| Title: Reckoning 3/? Author: Alexandria Pairing: S/Dawn � not like that though Summary: Someone takes something they shouldn�t Feedback: Please, makes me feel all good about me and crap Rating: NC-17 series �PG this part Disclaimer: Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, WB (at least for now), Fox � I�ll give them back later, promise Distribution: List archives, anybody else, let me know Spoilers: Season Five � set after �The Body� General Angel Season Two Archives: My site: www.angelfire.com/rant/AlexandriaBrown - all kinds of stuff there, some is even happy! (Well, not much, but some) Notes: For Dae and Marie-Claude. Dae for finishing her thesis. Marie-Claude to make up for teasing her. Belt buckling Spike. Belt buckling Spike. Belt buckling Spike. ======================================================================= Part Three She slowly came awake, quivering as the pain moved through her body. Her wrists and ankles ached, the marks from the cuffs burning. Her thighs felt like they had been beaten with a bat and between her legs, between her legs, it burned. She curled into a ball, tiny whimpers escaping her. She rocked back and forth, back and forth, trying to lull herself back to sleep, back to the nothingness and dark. She didn�t want to be awake, didn�t want to be alive. There was no reason she should be any more, everyone she loved was gone. And they were dead because of her, her fault, her fault. Spike moved to kneel next to her bed, flinching back from the small strips of sunlight that were coming in through the window. �Pet, you awake? Are you hungry, can get you some food, I�m sure.� He stretched out a hand to pull the blankets away from her face. She jerked away the second his skin touched hers, eyes opening wide as she scooted back on the bed. �Spike, no, not hungry.� Dawn forced herself to meet his eyes, still clutching the blankets around her. �Where are we?� She cast a quick glance around the room. It was shabby but clean. �About half an hour east of Sunnydale. Little out of the way place no one will ever think of looking.� Spike rested back on his heels, searching her face for signs of pain. Her heartbeat was still a little thready and her breathing was just slightly off. He stood and headed for the bathroom, coming back with a glass of water and some aspirin. �Take these, it will help.� He stood there, holding out the glass and aspirin until she finally took them. A quick nod, then he settled back on his bed. They sat silently for several minutes, Dawn trying to gather her thoughts, Spike waiting to see what she would do. He had spent the previous night watching as she slept, atlas open on his knee. He charted a course in between listening to her toss and turn, ready to reach out if she started to dream. Go east, slowly working their way north as they did so, further and further across the vast expanse of America. It still amazed him that this country was so large, so huge. Even driving all night it would take them four days, maybe five to get to the lake. But he wasn�t planning on driving straight through. No, they were going to take some time. Stop in some of the larger cities, places where he could make the necessary arrangements. Let her choose how far and how long they would go each day, stop if she saw something she liked. He was sure that she would need the distraction. Maybe the Grand Canyon, he mused. He always wanted to see that. �Are we going to go back?� Dawn picked at the blanket, working a string free, concentrating fiercely on her actions. �Can�t, luv. Too dangerous. Glory will be sure to look for you there. Besides, if we go back there will be all kinds of questions, sure the police will be looking into this. Don�t think you really want to go through that.� Spike reached for his cigarettes, keeping his voice neutral. There was no way he was letting her go back, if he did so, then she would be taken away, put into some kind of home, sent to live with strangers. She wouldn�t survive a week. Dawn leaned against the head board, drawing her knees to her chest. She started rocking again, weighing his words. She wanted to go back, she needed to go back, she wanted to see them, but she knew Spike was right. She couldn�t go back. She could never go back. �Are we going to L.A., is that it? Taking me to stay with Angel?� She looked over at Spike, not wanting to hear the answer. She wanted to stay with Spike, he would keep her safe, she knew that. �No, pet. Too dangerous there as well.� Spike blew a stream of smoke at the ceiling. No way there were going to L.A., not with Darla back. And nowhere near Dru. She would come after Dawn just for the sport of it. There was no way that he was letting any of them near Dawn. He tossed the atlas over to the bed. �There, where I have marked.� Puzzled, she picked up the maps, turning to the marked page. �Michigan? Why are we going to Michigan? Have you even been there, I don�t know anyone who lives anywhere near there.� Her hands started to shake when she realized what she just said. Not that she actually knew anyone anyway. The only people who thought they knew her were all dead. She didn�t even have the diaries of her imaginary life to hold onto anymore. She fought back bitter tears at that. �I was there years ago, one of the times that Dru took off on me. It�s quite nice where we�re going, set a little off the coast, on the shore of a lake, quite pretty.� And no one knew that he had been there. That was the most important thing. It was only a matter of time until someone or something realized that Dawn was still alive. If they put that together with his absence, then they would be sure to go looking for them at Spike�s usual spots. Let them. They would be hundreds of miles away. They would never think to look for them in a tiny town far away from the bustle of city life. �Why don�t you go get cleaned up, put the bag with your clothes in the bathroom. We should be going soon.� They had been in the room for over twelve hours now and they were still far too close to Sunnydale for comfort. Dawn shifted off the bed, clutching the blankets around her as she shuffled into the bathroom. Spike heard the firm click of the lock as she pulled the door shut behind her. He sighed, gathering up the belongings scattered about the room. So far, so good. Now he just had to get her to eat. His stomach growled at the thought of food and he pulled his last bag of blood from the cooler. Cold blood. Tasted even viler now that he tasted fresh blood once more. A smile played on his lips. He hadn�t felt this strong since, since, since he couldn�t frankly remember. No more restraint, no more hesitation. He was back to being the Big Bad. And woe be to any that crossed them. He frowned, wondering how Dawn would react when he went hunting. She was raised to believe that he was evil, would she be able to set that aside or would he have to watch his back? He stopped, staring at the ceiling, idly listening to the sound of the shower. No, she wouldn�t stake him. She certainly had better opportunities before now. He supposed he would just have to trust her. His head snapped around when the smell of her blood suddenly filled the room. �Dawn, Dawn,� he burst into the bathroom, easily snapping the lock. He ripped back the shower curtain, terrified of what he would find. She was sitting on the edge of the tub, blood dripping down her legs. �Hells, what happened?� Dawn slowly turned to face him, shivering and paler than ever. �I don�t know, I was just standing here and then it hurt,� tears slowly trickled down her face. �It started to hurt so bad.� She doubled over as the cramps hit her again. The flow picked up and Spike quickly bundled her in a towel, watching all the color drain from her face. �Where does it hurt, luv?� He damned himself for asking, for making her say the words. �Where, where, they,� she buried her face in his neck, unable to speak. The towel slowly turned pink as Spike sank to the floor. �Best get you to hospital, ducks. Need to get you looked at.� Spike held her firmly as she attempted to yank away. �No. There�s no way that I�m going, they�ll just ask me questions, Spike, don�t make me go.� She grabbed at his arms, shame causing a slight tinge of color to return to her cheeks. �I�ll think of something to tell them. But you�re going.� His tone of voice left no room for doubt. He leaned over and handed her a shirt. �I�ll let you get dressed. If you need anything, I�ll be just on the other side of the door.� He pulled her hands away, trying to remember the name of the clinic near here. The one that was known for its discretion. Spike leaned against the wall, nervously tapping his foot. Dawn fought him the whole way there, until he finally simply clamped a hand over her mouth, ignoring the sting when she bit him. He carried her through the doors, then held her into a seat by pressing down on her shoulder. They had taken her back into an examination room, not allowing him to accompany her. That was nearly an hour ago and he was getting antsy. �Mr. Brody?� Spike�s head turned, steeling himself for the news. �That�s me, mate. How is she?� The doctor led Spike over to the side of the room, drawing him into a more secluded alcove. �She�ll be fine, at least physically. She sustained some tearing, that was the source of the bleeding. We needed to place some stitches. She�ll be sore for some time, but the stitches will dissolve so you don�t have to worry about her needing them removed.� Spike clenched his hands, barely reining in his rage. Stitches. There. He didn�t even want to consider how much that would hurt. �Did you give her anything for the pain, so help me if you hurt her.� �We gave her a tranquilizer before we started. Now, I have some questions for you. I understand from what you told the nurse that you are her guardian?� The question was not quite an accusation. �Yes, her mum passed on a few months ago. Her father hasn�t been around for years.� The prepared lie came quickly to his lips. �I see. And I am to understand that she went out with some friends earlier and you found her sitting in the shower, bleeding.� Again, the stare burning through him. �Yes.� Simple answers were always best. That was the key to lying. Keep the story as close to the truth as possible and never give any more information than necessary. �She refuses to say who did this to her. She won�t allow us to call the police. Technically, since she is a minor I am required to do so no matter what she wishes. However, she became so hysterical at the suggestion we were forced to sedate her. Do you think that perhaps you could convince her otherwise?� A small sigh at that. He knew what the answer was going to be. �No, it was all I could do to get her to come here. Finally had to just carry her out the door.� Spike met the doctor�s eyes, faint glimmers of yellow flickering across his own. �But, trust me, you don�t have to worry about the bastards who did this.� The doctor stared back at him, then slowly nodded his head. �That�s what I thought. She should be coming out from the sedation shortly, I�m sure that you will want to be with her. Here�s a prescription for some antibiotics. We�ve also given her the appropriate dose of birth control pills.� Spike�s eyes narrowed as he followed the doctor down the hall. He hadn�t thought about that. �Does she know all this, she doesn�t like being treated like a child.� He stopped short as he entered the exam room. She looked so young, lying there curled slightly on her side. Far, far too young for all that she had seen. A low growl came from him, pitched just below their ability to hear. She looked so innocent like this. He would do anything, anything to give that back to her. �Spike, stop that.� Dawn raised herself on her elbow, wincing at the sting of the IV in her elbow. �Stop what, luv?� Spike watched as she swung her legs over the bed, letting her get out on her own, but ready to steady her if she wanted. �The growling,� Dawn whispered as she walked over to him. �Do you want everyone to hear?� She picked up her jacket and turned to the doctor. �Can I go now?� �Yes, I�ve given Mr. Brody your prescriptions. Take it easy for the next few days, if you need an excuse for school I�ll be happy to write you one. Other than that, I want you to see a doctor in about a week, just for a checkup.� He followed them as they walked down the hall, Spike hovering protectively behind Dawn. He reached out and grabbed Spike�s shoulder, turning him around just before they reached the doors. �And I can�t say I blame you for taking care of this yourself. There are certain kinds of justice that the law just can�t give.� Spike just stared at him, then a vicious smile curled one corner of his mouth. �I have no idea what you mean, doc.� An arch of an eyebrow and then he spun and followed Dawn out the door. Time to leave. They still had about three hours until daylight and it was time to move again. If he remembered right, there was an all night pharmacy just up the street. Get her prescriptions filled and then get the hell out of Dodge. It was time to go. TBC |