Two vamps, a girl, and a prophecy

Summary: What happens to Spike (and Angel) after ‘Not Fade Away.’
Rating: NC-17 Explicit sexual descriptions (later on), some language.
Pairings: Dawn/Spike, with a small side of Buffy/Xander.
Feedback: Yes, please. This is my first time posting a fic, so be gentle!
Archive? : Ask me first.
Beta: I need one!
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em. I’m just borrowing them for a while since Joss isn’t using them anymore. If I was making any money off of this, I would own a much better laptop!!!

Chapter 22

“Well, gee, I would have but I didn’t think Buffy would approve,” Xander chuckled, standing up. “I’m gonna go see what’s taking Faith and Angel so long with that soup.” He jerked his thumb toward the doorand then retreated quickly, leaving the two women alone as Buffy crossed to Dawn’s closet to retrieve her robe.

“They’re probably…too excited to concentrate on cooking,” Buffy mumbled to herself as she came back to Dawn’s side and tossed the robe on the bed.

“Do either of them even know how to cook?” Dawn wondered aloud.

Buffy smiled affectionately at her and said, “Don’t worry, Xander will make sure you get something to eat as soon as your done your bath, sweetie.”

“Yeah, he is good that way,” Dawn mused as she pulled the robe toward herself. “How am I going to take this off with this stupid thing?” She asked impatiently, tugging on the front of her nightgown and then pointing irritably at the IV in her arm.

Buffy looked at it thoughtfully for a moment and then sighed. “I think it’s probably safe to take it out.” She smiled at Dawn’s triumphant ‘cabbage patch,’ then scolded gently, “Hold still or this’ll really hurt!” With the efficiency of someone with years of practice removing her own IVs, she quickly removed the surgical tape and pulled the flexible needle from Dawn’s arm, causing only a slight twinge of pain.

“Thanks, sis!” Dawn beamed at her older sister. She held a tissue over the area while Buffy ran for a bandage, and then quickly slipped her nightgown over her head. “Um, what’s with the lack of undies?” She asked as she slipped her arms into the sleeves of her dark green terrycloth robe and tied it shut.

“You don’t want to know. Just trust me, it was easier that way,” Buffy answered, chewing on her lip and waving her hand around vaguely.

“What was easier? God, what did you guys do while I was asleep?” Dawn teased, realizing there were probably certain aspects of her care while she was unconscious that she would rather not know about. Ever. She figured she was very lucky that she hadn’t woken up in a diaper or something.

Buffy snorted. “Well, I can’t answer for Spike…” She winked, then shook her head dismissively and laughed when Dawn mock gasped and clutched her hand to her chest. “And as far as the nurses are concerned, you probably really don’t want to know.”

Dawn laughed embarrassedly. “Nurses? So you didn’t have to…”

“Noooooo! A world of no!” Buffy laughed. “Change of subject, please.” She shuddered. “I leave other people’s personal hygiene completely up to them, thank you very much!”

“You know, you’re going to have to change the baby’s diapers and stuff…” Dawn giggled, relieving her own discomfort by taking advantage of her sister’s.

“Uh uh! That’s Xander’s job. I’ll feed the baby, he’ll take care of the other end…” Buffy smiled sweetly, looking very satisfied with herself.

“What if Xander’s not around? What if he gets stuck in an elevator for a week and a half? You’re gonna make that poor baby sit around in wet nappies, waiting for Daddy?” Spike asked from the doorway, smirking knowingly when Buffy bit her lip. Turning to Dawn he said “I’ve asked her that three times now, and she still hasn’t answered. You might want to invest heavily in diaper rash cream.” He flipped his eyebrows playfully and Dawn giggled.

“You’re a brat!” Buffy scowled at him, pushing him gently to the side as she headed out the door. “I would think you’d have better things to do than pick on a poor, emotional, very hormonal slayer” She emphasized her words heavily, and when he swallowed nervously, she smiled triumphantly and kissed him playfully on the cheek. “If Xander gets stuck somewhere, I’ll just make Uncle Spikey change the ‘nappies.’” She announced brightly. With that, she skipped as lightly as she could in her present condition out the door.

Spike watched her go with an odd look on his face, then swallowed heavily again and turned back toward Dawn. “Come on, luv. Let’s get you in the tub.” He smiled a bit weakly and walked over to the bed.

“Are you okay?” Dawn murmured, stroking his cheek. To her surprise, instead of picking her up as she’d expected, Spike slipped his arm around her waist and helped her stand up. She smiled gratefully at him as she rose, slightly wobbly, to her feet.

“I’m fine, luv. You?” He grinned at her as she leaned into him, trying to adjust to being upright again as the room seemed to sway wildly under her feet for a moment or two. Despite her disorientation, Dawn noticed that the grin didn’t reach his eyes.

“You said you wanted babies,” She pressed as they started walking slowly toward the door. With each step she felt her strength returning, and by the time they reached the door, she was able to fully support her own weight. Smiling shyly, she slipped her arm from Spike’s shoulders to his waist and bumped her hip against his playfully before they stepped into the hallway. “Spike?”

Spike rolled his eyes and leaned over to kiss her briefly on the lips. “I’ll be okay. I only had about five minutes to think I might get to be human. I’ve had a month to get over it.” He shrugged slightly, kissed her again, and grimaced. “No offense, but you really need to brush your teeth, too.”

Dawn gasped and covered her mouth. “Oh my god! You people are the worst group of medical caregivers ever!” When she saw his eyes twinkling mischievously she lowered her hand and smacked him in the stomach with it. “That’s not nice. Buffy’s right, you are a brat!” She scolded as he began laughing heartily. “After everything I did for you, this is how you show your appreciation?” She pulled away from him with an irritable grunt and crossed her arms, glaring petulantly at him.

“Sorry, luv. You know I’m a bad, bad man,” He grinned shamelessly and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, guiding her into Buffy’s room, and then the master bathroom. He had filled the large garden tub with hot water and rich, vanilla scented bubble bath, and there were dozens of lit candles sitting on the marble ledge surrounding the tub and on the vanity on the other side of the room. “Let me make it up to you?” He gestured at the tub and leaned over to turn the water off.

Dawn smiled grudgingly, then laughed. “Okay, but can you go get my shampoo from the other bathroom for me? I hate the stuff Buffy uses…too fruity.” She blushed when he looked down at the tie on her robe, knowing that he knew she was too embarrassed to remove it in front of him…yet. She just wondered if he knew about her hairy legs.

“Will do,” Spike replied softly. “I’ll be right back. Take it easy, no cannonballs into the tub or anything.” He ordered with a wink before he ducked back out the door.

Letting out a soft sigh of relief, Dawn immediately dropped her robe to the floor and climbed into the tub. “Oh God, that’s good,” She moaned happily as the hot water soothed muscles she hadn’t even noticed were aching. Deciding that Buffy would forgive her for borrowing her razor just this once she quickly took care of her spider leg problem, finishing just before Spike stepped back into the room.

“How’s the water?” He asked, licking his lips, seemingly unconsciously, as he gazed at her from the doorway.

“You could come find out,” Dawn invited, reaching toward him.

Spike smirked and sauntered across the room. “I think maybe that’s a bad idea. For now…” He shrugged apologetically and nodded his head back toward the hallway. “It sounded like the mother hens were getting a tray together for you when I walked by the living room.” He rolled his eyes slightly and knelt beside the tub. “I believe I promised to wash your hair, though.” He said consolingly when she pouted at him.

“Fine,” Dawn smirked at him. “Take your shirt off, though.”

“Oooh, bossy,” He winked, obeying immediately. “Planning on getting me wet?” He asked as he pulled the spray nozzle from the side of the tub and pushed gently on her shoulders to get her to scoot down further.

“It’s only fair…I don’t have a shirt, why should you have one?” Dawn giggled, staring unabashedly at his chest out of the corner of her eye as he leaned over to wet her hair.

“Did I ever tell you how much I admire your sense of justice?” Spike chuckled. Dropping the sprayer with a loud ‘thunk’ that made Dawn jump slightly, he flipped open the shampoo and poured some into his hand. “C’mere, lean back…” He patted the side of the tub, then looked around and grabbed a towel, placing it on the ledge and gently tilting her head back until she relaxed against the side of the tub. “I love your hair.” He sighed happily as he began carefully rubbing the flower scented lather into her slightly tangled locks.

“Now, I know for a fact you used that line on Buffy,” Dawn scolded jokingly, tilting her head back to look at him.

“I like girls’ hair,” He shrugged, unconcerned. “Yours is bloody gorgeous. So long, and smooth, and silky. Well, it usually is.” He admitted when she snorted scornfully. “It’s absolutely stunning…just like the rest of you.” He added seriously. “I never wanted to admit it, but when you used to wear those little tops…the ones with the straps, and your hair would flow down around those bare shoulders…” As he spoke, his hands slid down to caress her collarbones, and Dawn shivered deliciously. “God, that was sexy.” He growled huskily, leaning over and kissing her somewhat awkwardly, upside down.

Dawn moaned and sat up, twisting around to wrap her arms around his neck as she pressed her lips to his for a proper kiss, which soon evolved into something anything but proper. Their tongues and teeth collided as they eagerly tried to merge together, both of them gasping and moaning loudly in the echo-y room. After a few moments, Dawn rose to her knees so she could lean closer and press her chest against Spike’s, thrilling over the sensation of her nipples grazing over his bare chest. Spike apparently approved of this as well, growling quietly and ducking his head to take one into his mouth. As his lips closed around her oversensitive flesh, Dawn grabbed his head in her hands and threw her head back, groaning loudly.

“Oh my god!” Dawn’s eyes flew open in horror at the sound of her sister’s voice, and Spike immediately sat up, bumping his head on her chin as he spun around. “I thought you weren’t going to fool around in here?” Buffy asked, tapping her foot expectantly as she balanced a folding tray on her hip and glared at them.

“Um…he was washing my hair?” Dawn said lamely, sinking back down until the bubbles were up to her painfully throbbing chin.

“Okay, for one thing, Spike, you’re a vampire, not a cat!” Buffy snapped, jabbing her finger at the blond, who flinched guiltily. “And for another,” she added, pointing at Dawn, “if you’ve got so much hair on your…your…boobs...” She spat out the word as if it was bitter in her mouth. “…that it requires shampoo, you’ve got more problems than I ever suspected.” She finished, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly.

Dawn and Spike stared at each other, eyes wide, and then burst out laughing. “Jeez, you scared me, you dork!” Dawn yelled, throwing a wet sponge at her sister when she finally broke down laughing as well.

“You’re…not…mad, right?” Spike asked a bit more cautiously, inching across the floor toward his previously abandoned t-shirt.

“Well, I’m not exactly thrilled at seeing my baby sister like that, but I won fifty bucks off Xander because you got as far as taking your shirt off,” Buffy giggled, helpfully kicking said shirt toward him with her toe as she spoke. Setting down the tray, she said “Against my better judgment, Xan made you grilled cheese with tomatoes and bacon to go with your soup. If you throw up, try to aim for him.” She winked at Dawn, then walked out of the room, murmuring to herself. “Washing her hair…I’m pregnant, not stupid.”

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Sigh...I'm sorry people thought I abandoned this story...I've been very busy IRL lately. I have two small children, a couple of pets who have been undergoing some veterinary treatment, and (most distractingly) my laptop broke and had to go in for service. I'm still working on it though! I'm determined to finish it; sometimes it just might take me a while between updates.

Zathraas...I chose Skip on purpose because he was kind of ambiguously evil (I always saw him as working for whoever made him the best offer, he obviously wasn't quite bright enough to be the brains behind anything he was involved in). In this case, he's working for the PTB, but I've never thought they were all that good, either. I'm not sure he was really meant to help here. I admit, though, that I did forget he was dead. But hey, I was originally going to use Joyce for this role, so I guess it doesn't really matter, does it? LOL Good catch!