Chapter 4: Sisters
“A friend loves at all times, and a [sister] is born for adversity.” Proverbs 17:17
Spike dropped Tara off at her dorm and then drove Dawn home. “Where are you going to put your computer, Spike? And if you get games, can I play?”
“I thought we weren’t goin’ to talk about my computer, Bit,” Spike replied.
Dawn huffed. “I said I wasn’t going to tell Buffy what you wanted it for. If you tell her you got it for work and stuff, she’ll get it. Or tell her you got it to play computer games. You’re a guy-she won’t even blink.”
Spike frowned, considering the suggestion. “I’d have to buy a game then.”
Dawn grinned. “I could give you some suggestions.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Uh huh. Out with you, luv.”
As Dawn got out of the car, Spike was right behind her, carrying her bags. Joyce came out of the kitchen as they entered the front door. “Oh, you’re back. Did you find everything you needed?”
“I found the coolest new clothes,” Dawn gushed. “Tara helped so much. She’s the best at finding the deals.” At the look on her mother’s face, Dawn quickly added, “And we got all my new school supplies too.”
“Good,” Joyce said, smiling warmly. “Spike, thank you for taking her. You’ll tell Tara thank you as well?”
“‘course,” he replied. He looked up as Buffy came down the stairs. “Hey, luv.”
“Hi, Spike,” she replied, coming up to kiss him. “You want to patrol with me tonight? There’s a new fang gang in town.”
“I need you to watch Dawn tonight. I have the Gurian showing,” Joyce said.
Buffy’s eyes widened. “Mom! I have to patrol.”
Spike started to speak. “I could-” He shut up quickly when Buffy shot him a look that plainly said he’d better not volunteer for more Dawn-duty.
“Someone has to watch Dawn, Buffy.”
“I don’t need a babysitter!” Dawn yelled from the kitchen.
“Yes, you do!” Both Joyce and Buffy spoke at the same time.
“Wait,” Buffy said breathlessly. “That means if I can find an acceptable babysitter-other than Spike-before you leave, we can go patrol?”
Joyce gave her a considering look. “Who?”
Buffy thought and blurted out the first name that came to mind. “Xander.”
“Xander?”
Dawn suddenly appeared in the doorway. “Okay.”
Spike tried to hide a snort of laughter. Dawn’s crush was obvious. Joyce ignored both his reaction and that of her youngest. “If Xander agrees, you can go,” she said, heading out to the kitchen.
“So we going slaying tonight, luv?” Spike asked.
“Yeah,” Buffy said. “I need you to help me look into all the old vampire haunts you know of. When we went to the magic shop today, Mr. Bogarty was dead, and the vampires took a lot of books about the Slayer. Giles thinks they might be gunning for me.”
Spike frowned, a new intensity coming into his eyes. “We’ll want to check the cemeteries, an’ maybe the caves in the north woods then.”
“Eat something before you go, Spike,” Joyce called. “I’ve got leftovers in the fridge.”
“Thanks, Joyce,” he replied.
“I’ve got to call Xander,” Buffy said. She gave him an amused look. “You go eat, Mr. Bottomless Pit.”
~~~~~
Xander is so much cuter than anyone. And smarter too. He totally skipped college and got a job working construction. Which is just so…deep, you know? He builds things, and he’s brave too. Just last week he went undercover to stop that Dracula guy. Xander treats everybody like an equal. And he doesn’t look down on anybody. Even when he should.
He says I’m like a kid sister, but sometimes when he looks at me, I feel like he sees me as I am. As a woman.
~~~~~
The patrol was rather uneventful, although Buffy was tense enough to set Spike’s nerves jangling. “You alright, luv?” he finally asked when she jumped at a shadow.
“I’m fine,” she said, still sounding distracted.
Spike raised an eyebrow. “You don’t sound fine. You’re a bit on edge.”
“It’s just this new vampire gang in town,” Buffy replied.
Spike shook his head. “Not the gang. We can handle a few vamps. ‘m talkin’ about at the house. You seem a bit more antsy about Dawn than usual.”
“I guess,” Buffy admitted. “It’s just-I know it’s always been this way, Spike. She’s the baby. But lately, it’s just getting to me. I mean, she’s always around. And if she’s not hanging around me, she’s with you.”
“Buffy,” Spike began. “‘m sorry if you think I’ve been neglectin’ you.”
“No, it’s not you,” Buffy assured him. “I know you just wanted to help Mom. It’s just-“
Spike looked over at her. “You’re the big sis, luv. ‘s part of the role. The L’il Bit looks up to you, pretty much wants to be you.”
“Which is why she’s always borrowing my clothes and spilling stuff on them,” Buffy muttered.
Spike sighed. “Luv, you’ve got superpowers, you get to save the world. She’s just the kid sister. You’re important.”
“And I’d give anything to be her!” Buffy protested. “Just to be able to give this job a rest sometimes, or give it away.”
Spike put a hand on her shoulder, hoping his contact would reassure her. “Buffy-luv, I know that. Dawn doesn’t. Girl doesn’t understand the pain that goes with bein’ the Slayer, an’ she shouldn’t, since she’s just a baby. It isn’t fair, but she doesn’t quite get that either.” He smiled. “Little sisters always think that the bigger ones have it better. Bigger ones always think the little ones have it better. ‘s just the way of things.”
“You sound like you speak from experience,” Buffy said wryly.
Spike was quiet for a moment. “Had a sister once,” he said softly. “She died when I was ’bout thirteen.”
“Oh,” Buffy said, thinking of how she would feel if something happened to Dawn. “What happened to her?”
“Consumption,” he said. “You’d call it tuberculosis today, I s’pose. ‘s what my mum would have died from, had she lived. I probably would have had it too.”
Spike’s words brought home yet again how very alone he was. Buffy had her mom and sister, and even her dad out there somewhere. Giles was her Watcher. Spike had her, and the people he was connected to through her. “You know I love you, right?” she asked impulsively.
He gave her a strange look. “Yeah, Buffy. I know.”
“No, I mean, I really love you,” she insisted. “Even if someday we didn’t go out anymore, or something like that, I’d still love you. You’d still be family. No matter what.”
Spike smiled, and his face seemed to relax. “Yeah, luv. I know. I’ll always love you too.”
~~~~~
Buffy couldn’t quite seem to catch her breath; she was laughing too hard. “Harmony? Harmony has minions?”
Next to her, Spike was leaning against the counter, wiping tears from his eyes. “Oh, bloody hell. I’d have given my next paycheck to see that.”
“Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction,” Xander agreed, a touch of anxiety in his voice. He couldn’t blame Buffy and Spike for laughing-he’d nearly wet his pants when Harmony showed up with her “minions.” The idea of Harmony running a gang of any sort was enough to send anybody into hysterics. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the whole story, and Xander wasn’t real excited about telling Buffy of Dawn’s inadvertent invitation.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Buffy apologized, trying to get herself under control. “It’s just-Harmony has minions?!” She was off again, and Xander bit back an impatient sigh. Spike seemed to catch onto his serious look, and sobered a bit.
Frowning, Spike said, “Harris, you don’t look real happy.”
Xander hesitated, and then said, “Well, Harmony came here to kill Buffy-” He was interrupted by renewed laughter from the Slayer. There was also a suspicious twinkle in Spike’s eye, though he was holding it in admirably at the serious look on the other man’s face.
“I’m sorry, but it’s hard to take a death threat from Harmony seriously.” Buffy took a deep breath, once again attempting to get herself under control.
“Well, that was before she could just walk into your house at any time,” Anya said bluntly from her seat on the counter. Xander was absurdly grateful to his girlfriend for just blurting out the news. He hadn’t been sure how he was going to explain it.
Buffy and Spike exchanged concerned glances, the Slayer completely sober now. “Wait, you invited her in? You guys can’t give an invitation. It has to be someone who lives-Dawn!” Buffy’s shout made the other three wince at the volume.
She set off for the stairs, but Xander got in front of her. “Look, Buffy, it was an accident. She didn’t mean it.”
Buffy pushed him aside. “Well, that just makes it okay, doesn’t it?”
Spike and Xander exchanged looks. While no one would mistake them for best friends, there was a kind of solidarity that comes from being two of the only males in a group of women. They also shared a similar relationship to the youngest Summers. “Buffy, why don’t you let me talk to her?” Spike asked, grabbing her arm.
Buffy glared at him. “You can’t keep being so easy on her, Spike. She has got to learn the rules.”
“Your mum forgets the rules sometimes, luv. She invited Dracula in last week.”
Buffy stared at him in consternation, unable to deny his statement, but positive that it was completely different. “That was different. She didn’t know-and it was-I wouldn’t even have Harmony over when she was alive!” She pushed past him and went up the stairs. “And now I have to hunt her down before she tries to come after us, because someone gave her an all-access pass to my house.”
Spike looked over at Xander and they both headed up the stairs after the Slayer, hoping to calm her down before she said or did something she’d regret to Dawn. “Buf, I called Willow. She’ll come back and do the spell, and bang, boom, you guys are back in the Fortress of Solitude. All better,” Xander said.
“Not all better,” Buffy insisted, beginning to get her weapons together. “Dawn has got to learn. If she keeps making stupid mistakes like that, she’s going to get all of us killed.”
“I think you’re overreacting, luv,” Spike said soothingly. “We’ll both go out an’ hunt Harmony down, dust her gang, an’ it’ll be fine.”
Buffy gave him an icy look. “No, I’m going to hunt Harmony down. You’re going to stay here and make sure she doesn’t come back.”
“Buffy, I can take care of Harmony if she comes back!” Xander protested.
Spike stared at her, and then a similarly cold expression descended over his own face. “Right, luv. I see how this goes. ‘m goin’ to talk to the Bit. Let me know when you get back.” He turned on his heel to leave, angry at Buffy’s obstinacy, and her refusal to listen to reason. Just because he spoke the truth, she was going to shut him out, her anger making her irrational.
“Spike!” she called. When he didn’t turn, she went back to stuffing weapons in her back, a set expression on her face. “I don’t know why he has to be that way,” she grumbled.
Xander moved closer. He hadn’t been sure how to feel about Spike when she had first started dating the ex-vampire. On the other hand, Buffy had been happier in the last few months than he’d seen her in a long time. It was obvious to the most casual observer that Spike would do just about anything for Buffy, including tell her the truth. Buffy was overreacting, and she was being irrational, and like always, she didn’t like hearing it.
He figured it was his job to say something to her before she really screwed things up. “Buffy, you know Spike’s right. Dawn screwed up, sure, but it’s nothing to get excited about. Harmony’s not that big of a threat.”
“I know,” Buffy sighed. “It’s just-I can’t be with Dawn all the time. I can’t always protect her, and she’s got to be able to take care of herself. She can’t afford to forget the rules like that.” She looked off into the distance. “And I know Spike didn’t mean anything, but he’s so close to her. It’s not like-“
Xander gave her a look that was filled with compassion. “You mean, he’s not completely obsessed with you like Angel was.”
Buffy gave him a wry look. “Something like that. It’s nice that he’s so close to my family, Xan, but sometimes I just want him to myself.”
“You can’t expect to be the center of his world, Buf,” Xander reminded her. “It might sound all nice and romantic, but it’s not very healthy. Frankly, I’d be a lot more worried about him if he were completely taken up in you.”
Buffy nodded. “Yeah.” She lifted her bag. “I should go.”
~~~~~
Spike walked out the door to find Dawn standing in the hallway. “Not polite to eavesdrop, Bit.”
“I don’t care,” Dawn muttered rebelliously. She turned and started to flounce off, but Spike’s hand on her shoulder stopped her. “Like she knows so much.”
“Luv, Buffy’s the Slayer, an’ it’s her job to take care of people.” Spike looked both amused and irritated at the same time. “Doesn’t make her real happy when others make it harder for her to do that.”
Dawn stared at him accusingly. “You’re taking her side.”
“‘m not takin’ anybody’s side,” he replied, his tone taking on a harsh note. “But you’re not makin’ it real easy either, Dawn.”
“It was an accident!” she protested. “You don’t understand!”
“I do,” he replied. “But Niblet, you’ve got to be more careful. Even a vamp like Harm can be dangerous.”
Dawn pulled away from him and rushed down the stairs. She was already feeling wounded and defensive from overhearing Buffy’s remarks, not to mention utterly stupid for inviting Harmony in. She really hadn’t meant to; it was just that the wording of her attempted insult had been bad. Now, her staunchest defender was getting on her case, and it just wasn’t fair.
Rushing through the house, she went out the backdoor, just wanting to get some space to mull over the unfairness and kick herself in peace. She passed Anya, who would have come out after her, but Spike pulled her back. “I’ll take care of it. Mostly my fault anyway,” he said ruefully, following Dawn out the back door.
Just a little frustrated, Spike went to grab her arm. “Come on, Bit. Let’s finish this inside.”
“Leave me alone!” she said angrily, pulling away.
Grimly, Spike took a firm hold and began hauling the girl back to the house. He was beginning to agree with Buffy’s assessment that she was a spoiled brat. Girl was not thinking tonight. “Don’t be stupid,” he said. “It’s not safe out here.”
“Let go of me!” she snapped. And then, when that didn’t work, she complained, “You’re hurting me.”
Dawn knew which buttons to push. Spike loosened his grip enough so that Dawn was able to twist free, just before he’d pushed her indoors. “Dawn, get inside and quit bein’ such a brat,” he ordered in his best scary voice.
She looked as though she was about to argue when she let out a little shriek. Spike turned just in time to see a large fist descending. And then all he knew was darkness.
~~~~~
Xander followed Buffy into the kitchen to find Anya dragging an unconscious Spike back into the kitchen. “Spike!” Buffy said, rushing over to him.
“Dawn ran out the back door, and Spike tried to stop her,” Anya said succinctly. “A big vampire came out of nowhere, hit Spike, and grabbed Dawn.”
“I’m going to kill her,” Buffy said fiercely.
Xander, who had enough experience with getting beat up to be something of an expert, said, “I think he should be okay, Buffy. He’s going to have one hell of a shiner though.” He stopped to consider Buffy’s threat. “Wait a sec. You’re going to kill Harmony? Or Dawn?”
“Both,” Buffy said, after a moment’s consideration. “You two take care of him.”
Buffy was fuming as she left the house. It wasn’t just Dawn getting herself kidnapped or Spike getting hurt. She was irritated with her boyfriend because he seemed to have a better relationship with her family than she did, and she felt guilty for being irritated about it. After all, wasn’t his closeness with her mom and sister something she’d have given her right arm for when she was dating Angel?
Of course, she was also angry because he’d been right, and then he got hurt. If she’d been a little more reasonable, Spike wouldn’t have had the chance to talk to Dawn, and maybe he wouldn’t have gotten knocked out.
It just wasn’t fair. She wanted him to be wrapped up in her, completely entranced with her, no distractions. Instead, Spike was sweet and devoted and a hard worker who had no qualms about hanging out with her younger sister. He got along with her mom and her Watcher, and her friends thought he was about the best thing that ever happened to her. That should be worth everything.
Buffy sighed, wishing she had Spike with her. Or that she’d had a chance to ask him where Harmony typically stayed. She’d just rushed out, without thinking much about where she was going or how she was going to find Dawn.
Altering her course, she headed towards Willy’s. When in doubt, ask the professional snitch for information.
Numerous threats and one punch later, Buffy had the information she needed. Harmony used to have a lair in a cave. Spike had thought to check out that area, but they hadn’t managed to get there before it was time to get home and relieve Xander.
She arrived just in time to hear Dawn threatening someone. The girl’s voice was shaky with fear, and Buffy hurried her steps. She watched as the vampire reached out and touched Dawn with a finger, and he and his cohorts started laughing.
Buffy didn’t hesitate. The crossbow bolt went through the heart. “Can’t say she didn’t warn him,” she commented. Looking over at Dawn, and remembering her mom’s injunction not to slay in front of her sister, she ordered, “Close your eyes.”
“So, Slayer, we finally meet,” Harmony said, trying to sound scary and in charge, and not quite making it.
Buffy stared at her, annoyance and frustration making her tone sharp. “We’ve met, Harmony, you half wit.”
“Half wit?” Harmony asked, sounding superior. “I’m the half wit, when you’ve walked into my-” She stopped, watching as Buffy killed two more of her minions. “Trap.”
“Harmony, when you tried to be head cheerleader, you were bad. When you tried to chair the homecoming committee, you were really bad.” Pausing for effect, she added, “But when you try to be bad…you suck.”
Dawn had cracked an eyelid during this exchange, just to see where Buffy was on the whole rescuing thing, and watched as Mort came up behind the Slayer. “Buffy, watch out!”
Buffy found that while Harmony’s other minions were hardly worth her time, Mort was a different story. He was so big that most of her punches had no impact.
The Slayer never thought she’d be grateful for Harmony’s unicorn obsession, but the wooden carousel animal certainly came in handy. It was about the only thing that gave her enough reach so that she could stake the big vampire and not worry about him making a grab for her. After he’d disintegrated, she gave it a look and tossed it aside in disgust, turning towards her sister. Harmony had made good her escape already, but Buffy wasn’t too worried about the vampire. Without her gang, the chance that she could do much damage was pretty much nil.
She reached down and snatched up the ax again. “You are in so much trouble,” she told her sister sternly.
Dawn frowned. “Well, I’m going to tell mom you slayed in front of me.”
“Fine,” Buffy replied. “I’ll just tell her that you invited a vampire into the house, got Spike hurt, ran out after dark, got kidnapped…” As she listed off her sister’s sins, Buffy hacked away at the chains holding her. “I should so kick your butt,” Buffy said, when she’d run out of mistakes Dawn had made that evening. “And if I don’t, Spike definitely should.”
“Is he okay?” Dawn asked in a very small voice.
Buffy glared at her. “I don’t know,” she replied. “I was too busy trying to rescue you to stay and find out.”
“Oh.” Dawn’s lower lip trembled. “Buffy, I didn’t mean to-“
“I know,” Buffy replied, her voice tired. She gave Dawn a look, remembering what Spike had said earlier, about losing his own sister. “You just have to be more careful, Dawnie. What if I’m not there to protect you? Or what if next time someone else gets hurt really bad? I know you didn’t mean to invite Harmony in, or get kidnapped, but those aren’t the kind of mistakes you can make and just be okay. Not in this town.”
Dawn looked away, her expression both torn and sullen. “I’m sorry.”
“You can tell Spike that when we get home,” Buffy replied.
The walk home was silent, both girls caught up in their own thoughts. They entered through the back door as quietly as possible. A few moments later, they both heard Joyce’s voice from the living room. “Spike! What on earth happened to you?”
Buffy and Dawn exchanged a look and hurried toward the living room. “Uh, just met a vamp who didn’t much like me on patrol is all,” Spike said. Buffy came through the living room door, and she saw the relief in his eyes when he saw that she and Dawn were in one piece.
Well, relief in one eye anyway. His right eye was pretty much swollen shut.
Joyce saw his expression change, and she turned to look at Buffy and Dawn. “Are you guys okay?”
“We’re fine,” Buffy said. “We just watched TV and kept Spikecompany.”
Joyce looked from one to the other of them, sensing that something was up, but deciding not to push it. “Well, I know at least one of us is supposed to be in bed.”
Dawn nodded and gave her mom a kiss. She paused to give Spike a quick hug too. “Sorry,” she whispered quickly, before dashing upstairs.
Spike stood slowly. “Better get home,” he murmured. “‘ve got to open the gallery tomorrow.”
“I’ll walk you home,” Buffy said firmly, not willing to brook any arguments.
Spike wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Right then. See you tomorrow, Joyce.”
“Good night, Spike,” she replied.
The two of them walked in silence toward Spike’s apartment. “I’m sorry,” Buffy finally said.
“You don’t have anythin’ to be sorry for,” Spike mumbled.
“I got mad at you, and there really wasn’t any reason for it,” she replied.
Spike shook his head. “‘s okay.”
Buffy reached out and grabbed his arm. “That vampire could have killed you tonight.” He was silent. “Spike-“
“Forget it,” he replied, tugging his hand away.
“Spike!” Buffy grabbed his arm, turning him to face her. “I’m trying to apologize here.”
He was obviously angry. “Why is it such a problem that I like your family, Buffy? That I want to help? Is there some rule against tryin’ to do the right thing with you?”
“No, I-“
“Then what?” Spike demanded. “Why is it a big deal, Buffy? What the bloody hell did I do wrong?”
Buffy raised an eyebrow. “Actually, that’s pretty much why someone apologizes, Spike, to say they were wrong and the other person was right.”
He stared at her, and then a sheepish grin started to spread over his face. “Oh, yeah.”
She reached out and grabbed his hand again, and this time he let her. “It’s just weird, Spike. You’re the first guy I’ve gone out with who likes my family as much as I do. In fact, I think you like my family more than I do. I might love my sister, but I don’t always like her.”
“So you’re tellin’ me you’re jealous of your kid sister?” he asked.
Buffy shook her head. “Not really. More like jealous of you. You get along so well with everybody. And you’ve got your own life.”
Spike was beginning to look amused. “You mean, you’re upset because I have a life.”
Buffy gave him a dirty look. “No. Well, sort of. It’s complicated.”
“Life always is,” Spike replied. He was beginning to see the problem. “You know, luv, just because my life doesn’t revolve around you, doesn’t mean you aren’t about as important as air to me.” When Buffy didn’t say anything in reply, Spike continued. “Luv, if somethin’ ever happened to you, I’d be lost. The Bit an’ your mom are important to me, but I love you, Buffy. You should know I don’t do things half-way by now.”
Buffy leaned against him. “I know, sweetie. And, really, I’m glad that you get along so well with my family. But sometimes I feel like I’m fighting for your time, and it drives me nuts.”
“I might spend time with your nearest and dearest, Slayer, but there’s only one woman who gets me after dark.” Spike’s voice was a husky purr, and Buffy shivered in response.
She turned toward him, a coy smile on her lips. “Oh? Too bad you’re too tired to show me what you can do after dark.”
Spike grinned. “I’ll never be too tired for you, Buffy.” His kiss was long and heated. “By the way, luv, you did stake that vampire for me?”
“With one of Harmony’s unicorns,” Buffy giggled in reply.
“Good,” he muttered. “Bugger ruined my pretty face.”
“No,” Buffy said. Then, laughingly, she said, “Besides, who ever said it was pretty to begin with?” Her laughter could be heard ringing out as Spike chased her all the way back to his place, where another sort of game was soon begun.
~~~~~
It was pretty cool of Buffy not to tell Mom. Of course, she probably would have gotten in way more trouble than me anyway. And Spike was really good about everything. He said he’s done a lot of dumb stuff, and it didn’t kill him. So he and Buffy are okay now too.
Not that Buffy’s changed. She still thinks I’m little Miss Nobody, just her dumb little sister.
Boy, is she in for a surprise.