you wouldn't like to watch."

Buffy shoved him, but playfully. "Is there something you want to tell me about your... interests, Spike?"

"I was expecting another ‘gross' if truth be told," Spike said, surprised into genuineness. 

"Well if men can be into watching two women I don't see what the problem is!" Buffy moved so she fit into Spike as close as she could without touching him. "Awww, Spike, did I catch you trying to make me uncomfortable?" 

She HAD caught him out, and now the vampire was somewhere between aroused, intrigued and embarrassed. Spike looked down saw Buffy's face, full of humor and recklessness. He tried to think of some response, but was all caught up in the idea of Buffy getting over her prudishness... and how close she was. Before he could make up his mind on what to say, Buffy got right into his face and started kissing him. Spike's mind went empty, but his arms wrapped themselves around his girl. Buffy dominated the kiss, controlling Spike's mouth with hers and positively vibrating against him. He could taste a hint of - bourbon? - warm and sweet to his lips. Buffy brought a hand up to his throat and squeezed a little, and Spike felt himself respond with a thrust of his hips as she gently choked him. Then she pushed his chin back and took her lips down along his jawline, then his throat. She kissed where she had choked and moved on to his collarbone, where she laid on a dozen tiny kisses, then a nip. At the delicate touch of her teeth, Spike had to swallow a moan. Buffy kissed him once more, right where she'd nipped, and then backed off.

"Something to take your mind off... Zac," she said, wickedly. "Night, Spike, you should get going." 

Spike's head wheeled as she went up the stairs. If that was Buffy getting even, who knew what was in store if they ever moved on to the main event. He thought about waiting outside for a bit, sneaking up to her bedroom, but decided against it. Better to not push his luck, and to let her sleep off that bourbon. Spike left, and as he carefully closed the door he snickered a little to himself. Rather fond of this crush of Dawn's already, he was.