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Author's Chapter Notes:
I want to thank the wonderful Sanity Fair for the beta. She has whipped this fic into shape.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything
Chapter Four: The Importance of Friends

Spike and Dawn walked down the street in silence. Dawn could tell Spike was thinking hard. The fact the vampire looked miserable was the only thing that kept Dawn from tearing into him. She could clearly see he still loved Buffy.

"You have been spending too much time with Angel!" Dawn declared, suddenly breaking the silence.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Spike met her gaze for the first time since they'd started walking.

"Since when do you brood? I thought Angel was the one who had that down, patented and trademarked."

"Don't compare me to Captain Forehead. I don't brood."

"Could have fooled me! What's all this then?"

Dawn decided not to push the issue and changed the subject when he didn't reply. "So, Spike, please tell me you checked into a hotel and not a crypt."

"Don't worry. I have a room somewhere. Are you hungry? I can hear your stomach rumbling."

"Actually, I am starving. I was going to order some pizza until I discovered a formerly incinerated vampire all undead and well in my sitting room. However, I know a late night cafe that serves some mean wings."

Spike and Dawn walked into an American style diner, which was almost empty. He gave a small smirk as he spotted the red booths and the American flags. She gave him a sheepish grin. "My home away from home," she admitted.

A red haired waitress waved at Dawn. Dawn walked over to the woman and smiled brightly.

"Hi Stacey, can we please have two orders of Buffalo wings and one Coke, please."

Dawn noticed Stacey looking Spike over from head to toe as he found a table. She leaned over the counter to whisper in the ear of the dark haired teenager. "Hey Dawn, you've got yourself a looker there."

"Settle down, Stace. You have got it wrong, he's a friend." Dawn laughed at the absurd notion.

"More fool you, then. He's hot. Do you think he would take my number?"

"Hey hands off! That is my sister's ex. You have met my sister and that 'looker' is called Spike."

"You said ex, Dawn. That makes him fair game!"

"They are..." Dawn searched for the right word. Stacey looked curious but said nothing.

"They are complicated" Dawn finished, "Besides, Buffy is very possessive."

Stacey gulped. "I remember seeing Buffy knock that six foot body builder into orbit that one time. I think I'll keep my distance."

The teenager headed back to the table to Spike, where he was smirking. Of course he'd heard the whole conversation. Vampire hearing how could I forget!

"Nice to know I still have it."

It wasn't long before Stacey brought their food to the table. Spike reached for his wallet.

"Thanks, pet, and keep the change." Spike passed her enough to cover both his and Dawn's meals and a generous tip.

"You are such a flirt! Don't be encouraging her." Dawn punched him in the shoulder.

"Okay, mum. What can I say? Some men have it and some men don't." Spike was simply preening. She couldn't help but giggle. It was nice to see that gleam in his eye again, even for moment. It had been missing all evening. Once the giggles subsided, both the vampire and girl lapsed into silence again. Their thoughts were both focused on the same person: Buffy.

"What was that back there Spike?" She looked at him curiously. "Even if you are wrong you usually still shoot your mouth off. It was like you had given up."

"Yeah, but she was crying, and it was because of me." He carefully studied the scratched table.

Dawn sighed. "You know she will forgive you, right? You may not deserve it. Buffy's pissed at you right now and I am as well, but you kind of have a get-out-of-jail-relatively-unscathed card. I think she missed kicking your ass."

The vampire gave reluctant grin at that. "I missed that too!"

"Pervert!"



Meanwhile, Buffy was getting restless. It had been almost two hours since Dawn and Spike had left. She couldn't help feeling the sudden grip of panic for fear he wouldn't return, and that left her with a terrible sense of loss. It was so frustrating.

"Damn vampire," she muttered to herself. She couldn't get properly angry at him, because every time she did she would remember, not a few hours ago she was under the impression he was nothing more than dust at the bottom of the Hellmouth. She was delighted this was not the case, but she simply couldn't understand why he'd felt the need to keep it from her. He claimed he loved her but surely his weren't the actions of a man in love. She decided she needed to train. Maybe, it would help with venting her anger. She had her own training room, but she usually liked to train with the Slayers. Tomorrow she was going to call in sick. There was no way she'd be able to concentrate, and she feared she wouldn't get a wink of sleep for the night. Buffy walked into the barely used training room and her eyes landed upon the punching bag. She briefly recalled a moment from the last night she'd spent with Spike, after she had returned from her surprise reunion with Angel. Spike had drawn a picture of Angel on the punching bag. She was tempted to take a leaf out of Spike's book and draw a picture of Spike and thump the punching bag off its chains. She quickly laughed the notion away. She thought of how Spike and Angel had been fighting side by side while she was in the dark, and Buffy's punches quickly became harder. How could they? Angel certainly wouldn't have been encouraging Spike to see her. She expected the whole "for her own good" from Angel and even her friends, but never from Spike.

"Stupid, selfish..."

The chain holding up the punching bag creaked ominously.

"...pain in the ass"

This time the punching bag came right off the chains and hit the wall on the other side of the room.

Buffy sighed in defeat. This was clearly not helping. Perhaps a night's slayage might do the job. I am going to have me some vampires for dinner.



On the way back from patrol, Buffy passed by Xander's place. She was surprised to see that his light was still on. She felt a jolt of affection for her male friend as she thought about how despite Xander's own dislike for Spike he'd been able to put that aside and convince the vampire of his stupidity. She rang the doorbell and a sleepy looking Xander appeared in the doorway. She threw her arms around him. He looked as though it took a moment for his sleep deprived brain took a few moments to catch on. He grinned sheepishly. "Is this about a certain not so dead bleach boy?" He gestured for her to come in and closed the door behind him.

"Thanks, Xan, for giving Spike a talking to. He told me for once he would grudgingly admit that you spoke some sense."

Xander looked bemused. "I am glad Buff. How are you?"

"Honestly, I don't know." She gave him a weary grin.

"So have you staked him yet?" Xander wiggled his eyebrows.

"Not yet. It was a close call though."

Xander nodded and squeezed her hand. "I think the Buffster is in the need of ice cream and being the great friend that I am, I will oblige" Buffy couldn't help but laugh as Xander bowed, ironically.

"Yes, sad Buffy and ice cream are decidedly mixy." Buffy took her friend by the arm, and they headed for the kitchen.



Buffy was feeling a lot more positive the following morning. She had spent the night at Xander's place. She really should spend more time with Xander. Just as the morning sun was coming into view, Buffy arrived back home. She opened the door and was surprised to hear the sound of somebody rooting around. She took up a fighting stance and headed into the kitchen where she could hear a disturbance.

"Thank god for slayer stealth" she muttered. Buffy pulled open the door and came face to face with her shocked sister. Dawn screamed which was a major feat in itself considering she had a mouthful of pancake. When the sisters recovered from the shock, they burst into laughter.

"Trust you to make it sound like a herd of elephants in my kitchen!"

"Your kitchen? Ha! Have you ever made a proper meal in your life?"

"I can cook...sometimes. Beans and toast are my specialty, and I always provide a great take out."

All of a sudden, Buffy remembered she'd sent Dawn away with Spike the previous night.

"Where's Spike?"

"He asked me to give you this." Dawn reached into her handbag and pulled out an envelope.



To be continued.


Chapter End Notes:
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