| The Dragon Part 6 Author: Juliatheyounger Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and all the talented people at Mutant Enemy etc own these characters. I am just playing with them. Spoilers: Season 5. The Gift. Rating: PG so far. Feedback: Yes pretty please with sugar on top! Distribution: Yes please again, but let me know so I can be all happy :) Summary: Dawn has been living with her father ever since the Gift. Seven years later she returns to Sunnydale and finds that things and people she no longer believes in are still very real. D/S ****************************************************** Chapter 6: The Promise The loud banging on the door made everyone jump. Tara looked at Willow nervously. They both looked at Xander. He stood up. Anya looked at her husband worriedly. "I'll see who it is," he said. It was late. The Harrises were still at Willow and Tara's, enjoying a night out, being adults, without two mischievous little girls wrecking havoc. Xander opened the door. Spike stood there, clearly agitated. "I thought I told you not to come around her anymore," growled Xander. "That was your place Harris," Spike retorted. He didn�t have time for this. "Where�s Dawn." "Dawn�she left half an hour ago." "Walking?" "Yes why?" "Because something�s already been to her place and wrecked the joint." ************ Dawn walked along the deserted streets. She was hurrying a little because her imagination had started going to less than cuddly places and she'd managed to scare herself. It was stupid, Rational, been-in-therapy-in-New-York-for-seven-years Dawn, told herself. Nothing was going to jump out and get her. Despite having accepted many things she had once thought figments of her imagination, Dawn still had a hard time believing in demons. In the middle of the day, in the sun, it seemed so ridiculous. She accepted that Spike was a vampire, but it wasn't quite the same. In Dawn's mind, it was almost like Spike being a lesbian or a member of Greenpeace. It was just something he did, something he was. To Dawn he wasn't exactly something that went bump in the night. Thinking about Spike had made Dawn forget to be scared for a moment. Thinking about Spike was good. Dawn smiled to herself as she remembered something he'd done the night before. He made her laugh. He gave her butterflies. Dawn knew it was just a silly crush she had on him. Rational Dawn told her it was ridiculous to be even thinking about it. For starters he didn't think of her that way. She was the sister of the dead love of his life. Yeah, not going to get much of a look in, thought Dawn. All the same, Rational Dawn had to agree that it was nice having him around. Spike understood her. They both knew what it was like to feel guilty. And he was pretty cool. ************** Spike, Xander and Willow left the house and piled into Xander's sensible married man's car. "She might not be home yet," Willow said. "Or she might be home, but missed whatever it was that broke into her house." "It was probably just burglars," said Xander. "Probably kids, looking for drug money or something." Spike said nothing. He felt sick. Fear gripped him. He'd done it again. He'd failed again. "Can't you drive any bloody faster Harris?" he demanded in frustration. *************** Dawn was so caught up in her non-scary vampire thoughts that she didn't hear the footsteps or the rustle of the bushes beside her until it was too late. Something grabbed her from behind and a hand covered in festering sores was pressed over her mouth. Dawn may not have been paying attention but she had lived in New York. She may have been taken unawares, but she was still carrying pepper spray in her hand. The thing holding her sprang back scrabbling at its eyes in pain. Dawn didn't take time to think and ran away as fast as she could. Unfortunately, she tripped. **************** The car pulled up the Summer's residence and Spike, Xander and Willow piled out. There was no sign of Dawn. "I'll wait here," said Willow. "In case she comes back. Why don't you walk back towards my place Spike, while Xander does a drive around in his car." It was a sensible idea. Spike nodded and started up the road. "You sure you'll be ok here by yourself Will?" Xander asked. "Hello, magical powers, remember? Now start driving." Willow went inside the house. It was a mess, paint everywhere, furniture broken, but she found the few things she needed. Seated on the floor, a Sunnydale street directory open before her, Dawn's necklace in her hand, she began a locating spell. **************** Dawn came to and found herself tied to a chair in a large room. It looked like a hotel room, it was quite opulent. Then a face appeared before her, a sickeningly familiar face. Horror gripped Dawn as memories that had been buried too deeply suddenly resurfaced. She remembered everything. Tears of fear, horror and guilt started flowing down her cheeks as her mind recoiled in terror from this knowledge. **************** Spike walked up the steps and into Dawn's house. He felt like something was crushing his heart. He'd found where she'd been taken. He could smell it. The scent of her, and her fear, lingered. As well as a good hefty whiff of pepper. He'd felt a twist of bitter sweet pride at the thought of his Little Bit turning on her attackers with pepper spray. "Red," he said. He knew it was useless asking if Dawn was back yet. "Spike!" Willow said running in from the lounge room to meet him. "I know where she is!" She held the street directory towards him. Suddenly Spike knew. He knew before he even saw the speck of bright red on the map. He was gone before Willow could even suggest they wait for Xander. **************** Dawn had stopped crying and now sat numbly, watching the minions prepare for the ceremony. The bleeding would start soon. Dawn felt as if she were watching proceedings from far away, from deep inside herself. Suddenly she had the incredibly ludicrous thought that her therapist was never going to believe this. The first minion advanced towards her. "Praise be to the Magnificent Glorificus," he intoned. "She who treads with the lightest of steps and speaks with the most beauteous of voices." He began to intone words in a language Dawn did not know, could barely comprehend with her human ears. He raised the knife. The first cut, noted Dawn. Funny how it doesn't hurt. All the minions were chanting now. The second cut. I'm bleeding. The first minion raised the blade again. And then suddenly there was a loud commotion at the door. Dawn felt irritation. What was taking so long? Why couldn't they finish this and have done with it. The minion, raising the knife for the third cut, paused. Which went to prove, very well, that he who hesitates is lost. He never did get to make that third cut. Something in Dawn switched on as she saw a whirlwind of black and bright white. Hope, firey, desperate hope. Minions were flung aside, dead before they hit the floor. The minion in front of Dawn, turning back in desperation to finish the raising of his god, gurgled as a blade, sharp as his own was thrust through his twin demon hearts. Then Spike was at Dawn's side, untying her. He grabbed her into his arms, holding her to him so tightly. He desperately kissed her face, her eyes, her cheeks, her mouth. Dawn kissed him back, drowning in his relief, pent up emotion washing over both of them. He didn't say anything. She didn't say anything. They just clung to each other. Then Spike buried his face in Dawn's shoulder, Dawn's tears of relief muffled against his chest. "You nearly got yourself bloody killed Nibblet," Spike growled in a low voice. But he didn�t let her go. "I'm sorry Spike," Dawn whispered, but she didn't let him go either. After a little while he picked her up in his arms, still holding her to him close, and carried her out of the mansion. Dawn clung to Spike tightly, afraid to let him go. Xander and Willow pulled up just as he walked outside. They were armed to the teeth with crossbows, guns, stakes and crosses. Spike said nothing. He put Dawn inside the car and climbed in beside her. He pulled her into his arms again and didn't let her go. Willow and Xander fussed over Dawn as they drove her home. She didn't notice, she just held Spike, her hands bunched in his shirt, his arms wrapped tight around her. "You sure you want to stay here tonight Dawnie?" Willow asked, worried. "Yeah, you can stay with us Dawn," said Xander. "At least let us take you to the doctor�" "I'll be fine," said Dawn. She let Dawn and Xander hug her. "Go home and tell Anya and Tara I'm ok." Spike picked her up and carried her up the steps. He kicked the front door open and carried her inside. He put her down briefly and shut the door, wedging a chair under the door handle. More to make Dawn feel safe than from any need to keep out intruders. The minions were dead. Then he picked Dawn up again and carried her up the stairs. Gently, Spike lay her down on her bed. He fetched a cloth and washed the blood from her arms, then tore a shirt and bandaged the cuts. He pulled the covers over Dawn and crawled in beside her. He lay there, just holding her close until they both fell asleep. Dawn felt an incredible sense of comfort as she woke the next morning. She shifted slightly and found Spike still wrapped around her. He stirred at her movement and the embrace tightened. Dawn turned over and looked at him. He was awake. His blue eyes were pensive. "What now?" Dawn asked. Spike propped himself up on one elbow and gave her a stern look. "Now you're going to pack your bags and get the hell away from this bloody place." "No." Spike looked at her questioningly. "Little Bit you're going home, away from the Hellmouth. It's too dangerous for you here. The Watcher had the right idea when he let your Dad take you away." Dawn frowned at him, frustrated. Couldn't he see? "No Spike, I'm not leaving you again." Spike cocked his head to one side and smirked at her. "Well that's all right then pet, 'cause I'm going with you." Dawn's face broke into a huge grin at this news and her expression made something inside Spike sing. "I promised Buffy I'd protect you, Nibblet. Can't very well do that when you're on the other side of the country now can I?" Dawn snuggled down next to him. He was the only thing she wanted from Sunnydale. She knew now why she'd had to come back. Now she had him, she could go home. End of part 6. To be continued. |