Buffy and Angel silently made their way down the grey hallway of Wolfram and Hart. Buffy was happy to have the weight of the conversation with Angel off her chest, and her financial problems behind her. She knew Angel would take care of her. He always had, and he always would.
Angel’s eyes stayed on the passing walls as he walked next to his ex-girlfriend. It was going to be so awkward having Buffy around all the time. It was going to be so awkward having her AND Spike around at the same time. Would this work out?
As they turned the corner they saw the Wolfram and Hart Café’s door still ajar, just how they had left it. Stepping inside, Buffy froze in the doorway.
“What the hell is going on here?” She asked, her hands on her hips. But a smile was growing on her face as she examined the scene before her.
Spike was completely across the room from Dawn, his mouth open at the ready. Dawn had a bag in her hand, and was throwing small white objects that Buffy quickly identified as marshmallows, which Spike was catching in his open mouth. He didn’t miss a single one.
At the sound of Buffy’s voice, Dawn looked up abruptly, startled, and the marshmallow went off course. Spike vamped out and leapt in the air, catching the marshmallow in his fangs before it went above his head.
“Bravo.” Buffy beamed, clapping. Spike whirled around, obviously unaware that she had entered the room and at the sight of her unvamped. Buffy stopped beaming, but the smile lingered. Spike looked down, but smiled also. Angel shifted his feet nervously behind Buffy and there was silence.
“Oh god, enough with the quiet!” Dawn snapped. “I can’t stand the quiet!”
“She’s right. Quiet, bad.” Buffy said, going over to her little sister. She looked at Spike. As tired as she was, she knew she would have to face him eventually.
As if reading her mind, Spike pulled up a chair and sat down. “We can talk later.” He said quickly. “Tomorrow.”
“Thanks.” She said giving him a grateful look. Angel, still standing in the doorway, rolled his eyes.
“Do you guys have a place to stay? I have an apartment thingy on the top floor if you need it.” He said, quickly breaking any silence that would have occurred had Dawn not thrown them all a look that said ‘Keep Talking’.
Though she was relieved at the non-silence, Dawn did not like what filled it. Stay with Angel? That was both awkward and boring. Emphasis on boring. And awkward, she supposed. Emphasis on both.
Dawn nodded her head in finality to her thoughts, earning her a puzzled look from everyone.
“So that’s a yes?” Angel asked confused.
“No...” Dawn said slowly, more to herself than to Angel. “No.” She repeated confidently.
“That’s a no?” Angel questioned.
“Yes.” Dawn nodded.
“A yes?” Angel questioned, his brow furrowed in frustration.
“No, it’s a no.” Dawn said unfazed.
“What? Why not?” Angel asked, glaring at Spike who was smiling.
“Dawn? Is there something wrong?” Buffy asked her sister.
“No, everything’s fine with me.” Dawn replied, popping another marshmallow in her mouth.
“So why can’t we stay with Angel? You know we can’t afford a hotel.” Buffy continued to question Dawn.
Dawn looked up to face her sister’s hazel-green eyes. “Because it would be awkward.” She said simply. And on an afterthought, she decided ‘what the heck?’, “And boring.”
“Okay, so where do you suggest we stay?”
Dawn thought about this for a moment. She hadn’t considered any alternatives yet. Her gaze on the floor drifted over to Spike, who, like everyone else, was looking at her.
“We could stay with Spike.” Dawn said, going over and standing next to the platinum haired vampire.
“WHAT?!” Angel shouted. “I’ve been shut down by Captain Peroxide again?”
“Do you really want me staying with someone with that much rage?” Dawn asked jokingly, shaking her head as she looked at Angel. He was speechless.
Spike’s smile widened, and Dawn leaned a little closer to him. To her surprise, he put an arm around her and rested the hand on her shoulder, pulling her close.
“The girl has a point.” He said. “That man is a ticking bomb of anger! You two should both keep away from Brood Boy, he could blow at any second!”
Dawn laughed at this, Buffy scowled, and Angel really did look like he was about to blow.
“See!” Said Spike, pointing at the CEO vamp.
Angel made an effort to look calm, but he still glared at Spike.
“Dawn, what makes staying with Spike any less awkward than with Angel?” Buffy asked.
“Staying with Spike would only be awkward for you, not me.” Dawn answered. “And it most likely wouldn’t be boring.”
“Yeah, I got an N-64. What does Angel got?” Spike challenged.
“Only a flat-screen TV with a thousand channels and TiVo.” Angel mumbled.
“A flat screen TV? This changes everything!” Dawn said sarcastically.
“I do have more room. What, are all three of you going to sleep in Spike’s bed?” Angel asked.
“If they have to!” Spike said with a nod, earning him a look from Buffy.
“Well, Dawn, it’s really up to you I guess, but Angel does have a point. And a flat-screen TV.” Buffy said.
“Fine. YOU stay with Angel, and I’LL stay with Spike.” Dawn decided.
“Dawn, we really shouldn’t split up...” Buffy warned.
“Spike will take good care of me. You know that.” Dawn consoled her big sis.
“Is this really what you want?” Buffy asked.
“Yep.” Dawn said, nodding.
“Okay.” Buffy agreed, hugging her sister. “Question. Where are your things?”
“Outside. I kinda left my suitcase by the curb.” Dawn said sheepishly. “Oh, and sorry I snuck out here, but...”
“I know, I shouldn’t have come without telling you. Who did tell you?” Buffy replied.
“Andrew.” Dawn said.
“Of course. Well, Spike, bring her here tomorrow morning. It’s summer, so we won’t have to worry about school or anything, but you should still get adjusted Dawnie.” Buffy told them.
“Yes ma’am.” Dawn said saluting Buffy.
“Stay out of trouble. Yadda yadda yadda.” Buffy advised in her mother/older sister way.
“Always.” Dawn stated as if it were obvious.
Spike took his arm off of Dawn and offered it to her.
“Shall we?”
“We shall.” Dawn answered, excepting. As the two strolled out of the room, Spike called behind him.
“We’ll be taking the black Viper!”
Angel made a sort of growling noise.
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