Roomies

Thanking Hank for dinner, Spike was ready to hail a cab, taking his girls back to get his car so that he could take them to a hotel for the night when Angel clapped his hand over his shoulder.

“Can I have a word?”

Sighing, Spike allowed himself to be taken away into a corner of the lobby to be spoken to. No doubt it was another ‘warning’ about not being right for precious Elizabeth.

All night he had endured thinly veiled jibes and comments aimed at making Buffy see that she was better than him.

Nodding at the wanker in front of him, Spike pulled away, his fists clenched at his sides as he marched over to Buffy and Dawn, escorting them out into the night and hailing a cab.

“Spike?” Dawn repeated, nudging him in the crowded taxi. Getting his attention she smiled sweetly, “Can I have a separate room?”

Frowning, Spike was about to agree when he spotted the taxi in front of them turn into the same driveway and his stomach dropped when he saw who was in it.

Pointing out her mother to Buffy, he held her hand tightly, thanking the driver and fishing for his wallet with his spare hand.

Getting out of the cab slowly Dawn frowned at her mother. What was she doing here?

Buffy scowled as everything seemed to go wrong at once, her father and Angel had just pulled in behind them, her mother was in front and her father’s new bimbo was on the front steps waving like a lunatic.

Pulling Spike and Dawn to his old car, Buffy flashed a glare at their audience, pressing a deep and passionate kiss to Spike’s lips for effect, making sure everyone saw.

“Not that I mind love, but that was for their benefit more than mine wasn’t it?” Spike said softly as he slid into the car, the old worn leather soft, familiar and comforting beneath him. Chuckling at her hurried apology, he took her hand in his pressing a kiss to it before gunning the engine and tyre spinning away, crunching up the gravel as they flew round the driveway disappearing from view.

Pulling up outside the Holiday Inn, Spike parked the car and pulled their bags out of the back while Buffy and Dawn made their way to the entrance, chatting over the roar of road and air traffic.

Checking them in, Spike led the way up to their suite, opening the door and tossing the bags on the queen sized bed that dominated the room and pointing Dawn towards the adjoining bedroom. It wasn’t the best by a long shot but it was affordable and comfortable and that was pretty much all that mattered,

He had the love of his life and her not so little sister and as soon as they had worked out their rather disturbing family problems and secrets then things could start getting back to what resembled normal.

Grabbing a set of towels from the bathroom, Buffy and Dawn coerced Spike into joining them in the hot tub, wanting to enjoy themselves while they could before their arranged dinner with Hank in just a few short hours.

Pushing open the door to the gym Buffy and Dawn waltzed through leaving Spike to grab them locker keys and sign them in.

“Spike?” Dawn whispered softly, not wanting Buffy to overhear, “I’ll be back in half hour, ok?”

Not waiting for an answer she ducked away from them, letting the door to the hot tub room swing shut behind them. Walking swiftly away in the direction of the sauna, Dawn let her thoughts engulf her, shutting the door firmly behind her and setting down her plastic cup of freezing cold water.

“Where’s Dawn?” Buffy demanded testing the water with her toes. Finding the temperature satisfactory she settled herself on the ledge, slipping into the steaming bubbling water. Avoiding her question, Spike slipped in next to her, His arm landing across her shoulders perfect for pulling her closer to him and getting a little cosier.

Walking in on her sister straddling her incredibly hot boyfriend and making out like she was trying to give him a tonsillectomy wasn’t something Dawn really wanted to see in her life. She was still totally embarrassed about the way she had treated him over Thanksgiving and seeing him in just shorts wasn’t really conducive to serious thoughts.

Clearing her throat noisily she jumped into the square tub, splashing both parties and shocking them into separating for a minute. Announcing haughtily that they would need to get back to their room and start getting ready for their evening dinner, Dawn left the steamy room and the couple in peace.

“Hey Bit.” Spike greeted taking in her punked appearance, her hair was swept up into a mass of tiny twists hanging from a bun. Two thick strands of hair were left down framing her face and enhancing her eyes along with the mass of eyeliner she had used, probably from Buffy’s make up bag judging by the mess on the dresser.

She was dressed in an almost sensible length black skirt and baby doll t-shirt, his black nail polish on her fingers and one of his red button up shirts completing her look. She looked just like a girl her used to know he mused, flashing her a brotherly smile and a thumbs up before disappearing into the bathroom to change.

“You look good.” Buffy told her, sitting down in front of the mirror and starting to apply her own make-up. “Wanna help me?” She asked. She had always hated Dawn going through her make-up, mainly because as a jealous and idolising younger sister she used to write on the walls with it, but now she found it a perfect excuse to talk with her sister. A much needed and overdue talk about feelings and emotions. Things that Buffy always found hard expressing.

Pulling up a stool and carefully applying eyeliner to Buffy made Dawn smile. Chatting quietly about how she was coping with the bombshell Hank had dropped, Dawn worked on making Buffy as punk and daring as she had ever been.

Assuring Dawn that it was ok to feel angry and everything else she was experiencing, Buffy hugged her baby sister tightly, smiling at Spike who had turned from staring at the TV to gaze at them.

His girls had completely made themselves up in identical thick black make-up, black clothes and his red shirts. He was glad he had shoved three into his bag for now they matched.

And something told him Hank wasn’t going to be impressed.

Scratch that, nobody would be impressed and he understood with perfect clarity the need for them to rebel and conform at the same time.

And now it was time for them to go and face the music, talking things over in a civilised and public manner with both parents and Hank’s latest girlfriend. This would be a night to remember, it would be one of the most important things both Buffy and Dawn would ever face, and he would be there to support them every step of the way.

All the way.