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Real Part One (By Penny)

Real Part Two (By Penny)

Paige (by alex)

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Paige
Disclaimer: I still don’t own them, or their world, and what’s more I don’t own Paige either, since I borrowed her off of Penny. Hey, whole new Genre, Fan fic of Fan fic! Read her ‘Real’ to get the original story.



Dawn liked it when Spike sat, ok, he could be a royal pain in the butt about homework and washing up and stuff like that but he was ok about staying up late and watching stuff on the TV and atleast treated her like an adult. Most of the time, anyway.

"But SPIKE! Noone will EVER know!"

"I know that ‘Bit, ‘Cause your not going." He brushed his hand through his hair in a distracted manner, in his day he’d have been given a thrashing for even THINKING about arguing with an adult….not so happy days in retrospect.

"But Everyone will be there! Janice, and Judy and-"

"And not you." His lip quirked a little, "You KNOW how this is going to end, Moppet, shall we just cut to the storming off in a huff now?"

"Hmummphh" She threw herself onto the sofa and settled a cushion on her belly scowling. They were in the Summers living room, technically HER living room, she though, since Buffy was dead.

Spike just stood there, waiting for her to speak before shrugging and settling himself on the floor cross-legged. He smiled slyly, "You know, I could tell you about the time I was in Berlin….in the war it was."

"Berlin?" Spike’s stories were usually on a par with the video’s Willow and Tara wouldn’t let her watch. Dawn only allowed mild interest to show through her sulk though, she couldn’t give in too easily….

"Yeah, I was spying for the secret service and-"

"Oh PLEASE! Like your James Bond with Fangs now?"

"Really!" he frowned a little, as if disturbed that she didn’t believe him, "It wasn’t my choice mind….Nazi’s knew how to throw a real good party as far as I was concerned, but they had Dru locked up in this big old house in Suffolk….said they’d stake her if Spike didn’t do the business for King and country."

"I’m going to bed." Dawn shrugged, "You know…you don’t REALLY have to stay…if I’m asleep I can hardly invite anyone in…"

"Not a chance Dawn." He scowled, the brat was always trying to get him to leave her alone in the house, like he didn’t know what she would get up to the moment his back was turned. Didn’t she realise just how many nasties wanted the Kudo’s of pulling the slayers kid sisters head off? Just thinking about what would happen if Dru got her hands on her gave him the shivers…..

"Ok then." She grumped, flicking her hair angrily and stomping off upstairs.

Spike had to suppress a smile….very like her sister that one, and very like someone else he had known a long long time ago.

##

Dawn smiled grimly to herself as she laced up her boots…so Spike wouldn’t let her go to the Bronze? He had been on a real goody goody kick since the gang started trusting him to sit with her on his own. He’d been more fun when Buffy was alive…Dawn swallowed at the thought, quickly pushing it out of her mind. Pushing herself off the bed she opened the window carefully, Spike’s hearing was eerily good…undead monster and all that.

Carefully she climbed out of the window, gingerly putting her weight on the tree branches. This trick was getting harder now as she got bigger, it had been much easier to sneak out when she’d first come to Sunnydale. She scowled at her chain of thought, she had been a blob of stuff when Buffy and Mom moved to town.

Grunting slightly with discomfort Dawn swung herself into the tree proper and began to half climb, half slide down the trunk. Letting herself go she dropped the last few feet and to the ground.

Looking around she smiled to herself, ha, fooled the Big Bad himself. She grinned, turning to go when she felt the presence….living around Spike had sharpened her senses in that respect. He kept insisting they play hide and seek, even though SHE though herself too old for stuff like that.

"Ok Spike, you got me." Shoulders dropped in defeat she turned to receive the ear bashing he was going to dish out.

Finding herself millimetres from an unknown face was a surprise. An unpleasant surprise.

Screaming and stepping backwards Dawn tripped on a tree root and landed on her backside. The stranger, a dark haired woman in her late twenties or early thirties smirked.

"You really should be careful of those, Dear." She held out a pale hand with dark painted nails.

"Yyyyyrr a aaa " SHIT! Dawn was going to die, she just knew it, and Spike was going to kill her too. The incongruity of the thought struck her suddenly but she was too scared to care.

At that moment Spike himself appeared, with his vampire face on and waving his arms wildly.

"YOU TOUCH HER AN’ I’LL RIP YER BLEEDING HEAD OFF!" he bellowed, leaping and flying through the air as though he was on wires. Through her fear Dawn had time to think the move was cool, she hadn’t known he could do THAT.

"My Dear, Dear, William…Where ever did you learn to talk like that?" The girl didn’t look in the least bit intimidated, "mother would be positively SHOCKED." She smirked again. It looked somehow….familiar….to Dawn.

"Paige?" Spike was wearing his human face again, and a totally shocked expression as he stumbled forward towards the pair of them.

"Paige? Is it really you? "

"The one and only, Will….a nice way you have of saying hello, I must say.." She trailed off for a moment as if lost in reminiscence, then spoke again. This time her voice was angry.

"And I should dust you right now. You bastard!"

"Paige..I..I..What are yo-how di-wha…" he stopped suddenly, stepping forward and

gathering her in his arms and spinning her around and hugging her. Laughing he set her down, turning to Dawn with a beaming smile.

"Meet my little sister, Dawn." He clapped his arm around Paige’s shoulders, pulling her to him and laughing, "And you are grounded until forever."

Dawn sighed as she picked herself up, now that she wasn’t going to die being alive didn’t seam so hot.

"Your taste in women seams to have become somewhat…well." She raised an eye brow. Eeewww, female Spike! The mind boggled.

"Just minding the brat." Spike gripped Dawn by the scruff of the neck and gave her a light kick in the seat of her pants, "TRYING to keep the nasties from getting her….inside Dawn, NOW."

Dawn nodded heading towards the house with her head hung low as the two vampires began to talk, questions flying rapidly back and forth.

"And Bed was probably a GOOD idea Niblet! A REAL good idea!"

Great!

##

"How did you get here? I mean, as a vamp?" Spike still couldn’t believe that his little sister was HERE, in Sunnyhell.

He frowned, "Who did it?" he was going to pull the blokes head off…turning HIS sister indeed! It just was not right.

"Noone you need to know." Paige seamed to read his thoughts, "And anyway, if he hadn’t then I wouldn’t have been able to find you. Do you have any idea how hard it was to track you down? You and that Drusilla woman never stayed in one place for more then a year! I was beginning to despair of EVER finding you again. Even when I had access to the watcher’s network."

"Watchers? How did you wangle-"

"Long story-later." She cut him off, "I didn’t come seven hundred miles to discuss my career."

"I thought you were dead! Long dead…I, I never really checked up on the family much after I turned."

"Don’t I know it!" she snapped, "I had to hunt and hunt, to find you. I knew you weren’t dead….I SAW."

"Huh moppet? Saw what?"

"I saw you dig your way out of the grave Will, I was there….when you died I was inconsolable." She scowled, blinking rapidly, "I couldn’t believe you were dead…so I went to the grave yard at St.Crispins just as you dug your way out….it was quite a shock let me tell you!"

"Yeah, " he nodded, feeling sick "I can see how it would be. Real big shock…lucky I didn’t see YOU."

"Quite." She smirked, putting her arm around his waist, "Do you think that we might step inside?"

Spike opened his mouth, then shut it. Glancing up at Dawns window he smiled, "It’s such a nice night…lets sit on the porch why don’t we?"

"Indeed." She snorted, "if I wanted her I’d have had her before you heard, William."

"Paige…it’s just that..Well, I, you understand? "He pleaded desperately, "I made a promise you see…please don’t be angry."

"I’ve been angry at you for a century William," she smiled, "don’t see why I should stop now. The porch it is then."

##

"After I saw you rise I followed you, you killed a little latter…oh, that was quite a shock let me tell you! I must have fainted…because the next thing that I knew I was home. It was daylight and everyone thought that I’d had an evil dream…this was before Dracula was in print you’ll recall."

"Bloody Dracula." Snarled spike, "if it weren’t for that glory hound we’d all have much quieter un-lives."

"Quite true…still, he IS charming to talk to, somewhat vain you know, but quite…charming." She flushed.

"What is it with that git and women?" Grumbled Spike, "He dresses like a poofter. Act’s like one too."

"Ohh, Mee-oww!" Paige giggled at her brother’s reaction, "He spoke quite highly of you."

"Really?" Spike grinned suddenly, then scowled again, "Anyway, back to the story Paige. I thought you were bound for the respectable life."

"What?" she shrieked, "after seeing my favourite brother rise from his grave and vanish into the night? Do you have any idea what things were like after you left? I was HURTING!" her voice became accusing, "You never even wrote!"

"A visit might not have been such a good idea." He mumbled, thinking of Dru and her….games, "and I thought you’d all be better of thinking I was just dead."

"You never used to be so selfish." She thought back to a time when they had both been alive.

##

London,1880’s

"And your eyes are like the wondrous Sun,

Lighting your face with dreams of days to come…"

Paige giggled, chin on the backs of her hands and resting on the French polish of the corner table. The maid would grumble softly later about getting the sweaty palm prints off again.

"It’s hardly Shakespeare…" she smiled, "but it’s sweet…is Cecily Beautiful, William?"

"Yes Paige…very beautiful." William sat back in his chair, smiling as he snapped his small notebook closed.

"When you marry will you have lots of children?"


"Paige!" William frowned, "that’s hardly a polite topic of conversation for a young lady of your age."

"Piffle!" She tossed her hair, "I’m nearly fifteen now, William. Soon I shall be married to a prince or a Duke!" Unliky though moinied and well bread the family was not QUITE that well connected.

"Indeed!" he grinned, "The Prince of Outer Mongolia….you shall no doubt enjoy living in a Yurt and drinking fermented mares milk."

"You read too much." She grumbled, "It’s not good for the brain…miss Jones told me so."

"Miss Jones has no brain to worry about anyway." Sneered William. The siblings shared a laugh at the Govornesses expense.

"You won’t forget me when your married will you?" She was suddenly serious faced, looking at him with those big eyes of hers, "William?"

"Ofcorse not!" He mussed her hair gently, "I could hardly forget my favourite sister now could I? My only litery admirer?"

##

"What was mother like after I died?" Spike glanced at her briefly before looking out into the night.

"She never recovered….took to the brandy. It killed her in the end, though they all said it was consumption."

"Yeah, about right in those days." Spike snarled, thinking of the secrets that had always hidden behind the sash windows of his era. He had hated the whole hypocritical set up, load of Bollocks.

"So what happened to you then? I thought they’d have set you up with some old geezer…four kids and a widow by thirty."

"Not quite." She grimaced, "I became obsessed with tracking you down a few years latter…once the shock had faded a little. I began to look all over London for you."

"I bet that raised a few eyebrows!"

"Indeed." She scowled darkly, "Things were very different back then. Still, I persisted, and I found vampires alright. "

"Did they hurt you?"

"Oh PLEASE, what do YOU think?" she asked sarcastically, "It was hardly tea and crumpets."

"I’m…I’m sorry Paige." The thought of some vamp laying hands on his little sister made him want to scream. He WAS going to find the Bugger.

"Don’t be." She patted his cheek, "I found you again…after all these years….oh, we can have some fun now! You recall the time we put fathers medicine in Miss Jones Tea?"

He grinned at the memory, his fathers anal retentiveness had been notorious…."How could I forget?"

"What do you say then? Shall we hit the town then?"

"Ahh…"reality cut in abruptly, "Paige, I’m not quite what you might be expecting."

"Why? You’ve not gone and got yourself a soul like that Angelus chap have you?" she frowned in concern.

"Not quite…it’s complex, you see…I’ve got promises to keep. The Niblet, Dawn, she's the Slayers sister and-"

"SLAYER?" Paige paled slightly, "You mean you killed another slayer and keep her sister as a pet? That’s…that’s just sick." She shook her head, wondering if her brother could have changed that much.

"NO, she’s not a pet…an’ I didn’t kill the slayer Paige. She died, saved the world she did."

"Bully for her!" Snorted Paige, jumping at his sudden angry look.

Spike smiled, "Sorry, moppet, didn’t mean to scare you. It’s just that I was in love with the girl, see? And I promised her I’d look after her kid sister for her."

"So vamp the brat and we can blow town." She shrugged.

"NO! I can’t do that, it, it just wouldn’t be right."

"Always with the heart rending, our William!" she sighed, "We’re hardly bound by the same moral strictures as we were…not NOW."

"No…we’re not. But I can’t hurt Dawn. I promised! You know I can’t go back on a promise!"

"Hardly! You buggered off and left me all alone without a second thought! And now your worried about someone who is not even FAMILY? William, what on earth has gotten into you?"

He laughed briefly, "Started with that damn chip these solider boys stuck in my head. I can’t hurt people, humans that is. Get a blinding head ache every time I try."

"Oh…" She looked concerned, "And you can’t get this contraption out of your head?"

"Tried often enough…no dice."

"Really William, you sound like a guttersnipe. Why ever do you talk like that?"

"Wanted to!" he said defensively, "I can talk any way I bloody well please too!"

"Yes, yes you can!" she held up a hand, smiling, "Please don’t lets argue…not when I’ve found you after all this time."

"No!" he took her hand and kissed it, "I always thought you were the plucky one…and here you’ve gone and proved it." he felt his un-beating heart swell.

"I’m so over the moon about you being here, Paige, I could cry. I did miss you you know-shhhh!"

Jumping up Spike pulled his sister forward and yanked the porch facing forwards, thrusting her underneath it he held a finger to his lips.

"Not a word!" he whispered as he returned the panel to its place.

"Yo Dead-Boy!"

"Hello Harris." Spike sat himself on porch.

"So, anything happen to the evil un-dead while we were out slaying the evil un-dead?" Xander smirked, thinking his crack quite funny.

"Xander, leave Spike alone." Willow looked totally exhausted, and had a thin trail of blood running from a cut above her eye. Spikes belly growled at the scent.

"Nothin’ much…Dawn was a bit tired. Went to bed early."

"What the big bad BOARD her to sleep?" Xander was about to follow his comment with another when the ‘bot strode past him.

"Hello Spike!" It smiled brightly, "You smell nice tonight! And your abdominal muscles are firm as ever!" she patted his belly lightly, for her.

"Careful there!" he grunted, "Damn robot."

"Thank you Spike!" it beamed at him and went inside. The other barely gave him a nod, it had been a bad night. Willow stared at him for a moment before going indoors. Once they were gone he let Paige out.

She glared at him, brushing dirt off of her jeans, "You’re consorting with THESE people?

Really William, I was led to believe that you were more…robust in your associations."

"It’s not really like that! I only-" He was interrupted by the door opening, it was Anya who smiled brightly, "Willow says that you had better not have let your vampire Ho into the house."

"Well!" Paige snarled at Anya, who rapidly fell back into the safety of the house,

"I can SEE why you like these, these, PEOPLE!" She spat, turning to walk away.

"Paige!" Spike ran after her.

##

Paige spun angrily as Spike caught her arm.

"Wait!"

"For what?" she snapped, "So that I can see my brother humiliated by fools AGAIN?"

"It’s complicated, mops, very complicated….please don’t be angry. If I’d known anything were going to happen to you you know I’d have stopped it….you know that don’t you?"

"Yes…" she sighed, "I s’pose I do." Shaking her head sadly she took him by the lapels of his jacket, "But Spike! These are humans! Their lunch! Rude lunch!"

"You’ve changed." It hit him suddenly, he had been trying to deal with her on the level that he had when he’d been the elder brother and she the adoring little sister.

"Ofcorse I’ve bloody well changed!" she snorted, "And I was told you had too….the slayer of slayers! I was so proud I could have burst! My brother finally being given the respect he deserved….and then THIS." She made a face, "It’s all so distasteful….you know I can’t bare to see you being hurt."

"Things are…different."

"No their NOT!" she snapped angrily, "Your still my brother, and your still being looked down upon by people who haven’t the slightest clue as to you greatness! If you intend to make this your life that’s your choice William, but don’t expect me to approve." Breaking free she strode into the darkness.

##

Dawn looked around nervously, sneaking out didn’t seam such a cool idea anymore…not after last week’s fiasco, but she had promised Janice that she would be at the Bronze tonight. She couldn’t not show again, she’d look sooo lame.

Breathing a little shakily she glanced at the house again. Xander was probably asleep on the sofa, watching WWF or Mary Poppins again. Freak.

"Hello young lady." The voice made her jump, and she spun, trying to place its source. Walking slowly Paige appeared from the shadows.

"Er, Hi…" she smiled nervously, Spike’s Sister wasn’t going to hurt her….was she? It was uncomfortable to realise that she didn’t know.

"Sneaking out AGAIN? Tut-tut, what would William say?" she moved with a fluid grace,

"He’s Soooo concerned that you don’t get eaten, sweet boy."

"You’re not, like, going to eat me are you?" She tried to say it lightly, as a joak, but her voice caught in her throat, as did the forced laughter.

"No…I don’t think so dear, not tonight. Where are you going?"

"BBBronze."

"Oh? That dive?" she smirked, "Are you OLD ENUGH to get in there anyway?"

"I can go where I like!" she snapped back.

"Of course, of course…its not like I care anyway."

"No, so what you doing hanging around the house?"

"Curiosity killed the cat." She looked Dawn up and down coldly, "And I’m a tinny bit curious as to why Williams so keen on you and your….charming friends."

"Spike’s my friend!" Dawn blurted, hoping very much that it was true.

"Then he’d want me to come with you….cant have you getting chewed up on the way can we?"

Dawn glanced around, it WAS dangerous out here. And the Bronze was across town.

"Cool…" she tried to smile as Paige dropped into step beside her, "Your not like, going to Kill anyone there are you?" she gulped at the cold look she received, hastily going on, "it’s just that the Scoobies would, like have to hunt you down…and then, Uhm…and then…"

"I’ve already eaten….mmmn, " Paige smirked, "Pretty young girl…much like yourself…yummy."

"Oh." Dawn gulped and Paige held her eyes for a moment before laughing.

"Oh, I’m only joking dear….I wont kill anyone tonight, not even that tasty looking Janice of yours…Promise."


"How’d you know about Janice?"

"I’m interested, and when I’m interested I find things out….my training I suppose."

"Training?"

"Secretarial college."

"So, tell me about your friends?"

"Yeah, like I’m gonna give a vamp the low down on the Slayers!"

##

"And Willow used to be, like, totally into Xander until she got Gay…I mean, I like Tara and she’s really cool, but how can Willow want her more then XANDER?"

Paige shrugged, sipping her drink "He’s probably a bit over equipped for her taste now."

They were sitting in the Bronze drinking Cocktails, and watching the dancers. Janice was dancing with some boy she’d met, and Judy was out back with her boyfriend. Leaving Dawn and Paige just sitting.

"I wish someone would ask me to dance." Sighed Dawn, looking over at the rough looking boys in biker gear. They looked TOTALLY cool.

"I don’t think you want to dance with them…" said Paige casually, "Not unless you want your still beating heart ripped out and eaten infrount of your eyes….Kagaku Demon’s."

"Eeewww. That is so Gross!"

"Anyway, you were saying? About Xander?"

"Well, he’s totally in Anya right now-"

"The Demon girl?"

"Yeah, that’s right, only they got engaged when they thought the world was going to end and now Xander wont tell anyone…" She grinned, "they think no one knows!"

"Typical man! Makes a promise he thinks he won’t have to keep, and then gets all funny when you call it in. Anyway, so you’re the only one who knows?"

"Yeah, that’s right. So…what was Spike like when he was alive?"

"Oh, " Paige smiled, leaning forward, "He was SUCH a baby! Do you know that he used to faint at the sight of blood?"

"NO!"

"And he was Scared of the dark! But he was brave too…I remember when he caught this BIG spider in my room and killed it for me….I was so scared of Spiders back then. He was too, but he got it anyway…pulled all its legs off for me."

"Spike tried to save me." Dawns face darkened, "On the Tower…there was this demon and Spike knew he couldn’t beat him but he still fought….I was so scared you know, and I could see he was too. But I knew he wouldn’t leave me. Not Spike."

"No, William wouldn’t. He always was chasing after lost causes….very romantic in a poet…another drink?"

"I think I’ve had enough." Dawns head was beginning feel like it was an enormous hollow sphere, "…maybe one more." She smiled.

"Your not going to get sick are you?" Paige studied her intently, "I’ve no intention of carrying you home you know."

"No, I feel fine! Your accents funny! It’s just like Gileses."

Immediately that she had said it Dawn detected the change in Paige, her face hardened and her body stiffened. Giles had been in England for the past month, dealing with watcher council business.

"Giles? Who’s Giles?"

"Uhh…Noone, just some boy.."

"Lies make baby Jesus Cry." Paige smiled sweetly, studying the black polish on her nails. It was just amazing how menacing she could make the innocuous act appear.

"So, You were saying? About Giles?"

"He’s Buffy’s Watcher-"

"Was Buffy’s watcher."

"Whatever…."

"What does he look like, this Giles?"

"You, Uhm, know him then?"

"I know the family, so, is he charming? Good looking? Fun?"

"More like Dull, old, and Boring."

"Ahh, takes after Richard then…"

"Sorry?"

"Oh, I know the Gileses, very good family. Upstanding pillars of the council for centuries….Related to Royalty you know?"

"Yeah, Royal pain." Dawn lifted her glass, having forgotten that it was empty.

"I think you’ve had enough." Paige rose, grabbing her own worn denim jacket.

"I wanna dance!"

"You want your mates to find out where you are?"

"I wanna dance! No one ever wants to dance with me-"

"Next time, Come on! I can’t baby sit you all night."

"What about Janice and-"

"I think they’re doing QUITE well without you." Paige smirked.

Grumbling Dawn rose and unsteadily followed the vampire out of the bar.

"Stop whining and we can go out again sometime."

"Really?" Dawn thought that sounded like a cool idea, "that’d be Great!"

Spike never let her drink, or go out, or much of anything.

Paige could be fun.

##

Spike glowered at Anya when he arrived at the house. She seamed totally impervious, or more likely, he thought, too stupid to notice. There had been quite a row after Paige had left and Spike had almost turned his back on the whole lot of them. It had been Willow who had smoothed things over, though just barely.

"Any news?" Willow was eating one of the pancakes the Buffy bot was making. On seeing him it flashed that blinding smile.

"Spike!" that geek had made it well, just for a moment he could almost believe it was happy to see him, "I learnt how to make pancakes? Do you want some? I could put maple syrup on them, but Xander ate it all."

"These are good." Xander said, voice muffled by a mouthful of pancake, he was working his way through a small but growing pile.

"How are you planning to patrol full of that rubbish?" Growled Spike, that these children had managed to survive this long sometimes amazed him.

"My turn to sit." He mumbled with his mouth full.

"Xander has a big stomach, " Anya rubbed her boyfriends stomach appreciatively, "and a big-"

"Ayn!" Choked Xander, spitting half-chewed pieces of pancake over the breakfast bar.

"I was just going to say you had a big frame." She grumbled, "What’s wrong with that?"

"Nothing.." Xander was turning puce red now, Spike smirked.

"What did you THINK she was going to say? In your dreams Bob the builder."

"We all ready to Go?" Willow headed off the brewing argument with a bright smile, "Botty, I think you’d better stop cooking now-Time to go patrolling."

"Ok Willow. Where’s Giles? Is he coming?"

"Nope…not tonight, watcher stuff." Willow shrugged, "No big…We can cope."

Giles was in good shape for a guy his age, thought Xander idly, wondering how he’d look when he was that old….pretty good, he decided, pulling the pile closer and shovelling another mouthful of syrup soaked pancake into his mouth.

##



Chapter two


Dawn was getting morose again, Paige had noticed her tendency to black moods whenever the subject of her late, unlamented (by Paige at any rate) sister came up.

"Why do you want to know about Buffy?"

"Well, if William and her had a…" she grimaced, the whole idea was so distasteful, "thing going on it she must have been different from other slayers."

"Yeah, Spike couldn’t kill her." Quipped Dawn, "so he decided to f-"


"Ah!" Paige was being all BRITISH tonight, thought Dawn, it was like partying with Giles. They had been to the Bronze twice since the first visit, and every time Spikes sister had been probing for info on Buffy.

"Anyway, Buffy was all ‘ack, Spikes stalking me!’ and uninvited him from the house and stuff. Like Spikes any worse then ANGEL, I mean, HE never tried to blow the world up or anything."

"Angel tried to blow the world up?" Paige frowned, "How short sighted of him. Who was he intending to eat afterwards?"

"Yesss." Sometimes the fact that she was talking to a vamp was driven forcibly home. Dawn sipped her drink, her life was getting weird as well as suckey.

"So, cut to the chase-how did William win her over? Not with poetry I take it. So what? Flowers? Chocolate? Hearts of her foes?"

"Oh, Buffy would NEVER look at Spike. She thought he was evil."

"He IS evil."

"No he’s-well, he’s…" Dawn shut her mouth with a snap.

"So your telling me that my brother was mooning around after this girl, and nearly got killed for her, and spends his time watching you and taking orders off of people who’ve named themselves after a cartoon dog and insult him-and she never even came across for him? Even once?"

"Yeah…pretty unbelievable, huh?"

Paige snorted, "Hardly, it sounds SO William. He always was one for lost causes, I’d hoped that being dead would cure him of it."

She sniffed suddenly, glancing around. Spike was standing by the club entrance looking around. Their eyes met for a moment and his widened in surprise.

"I think it’s Time for you to go home, pet."

"No one’s asked me to dance yet. I want to get a dance tonight-you Promised! Its no fun just sitting here talking about the Scoobies."

Paige smiled slyly, still looking over Dawns shoulder.

"Alright then….one dance."

"No one’s asked me yet…they asked YOU."

"That’s because they haven’t seen you in action yet." She rose gracefully, pulling Dawn to her feet, "Dance with me and their’ll be all over you like Rabbits on a demon."

"Dance with you? That’s, like, so lame…and Kinda gay."

"Come on midget." Paige pulled the half drunk Dawn out onto the dance floor.

"People are looking!"

"Let them…Now shut your mouth and move a little." Whispered Paige, slipping her arms around Dawns waist and swaying her slightly, "That’s right, dear…let the music lead you."

Dawn seamed to be getting the hang of it as Paige moved closer, looking at Spike all the time.

One didn’t get to live a hundred odd years without learning one or two things, she mused, and getting teenage girls to dance with her wasn’t the hardest thing in the world.

She smiled as Dawn began to move of her own accord, pretty little chit….not the sort she usually went for but still….time to move the tempo up a little.

Dawn was feeling very drunk, and very strange, and somehow Paige was making her feel very beautiful and graceful. Liking that feeling made it easy to ignore the alarm bells ringing in her head at what Paige’s hands were doing.

Spike watched them dance, Paige was looking straight at him with that damn sly smile as she danced…well, you could call it dancing…with Dawn. The sight was making his stomach flutter as he stood frozen by indecision. One part of him wanted to run over and grab Dawn and slap the bad vamp around, another part of him knew that the ‘bad vamp’ was his little sister who he couldn’t have hurt for the world, and another part of him was really, really enjoying the floor show.

That was the demon, he decided, gulping, definitely the demon.

Abruptly Paige stepped back, taking the confused teenage girl by the arm and leading her towards the exit. Dawn was looking flushed, he could smell the blood near her skin and felt a pang of guilt at the urges it sent coursing through him. For once he was grateful that he was chipped.

"Hello William…Dawn and I were just having a girls night out. You don’t mind taking her home do you- I’ve got to run." She sauntered off.

"Spike!" Dawn blinked in confusion, blushing "Ahh, I was just…just."

"Stay here!" he snapped, turning and running after his sister.

"Paige!" He caught her in the alleyway outside, the thought that this was where he had first seen Buffy striking him suddenly.

"Yes William?" she turned, smiling.

"Paige." He repeated, not sure of what he wanted to say, much less how to say it.

"That’s the name, don’t wear it out." She spoke lightly.

"What do you think your doing?" Good thoughts won out over bad, barely. He tried not to think

what might have happened had they not.

"Taking your little friend out for a drink….nothing wrong with that is there? I didn’t hurt her….mmn, I bet she’d be so tasty though."

"Paige…Paige you cant…she’s…"

"Pretty little thing isn’t she? Don’t tell me you’ve never thought about having a little taste William? A chips hardly a soul." She smirked.

"You stay away from her." He said, trying to keep his voice even, "I wont let you hurt her- you know that."

"Dear, dear, William." She smiled sadly, "You really don’t have a clue do you?" She turned to leave.

"Paige!" she paused, as he spoke uncertainly, "Are you staying?"

"Who knows?"

"Stay away from her Paige….please."

"Oh yes, William….I’ll stay away from her- but is she going to stay away from me?" She flounced off into the night.

##

Dawn was silent all through the walk home. Spikes silence damning her. As they neared the house she looked up.

"Uhm, Spike?"

Silence.

"Spike? Your not going to tell them about…" She blushed, "About dancing are you? I mean…they, Uhm, don’t need to know about that do they?"

"Stay away from Paige, Dawn." He spoke in a flat voice, "She’s very, very dangerous. More than you can imagine."

"I just wanted to go out." She whined, "it’s not like I did anything bad-"

"Just Bloody listen for once!" he snarled, suddenly grabbing her arms and vamping out. She squeaked in panic as he shook her roughly.

"THIS is what Paige looks like….NEVER forget it. She doesn’t have a chip, she can kill you anytime she likes, Dawn, Any time at all." He felt a little guilty at the look of fear on her face when he released her, she was just a kid after all.

"You have no idea, Dawn. So listen to me, please?"

"OK." She brushed tears angrily out of her eyes. Spike had frightened her badly, he was soposed to be her friend and here he was coming over all heavy and vamping out….

##

Willow was freaking, especially when she found out whom Dawn had been out with.

"I can’t believe you did something so STUPID!" she gasped, "I mean, you went to the Bronze with a Vampire!"

"Not just any vampire, its Spike sister." Dawn just looked at the ground, "She’s cool…"

"Spike?" Willow fixed the bleached blonde with her gaze, "Did you know? Because if you did how-"

"’Corse I didn’t bloody know! You think I’d let her go out boozing with a vamp? Paige’s ok, though, she wouldn’t have hurt her." Spike was hardly going to give them an excuse to hunt his little Sis.

"How do you know that? How CAN you know that?"

"She didn’t hurt me the other two times-" Dawn wished the ground would swallow her up as the words slipped out of her mouth. Willow, Tara, and Spike were all looking at her…."WHAT?"

Dawn shuffled her feet and didn’t answer. Willow was boiling over now, grabbing Dawns arm.

"Dawn! Are you like totally insane?"

The girl mumbled something, prompting more shaking, "What? What did you say-"

Spike was just putting out a hand to calm the witch when Dawn exploded.

"Get the HELL off me!" She pushed out with both hands, putting a slight roll in her hips, just as spike had taught her. Surprised, an unbalanced willow stumbled backwards and fell.

"You never let me DO anything!" Dawn hissed, stamping her foot, "And I’m sick of it- this is MY house, Mine! And you’re not my MOM! And you not my sister-" Suddenly she stopped, lower lip trembling for a moment as tears welled up in her eyes. Furiously trying to blink them back Dawn brushed Spikes arm off her shoulder- suddenly hating him, Willow, everyone.

Breaking away she ran out of the room and up the stairs, slamming her door.

##

"We can’t have her behaving like that!" Raved Willow, wincing as she paced the kitchen. More then her pride had been bruised.

"Just calm down, sweetie!" Tara said soothingly, "She’s just upset-"


"This is your fault!" Willow rounded on Spike.

"How the bloody hell you work that out?"

"If your blood sucking fiend of a sister-"


"Don’t you call my sister a fiend!" Growled Spike.

"But she IS!"

"Well…yeah…" he conceded the point, "Just don’t call her it!"

"You better keep her away from Dawn or so help me I’ll-"


"You’ll what?" Spike snarled, vamping out, momentarily forgetting about the chip.

"If you’re going to try and eat me you can go!"

"When I want to eat you, Glinda, " he snapped, "You’ll know it!"

"Yeah!" She sneered, "I’ll hear you going ‘ahh, Ohh, my head!’"

"You said you’d never mention that…." He face returned to human mode, wearing a hurt expression.

"I…" Willow’s face was horrified, "Spike…I’m sorry…I didn’t mean…"


"Forget it!" He turned, stomping out of the house.

"Willow! How could you be so mean?" Tara glared at her, "You know what Spikes like about that!"

"Yeah…yeah well, he shouldn’t…" She said defensively, ",Uhm…HE’s the one who tried to eat…" She hung her head, "I better go apologise."

##

Willow didn’t like the Graveyard, but she wanted to apologise straight away, leaving Tara to watch Dawn she parked the car and began walking the short distance to the crypt. As she walked it occurred to her that being alone in the graveyard wasn’t the smartest place to be. She picked up her pace, glancing over her shoulder.

She was almost there when she heard a sound coming from a freshly dug grave, pausing beside it curiously she leaned forward, listening to the scrapping sounds gradually getting louder. When a dirty hand broke free of the soil she squeaked in alarm, turning to run.

The newly emerging vamp was already free to the waist before she got ten yards, issuing a low growl as it saw her and struggling to break loose of the heavy soil. Willow glanced over her shoulder at it, he breath catching in her throat as she saw it scuttle to its feet and give chase.

It was on her a second later, knocking her to the ground as she searched her panic stricken brain for a spell. Rolling her roughly over the vampire yanked her head to one side and dived for her neck.

"OI! You!" Willow saw a hand with black painted nails grip the beasts shoulder, Spike had come! She felt like cheering.

The vampire didn’t get a chance to react as it was yanked backward off of her and spun headfirst into a gravestone, cracking it. Willow was surprised to see that her saviour wasn’t Spike, but a dark haired women. Her rescuer brought her knee up into its gut as a stake appeared out of no where which she plunged deep into the beast’s back.

"Uhh…are you the new slayer?" Willow watched the figure brushed dust off its hands and turn.

"Hardly…." She smirked, eyes flashing yellow for a moment before returning to a human blue.

"Uhh…You better not try anything!" Willow warned, "The slayers my best friend!"


"Ohh, a dead girl’s going to stake me!" She mocked, "I’m sooo frightened."

"Uhh…."


"Oh do stop scuttling, girl, I’m not going to bloody bite. I’m Paige." She held out a hand, "Willow I presume?"

"Your Spike’s sister!"

"Well, " Paige cocked her head and considered, "being born of the same mother that WOULD

follow."

"You took Dawn to the Bronze!"


"Yeah," Paige grinned, "I did."

"Well…you shouldn’t!"

"Hello William!" She looked past Willow, "Look who I found! One of your friends…."


"No bloody friend of mine….." Spike walked slowly from the shadows, holding a bottle of scotch from which he periodically drunk.

"Oh…" Paige shrugged, "Do you think I should eat her then?"

Spike eyed Willow coldly, considering, "Yeah…why not?"

"Spike!" Willow looked between the two vampires, "Spike I came to say…."


"Do you want me to save you some? I know she’s only a skanky little chit…."


"Hey!" She glanced at Paige in alarm, "SPIKE! You can’t let her eat me!"


"No, all yours Sis…."


"I came to say I’m Sorry!"


"Sorry, Glinda…." Spike cocked a hand around his ear, "Didn’t catch that?"


"I’m SORRY! I’m really sorry I was mean!" She glanced at the slowly advancing Paige.

"Oh…..In that case…" He glanced up at his sister who was already giggling, at Willows expression she began to slap her thigh and chuckle loudly.

"Uhh…." She glanced at Spike who was smirking, "Hey! That’s NOT funny!"

"Looked pretty damn funny to me!" Paige helped her to her feet, catching the bottle that Spike threw her and taking a sip.

"Yeah…Well…" Willow scowled, wrapping her coat around herself with her arms.

"So, Red…meet Paige. She thinks you’re a, what was it…Blood sucking Fiend, Paige."


"Uhm…Well, I was upset."

"Oh, that is SO preferable to being a vamp Ho…." Paige mused, "You think I’m growing on her?"

Willow blushed.

"Oh…company, " Paige turned her head as Xander and Anya came panting and running out of the darkness.

"What’s going on?" sweat streaming down his face Xander looked at the three of them, breathing out a sigh of relief, "Tara said you’d gone to see Spike, and she was worried…"

"Xander……." Anya pulled his arm as he panted, leaning heavily on his axe.

"So everything’s ok…phew, that was a WORKOUT!"

"Xander…." Anya gripped her boyfriends arm, "Xander, its HER! The one who wanted to get me!"


"If your EVER rude again," Paige fixed Anya with an icy stare, "I’ll feed your bones to the bunnies…..And I mean to ANYONE!"

"XANDER!" She shrank behind him, pushing him forwards.

"Hey! Don’t talk to her like that!"

Paige ignored him, instead sniffing the air and grinning, "Ah-HA! I knew it had to be!" She exclaimed as Giles approached, she surprised everyone by running towards him and jumping into his arms.

"RIPPER!"

##

Chapter three

Giles car was cramped with all of them packed into it, Giles and Willow in the front seat, Anya sandwiched between Spike and his sister, half on Xanders lap.

"How come you know Spikes sister?" Willow passed the single plastic mug of scalding tea from the flask.

"I didn’t know she was Spike Sister…" Giles looked uncomfortably at the blond vampire.

"We met through Black Sabbath…" Paige smiled, taking the cup and sipping from it, passing it on.

"Giles! You did DEVIL WORSHIP?" Willow was shocked, and intrigued.

"Ohh, no, the band!" Paige giggled, "There I was enjoying the music when

who should I run across but young Ripper…well, I could hardly eat him, what with him being family and all…"


"FAMILY!" Spike spat scalding tea over Gileses upholstery.

"I was married to a Giles…." She said wistfully, fixing him with an annoyed look, "If you’d ever bother to write then you’d know that!"

"Paige used to be a watcher…." Giles said quietly, "A long time ago."


"Let me tell the story, Ripper, you always have so much effing and blinding…"


"Giles?" Willow giggled, "cussing?"

"Oh yes, it was most shocking some of the things he came out with….like the time we were pulled over by the plod for speeding on that damn bike-"

Giles coughed loudly, "Paige and I parted on somewhat…poor terms."


"Oh, your not still worried about THAT?" She waved her hand magnamanouly, "If I held a grudge every time someone tried to kill me I wouldn’t have ANY friends."

"Yeah…." Spike glared balefully at Willow, "YOU don’t hold a grudge…..Hey! You tried to kill my sister?"

"So how long you in town for?" Giles asked, changing the subject.

"Oh…I don’t know. Thought I might get to know my brothers friend, I’ve already met Dawn."


Willow watched Spike and Giles shift uncomfortably, Paige saw it too,

"Alright! I promise not to lead the midget astray…." She held up her hand,

"Scouts Honour! You DO trust me don’t you? Spike? Ripper?"

Willow smiled smugly to herself, Giles was far too sensible to fall for-

"Of Corse I do!" the watcher smiled.

##

Willow didn’t like having Paige in the house, but Giles had insisted that she was a vamp of her word. A week of living on butchers blood and suddenly she was rehabilitated!

"You DO trust me don’t you, ripper?" She muttered sarcastically, brooding as she stirred the drinks, "Yes of corse I do, you blood sucking, murdering, skanky, arrogant…"


"Paige is FUN!" The bot came up behind her, perfect smile beaming as it helpfully took some of the mugs, "She’s going to teach me to play strip poker!"

Great, even the damn bot liked her.

Scowling Willow picked up her and Tara’s mug of coco and brought them into the lounge. Dawn was on the sofa, sandwiched between Paige and Spike. All three were deeply involved in painting their nails as they chatted.

It looked almost like a family….ICK.

"And then Dru came in…and I was like Soooo scared but she just ignored me, and she did some weird mind meld thing on Kendra, and THEN," Dawn drew back her hand, making a slashing motion.

"Less with the Gore, ‘bit!" Warned Spike, blowing his drying nails.

"What you guys talking about?" Willow curled up with Tara on the beanbag, Giles was snoring softly in the armchair.

"The secret…." Paige ignored the witch, "is to smooth out all the bubbles first time…and that’s Thrall, Dawn, not mind meld. Did she touch the slayer?"


"Yeah…"


"On the throat I’ll warrant, " Paige snorted, "Press on the artery to the brain and they go all dizzy and weak, cheep trick….YOU could do it."

"COOL! Will you teach me so I can-"


"I don’t think so, Dawnie." Willow protested, "It sounds Kinda dangerous."


"Possibly when your older," Paige leaned over, inspecting the girls nails,

"Not bad…."

"Willow!" Dawn suddenly remembered something, "Willow, can I go to the Bronze tomorrow? It’s not a school night and Paige says she’ll make sure I get there and back ok, and she wont let me drink…."


"We discussed this Dawn." Spike glanced at Paige, was that Willows imagination or did he look a little nervous?

"I don’t think so…"

"Let her go, Hon…" Tara slipped her arms around Willows waist, "If Spike goes with them it’ll be ok." Sleepily she snuggled closer.

"But…"

"Dawn needs to have some fun…" Tara mumbled into the back of her neck,

"We could just have a quiet night…Spike wont let anything happen to her."

"Well…Ok, IF spike goes with you, AND watches you all the time!"


"ALL the time?" Dawn made a face, "What if I wanna go to the-"

"Hark to the child!" Paige mussed her hair.

"Hey!"


"Hey yourself!" She casually grabbed Dawn as she tried to escape, pulling her over and tickling the girl, eliciting squeals and giggles.

Giles woke with a start, apologising for napping and saying that he should go.

"How about a ride, Rip?" Paige smiled knowingly at him.

"How come Giles is called Ripper?" Dawn asked, "Did he, like, used to rip

peoples hair out? Or their eyes, or," She gulped, "Their…"

"NO!" Paige smirked, "When I knew him he had a thing for uncommonly tight trousers, and he was always-"

"Where do you want to go?" Giles got up hastily.

"Oh…" She licked her lips, "I want to go all the way…."


Spike Scowled, "Though you an’ me could go hit Willy for a few drinks, pet."

"Another time…." Paige walked over to Giles, taking his arm.

##

Dawn sipped her soda with Janice and Kerry-Ann.

"So who’s the guy?" Kerry nodded over to Spike who was standing in the corner with Paige, glowering at any boy that got within ten feet of the girls.

"My sisters, Uhh, boyfriend." Dawn lied, "He promised to watch me."


"He’s scaring all the talent away!" Janice complained.

"Yeah….Spike can be a jerk…"

##

Spike glanced around the room, mentally cataloguing lunch and lunchers. Most of the local vamps knew him and steered well clear when he shot them the eye.

"I’m going to get something to eat…" Paige yawned, "You coming or shall I bag you some?"

"Paige!" he groaned, "You promised-"


"Not to lead the munchkin astray…" She smirked, lounging against the wall,

"So, you want me to bring you some back?"


"I cant…."


"Oh William! Stop being such an old fart! Your getting as bad as father…"
Spike blanched at THAT thought.

"We got to watch the kids…"


"So we eat and run…" She shrugged, nodding over to the toilets, a drunken boy was leaning on the wall, gathering his strength to go in for a heavy puking session, "Look! We can get drunk at the same time."

"Paige!" he warned, "Don’t-"


"See you…" She walked off, a spring in her step as she made her way over to the lad.

Spike watched as she spoke to him, helping him to stand and glancing quickly about before leading him through the door. The boy couldn’t be much older then Dawn, Spike looked at her and her friends, reasoning that nothing bad would happen to them in the short time he would be away.

He rapidly walked towards the toilet, brushing someone roughly out of the way.

##

As they walked back Dawn babbled on to fill the silence. Paige and Spike hadn’t said a word to each other for the whole journey.

"You guys have an argument?" She asked.

"No…" Spike tried to smile, producing only a grimace. He’d been walking funny most of the night too.

"What ever makes you think that?" Paige asked, ignoring the pain from her black eye as she put her arm over Spikes shoulder.

"Nothing…" Dawn shrugged, they were at the house and as she ran up to the front door she asked if they were coming in.

"No…Paige and I are goin’ to hit a demon bar…"


"Yes…" Paige looked at him icily, "We’re going to have a little family meeting…"

"Well, " Dawn shrugged, opening the door "Have fun!"

"Of all the Selfish, conceited, hypercritical-" Paige began as soon as he door shut.

"ME?" he snapped, "You’re the one who was going to go hunting on the kids night out-"


"Well, HELLO, it is rather my raison-de…" She shut her mouth with a snap as Willow opened the front door, dressing gown wrapped around her and looking sleepy.

"Everything go ok?" She asked, looking at the two vampires suspiciously.

"Yeah, without a hitch." Spike beamed at her.

"Just fine…." Paige nodded, "So, William, shall we go and get that drink at Willys?"

They walked off arm in arm, keeping their peace until they were safely away from the house.

"Don’t you ever interfere in my hunting again William!" Paige began, glowering at him.

"You can’t kill here!" He hissed, "The Scoobies will find out , and then they’ll stake your ass."

"Hmn..." She considered, "Now theres something I might try with ripper..."

"And that’s another thing! I don’t want you seeing Ri-Giles any more!"

"I HARDLY think it’s your business to pass judgement on other people relationships!"

"Its Embarrassing! My sister running around after an old git like that, plus he’s a watcher!"

"Ha!" She snorted, "Coming from Spike, Shagger of slayers, that’s just dandy!"

"That was different!"

"Why? Because You’re a man? I cant believe I’m Still having this conversation after a hundred years, you, you sexist bigot!"

"I am not a sexist!" he growled.

"Just a bigot then?" She sneered, "Well, William, I’ll tell you this, Ripper is a damn sight more fun then YOU at present...so just you leave him alone."

"What do you care how Giles feels?"

She assumed a superior expression, "Oh, Perhaps I’ll have a Giles all of my own again soon...." She giggled at his reaction, "I wonder if he’ll call you uncle Spike...."

"I Will NOT countenance having a watcher in the family!"

"You’re just scared because he’d show you up!"

"Would Not!"

"He would too, and you know it William. Some Demon you are! Your nothing but a big fluffy puppy with teeth!"

"You take that back Paige!" he warned, pushing he roughly.

"Don’t you man handle me, you, you..." Her eyes narrowed, "You wanna-be Scooby!"

"Take that back!"

"Will not!" She danced out of reach as he tried to shove her again.

"You bloody well will!"

"William is a scoobie!" She taunted, keeping just out of reach as he grabbed at her, "William is a scoobie!"

"PAIGE!"

"Scooby dooby Dooooo!"

"Well, at least I don’t moon after old gits who wouldn’t touch me with a barge pole!"

"Rippers just…shy!" She frowned.

"Bollocks! He doesn’t fancy you anymore!" Spike laughed.

"He does too! He…He just doesn’t know it yet."

"Whatever. But no killing in town!" Spike spoke firmly, "I don’t want

Willow to have an excuse to hunt you down."

"I shall do as I please, William! And you shan’t stop me." Sticking her nose in the air she sauntered off.

##

Chapter Four






Rupert Giles sighed, pouring himself another glass of scotch and looking at the clock. Three in the morning and still sleep eluded him.

Gulping the burning liquid he rubbed his eyes, mind going over the same few minutes again, as he had constantly since Buffy jumped to her death and as, he suspected, he would for the rest of his life. His own personal purgatory.

He would play with the events in his mind, re-organising them and seeing if he could have made a difference. If he could have saved Buffy.

Now he was going to cry again, a stupid, drunk old man who’d lost his Slayer, he thought bitterly, willing his eyes to dry.

The Buzz of the door startled him, rubbing his eyes he pushed his glasses up and put on his day face. The face that he showed the others, calm, steady, certain.

He opened the door wide, not bothering with the chain or Spy hole.

"Paige…"


"The same…" She smiled.

"This isn’t a very good time…"


"Shall I come back in the morning?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, "Come ON, Ripper…Do the invite. Its chilly out here."

"Come in Paige…" He stepped aside as she moved over the threshold, glancing at his hall.

"Still playing the guitar?"


"Not in a while.." He smiled, "So what brings you out here at this time?"

"I was looking to get mugged, but the streets are regrettably crime free…." She shrugged, "Saw the light and thought I’d pop up."

"How did tonight go?"


"Oh, the moppet had fun, didn’t manage to get herself drunk, high or pregnant so I sopose it went well….Speaking of drunk, its unhealthy to drink alone." Her sense of smell was a lot sharper then a humans.


"Come into the lounge."

Once in the lounge she jumped up and sat on his desk as Giles poured a second glass of scotch and passed it to her.

"What’s the matter, Rip?" She sipped, studying him carefully.

"Nothing, just a bad night…." He smiled, "Touch of insomnia."


"You’re talking to me, Rupert Bloody Giles, not those children."

He shrugged, throwing himself into his chair, "Getting old, Paige…I’m not a

boy anymore."


"Hmnf…I can see that." She pouted, "I mean, you hardly looked pleased to see me…"


"I have…responsibilities now."


"I know…" She crossed her legs, suddenly smiling, "Don’t you ever miss it? The old days? You, Ethan, the gang…me."

"Things were different then." He looked at the wall, sighing.


"Not what I asked, Ripper…" She swung her legs around, spinning his chair with her feet so that he was facing her.

"Paige…"


"I asked, did you miss me?"


"That’s all in the past, I’m a watcher now-"


"Watching what?" She snorted, "The little Red head? Her friend? That chubby builder and his girl? The bloody Hellmouth? She’s DEAD Rip, just like all the ones before her, and all the ones that’ll come after."

"I have respon….." He sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"Tell auntie Paige about it….you know I don’t judge."

"You’re a Demon, Paige…and how ever much fun we had, we’re ultimately on different sides in a war."

"You know, you’re a lot like Giles…" She smiled wistfully, "He was such a stickler for duty. Made me a widow in the end….and…" She reached out with her left hand, taking hold of his chin and turning his head, "You have Richards eyes…such pretty eyes he had."

"Did you ever see Richard, afterwards?"

"A few years later." She scowled, "Silly boy tried to stake me….his own bloody mother! Gave him a good hiding, I did, let me tell you!"

"I think you should go….this isn’t a good idea."

"No…" She smiled sadly, putting her feet on the arms of the chair and pulling it closer to the desk, "It probably isn’t…"

"Paige!"

"You remember that time? That time in the New Forest when we’d just dusted three of Jeroush’s goons…."

"Ethan and his bloody gambling…"

"It was Raining hard, and we were in the tent…"


Giles Grinned, "Yes, I remember…"


"You liked me back then, Ripper…" She slid one leg onto his shoulder, leaning back a little, "Don’t you like me now?"

"I…" His throat was suddenly dry, "I cant…the council…"


"I wont tell if you wont…"


"It wouldn’t be right."

"No…." She smirked, "I don’t do RIGHT…but I Do do fun, and you look like you need some of that."


"Ahh.."


"You can’t do your job all wound up like a spring! " She pointed out in a reasonable tone, "It’s your DUTY to get rid of all that tension! Hmn, " She leant forwards and glanced down, "Speaking of tension…."

"I really think you should go…" he licked his lips, opening his mouth to say why just as the buzzer rung.

"Saved by the bell, eh?" She watched him go to answer the door, growling in indignation when she heard him speak.

"What do want, Spike?" Giles frowned at the vampire standing on his doorstep.

"Just dropping by….decided to pay my old pal Giles a visit…thought you might be alon-I mean lonely…" he tried to look past the watcher, "er, you know, Englishmen in New York an’ all that.." he grinned.

"We’re in California."

"Er, yeah….Well…gonna ask me in?" he hopped from one foot to the other, trying to look innocent, "Unless you got company?" His eyes narrowed.

"I don’t think so Spike." Giles shook his head, "I’m going to bed."

"Uhh, Right…Bed…all by your lonesome…Not that that’s bad…that," he peered over Giles shoulder again, "That’s good…"


"Good night Spike." Giles shut the door, heading back to the lounge.

"Paige?" She was gone, he shrugged.

"Bring the bottle in with you, Ripper!" She called from the bedroom, "And I left my fags on desk…."

Reaching for his glass and draining it Giles shrugged again, picking up the bottle and going to join her.

##

"Do hurry up, Dawn!" Paige called, hitting the car horn. She was very pleased with the car, a nice newish Ford she’d stolen from the next town. She banged the horn again as one of the neibours stuck her head out of the window and shouted.

"Drop dead you old Goat!" Paige waved cheerfully as Dawn came running out of the house, jumping into the passenger seat and slamming the door.

"Hey!" the girl grinned at her.

"What time did the wicked witch say you had to be back for?" Paige gunned the engine, roaring away.

"By nine, or I’m grounded until I’m as old as spike."

"You did say you were going shopping with me?"

"Uhh…yeah."


Paige glanced at her, frowning.

"Well, sort of….I said Spike was coming."

"HA!" Paige grinned, "A man going shopping? I’m sure he steals his cloths off of corpses…."

"Eeewww!" Dawn made a face, "Spike doesn’t kill people anymore…"

"Lucky for you isn’t it?"

Dawn gulped, "So, we, Uhm, hitting the mall……?"

"What are you actually after?" Paige’s eyes narrowed as a women in a Red

Toyota cut her off, almost hitting the Ford.

"I need some make up, maybe I’ll see if they have some discount shoes…you?"

"I thought I’d get some decent cloths, and some shoes." She frowned, "Does Willow let you wear make up?"

"Some."

"Still after that boy, what’s his name again?"

"Kev…." Dawn sighed, "But he doesn’t even look at me since Kerry got her nose pierced."


"I could eat her?" Offered Paige, "Do you think that would help?"

"Your joking….right?"

Paige laughed.

##

"You’d look good in that…" Paige nodded in agreement.

"Its eighty dollars! I’d have to save for ages." Dawn sighed, "It’d be ok if

willow let me get a job after school like I want."


"Put it on the card." Paige pulled out a purse, flipping it open and scanning the mulitude of cards. She pulled one out and glanced at the name.

"Vampires get credit?"

"Sort of." Paige looked over dawns shoulder and smiled.

"Just you wait here for a sec, Dawn. I see an old friend…I’ll just say hello." She moved off into the back of the clothes store where the Toyota’s driver was holding an immodestly small dress infrount of the mirror. She moved into the changing room to try it on, sliding the curtain shut behind her.

Perfect, Paige glanced around once before slipping in after her.

"Hello!" She slapped her hand over the surprised woman’s mouth and pushed her up against the wall, "Just wanted a word about safe driving…."

Two minutes later she reappeared beside Dawn.

"You catch them?" She asked.

"Oh yes…" Paige smiled smugly, "so, do you want the top?"

##

"So do you and Giles…Uhh, like each other?" They were driving Dawn home and eating burgers.

"Why you ask?"


"Its just that Willow said…uh..that you liked him."


"I can imagine what Willow said." Paige raised her eyebrow, taking a bite out of her burger and glancing in the mirror.

"Oh…."


"Giles and I are related you know…He’s family, just like William."


"Related?" Dawn frowned, "isn’t that like…well, ICK."


"Don’t you know all British people are inbred?" Paige asked in mock amazement, "Don’t they teach you History? We virtually colonised Arkansas!"

"NO!"

Paige giggled, "No Dawn…And Giles is a very dear friend of mine."

"I like you." Dawn smiled.

"I like you too, moppet." They were at the house now, Paige glanced up at it.

"You better hurry inside."

"Your cool Paige…" Dawn surprised her by giving her a quick hug before getting out of the car.

"Cool…" Paige mused, smiling to herself as she drove off.

##



Chapter Five



Giles gulped the clear liquid, banging his glass down on the table as he shuddered.



"Now that…" Paige blinked as her face contorted, "is good stuff."



"Not bad…" He refilled their glasses, eyes shinning slightly though his hand was steady.

She picked up the glass, meeting his eye as they simultaneously gulped.



"Ahh…" she was having trouble keeping her human face on as she shuddered, "Jesus Rip, you’re the only hume that can drink me under the table..."



His face twisted into a half smile that made her breath catch as he lifted the small glass bottle, shaking it irritably.



"Willy!" he yelled towards the bar.



"Hold your horses! Got custom here, " Willy called, glancing over "Jez, you drunk the whole bottle? You crazy?"



"My friend and I want another!"



"Wait your turn!" Growled someone at the bar.



"What was that?" Giles was getting up when Paige caught his arm.



"Not here, Ripper!" She eased him back into his seat, "I’ll fetch it."



"Wants to watch his gob…" Giles wiped spittle from his lower lip, glaring as the alcohol kicked in. He’s always been like that, thought Paige as she kissed her fingertips and touched his mouth with a grin, the body was sober long after his brain cut out.



She picked her way through the mass to the bar, slipping gracefully between drinkers with a smile. Popping her elbows onto the filthy bar she held out her hand, catching the bottle Willy, the owner of this dive threw.



"Thanks!" She turned, finding herself face to face with a very drunk vampire drinking what smelt like congealed blood, vodka, and red bull. How revolting….



"You should keep your pet under control." He snarled, "this is OUR bar!"



Smiling Paige brought her knee forcibly up into his crotch, slipping past him as he gave a strangled grunt and collapsed. Moving back to their table she slid into her chair and twisted the bottle open.



"Willy says if we buy another we get a free blind stick."



"Great…" Giles smiled crookedly, she reckoned that he was about ready to pass out.



"So Rip, having fun?"


"Always with you." He gulped the drink she poured for him even as she left her own glass empty.



"Your such a sweetie…" She leant forwards, whispering "You haven’t had TOO much to drink have you?"



"No…" He reached out, grabbing the back of her neck and pulling her clumsily forwards for a kiss.



"You’re a poppet, Rip, you know that?" She breathed, "You want to go to the car?"



"Yes, " He nodded, "Oh God yes."



"One more of those and we’ll- What do you want William?"



"What are you doing with my sister, Watcher?" Spike was standing over the table looking like the wrath of God.



"Snogging…" Sneered Giles, grabbing Paige again and kissing her roughly, letting her go he looked up at the scandalized vampire.



"Paige, a word…" he jerked his head.



"Piss off, spike." Growled Giles drunkenly.



"Yes, William!" Agreed Paige, "bugger off!"



"A Word about your shopping trip…." Spike kept his voice even, watching as she blanched.



"I’ll be back in a sec, Rip. Don’t go anywhere…." She patted his shoulder and rose, following Spike over to the corner.



"What the hell you playing at?" Spike snarled once they were out of earshot.



"So I took the moppet out-" She began, looking a little nervous as he cut her off.


"Don’t talk Bollocks! You killed someone at the mall!"



"What? So some one gets off’ed and I’m automatically to blame? Oh THANK you William!"



"Paige!"



"Well, " She said defensively, "So what if I did? They don’t know about it do they?" She glanced over to Giles.



"I told Willow I was with you all the time."




She breathed a sigh of relief, "So what’s the problem?"



"I can’t cover for you forever." He ran a hand through his hair.



"I do think you’re over reacting! One little kill…"


"The swimming pool attendant…the Pizza boy-"



"The food was cold!" she protested indignantly.



"The COP! Are you totally bloody insane? A COPPER?"



"He was…..rude."



"You don’t even clean your bloody bodies up! I had to bury the teacher……what the hell were you bloody thinking of killing her?"



"She flunked Dawn in English!"



"Oh? So now your whacking people for Dawn?" he asked sarcastically, "She thinks the bloody sun shines out of your-"


"There’s no need for profanity William." She didn’t meet his gaze.



"Yes there bloody well is!" He hissed, "Your running murder bloody Incorporated and trying to have it away with the bloody watcher at the same time!"



"Giles is special…."


"Yeah, he’ll use a gold plated stake."



"Soon that wont be a problem."


"You better not even be THINKING about turning him…"


"Well, he’d be a better vamp then YOU!"


"He wont, because he’s not going to be one. The Scoobies would go spare."



"’The Scoobies would go spare!’" she mocked,"You think more of them then you do of me, your own sister."


"No I don’t."


"You do too!" She rubbed her eyes furiously brushing away the sudden tears, "You wish I wasn’t here, don’t you? You’d rather be playing goody two shoes with your friends."


"Paige, I love you." He sighed, "But I prom-"



"Your bloody slayer means more to you then me!" She wailed, "You just LEFT! You just left and now- Oh, Bollocks!" She brushed him off roughly as he tried to hold her.



"I HAD to go!" he said desperately, "I couldn’t-"


"Just leave me alone!" She snarled, her face flowing for a moment before returning to human form, "look, you’ve made me ruin my make up now…" She turned, running off.



"Paige!" Giles was climbing drunkenly to his feet, trying to chase after her. In his haste he knocked a vamp who turned snarling. By the time he’d broken them apart Spike knew he had no chance of finding his sister.



##



"I miss her…" God, drunk Giles was depressing, thought Spike as he walked the watcher up the steps to his place.



"I miss her too mate." Spike tried to hide the catch in his throat.



"She was Soooo…" Bloody hell, the man was going to start crying. Spike tried to hide his embarrassment.



"I know, Rupert… we have to be strong." Great, now HE wanted to cry too. Spike fumbled in the watchers pockets for keys.



"Don’t feel strong….Don’t want to….Where Paige go?"



"You want to stay away from her, mate." Spike hissed in pain as he touched Giles key fob, only bloody Xander would carve a crucifix key ring. Git.



"Why’s that?" Good, belligerent the watcher was easier to deal with. Spike was used to that, "See who I like!"



"Whatever…" Carefully Spike used the key to open the door, propelling Giles inside and throwing the keys after. He shut the door as Giles staggered drunkenly.



With a sigh Spike headed home, reaching his crypt was a relief. He had a quart of rum, two packets of fags, and a box full of Passions tapes to unwind with. Stepping inside he frowned, glancing around in the darkness.



He smelt blood, the rich aroma that made his belly growl. Following the scent he moved deeper into the crypt, finding the still warm body of a young man in a smelly sweatshirt and jogging pants laying on the cold stone floor.



"Paige…." He shook his head in exasperation, then shrugged. At least she still thought enough of him to bring prezzies. He bent, seeing the ropes around the corpse wrists and the unnatural angle of the neck.



"Oh well, mate…wont hurt a bit." He vamped out and bent to feed. It had been a while and he was thoroughly enjoying the treat when the crypts door burst open. He jerked upright, shielding his eyes from the painfully bright flashlights shinning in his face.



"I TOLD you he was a Killer!"



"She was right!"



"Oh Spike…" That was willow voice, shocked, horrified and sad all at the same time, "Oh Spike, how could you?"



##

Chapter Six


Spike coughed, spitting blood as he bent panting over the gravestone. He reached a few fingers inside his mouth, checking his teeth. He though Xander might have loosened a few.

Hearing the sound of pursuit he looked around, trying to guess what direction they were coming from. Gits, they were trying to drive him into the west wall….no way out of there. He’s done it a dozen times with them on patrol.

Hearing a twig snap under foot he broke into a run. The bot jumped out from behind a grave stone, her face looking almost sad as it caught him in the gut with a powerful kick. Spike rolled, grunting with pain as it rolled him over.

"I’m sorry Spike, but your bad now and I have to stake you…" Its face moved mechanically into that beaming smile that made his throat catch every time he saw it. He had time to see the irony of his death wearing Buffy’s face even as the smile held him frozen.

The bot raised its staking arm, blinking once before falling forwards onto him, stiff as a shop dummy.

Surprised at still being corporeal Spike pushed it off him, staring at the large knife embedded between its shoulderblades, a wisp of black smoke wafting up from the entry wound.

"Well, well, William." Paige walked casually towards him, arms crossed, "you seam to have had a falling out with your friends….."

"What are you playing at, Paige?"


She pulled a cigarette out of her top pocket, lighting it with a smirk, "Need a hand?"

"What?"

"Just say the word and I can make all the bad people go away….Just say the word and things can be as they should."


"YOU!" he choked with rage, "I won’t let you kill them!"

"Not even Xander?"

Spike heisted for a moment before his anger kicked in again, "NO!"

She shrugged, "Oh well….hope your feeling fit." She put two fingers in her mouth and emitted a piercing whistle.

"HERE!" She yelled, "HE’S OVER HERE!"

"You Bitch."

"Better get running, Wil….."

Spike growled, scrambling to his feet and breaking into a run.

##

"Thank you…." Paige took the mug of coco from willow, eyes downcast and face a picture of misery.

"Why didn’t you tell us sooner?" Willow demanded, eyeing her suspiciously.

The Scoobies and Paige had returned to the house after loosing Spike on the edge of town. Giles wasn’t answering his phone, but Paige had assured them that she had checked by his place and found him safe before seeing Spike carrying the bound kid into his crypt.

"I…I couldn’t…" Paige sighed, "I hoped that with the chip….well, " She suddenly burst into tears, "He’s my BROTHER! Even if he’s a monster….oh..Oh, please…its all to much for me."

"Its ok…." Xander sat beside her, patting her shoulder, "He had us all fooled."

"Except for you!" Anya pointed out, "You always said he was an evil, perverse-"


"Ahh, Ayn, you wanna…" He made a face, mouthing for her to be quiet.

"I was just telling everyone how cleaver you are!" she protested, falling silent under the barrage of looks.

"I just wish…" Paige sobbed, "I mean, he SAID he didn’t like the boy…I should have…"

"No way for you to know." Xander soothed, "It’s not your fault."


"Why didn’t you tell us you had your soul back?" Asked Anya, "I mean, if you’re good then-"


"Ayn!" Xander cut her off, pausing for a moment in mid pat, "You know she does have a poi…"

Paige looked up, finding all eyes on her, "What? Oh…I try to keep it a secret…you see having done some of the……things…..I’ve done and caring is SUCH a burden. Its my shame….Those gypsies…" She broke into tears again, "I don’t like to talk about it…please…its just too much…." She collapsed into Xanders shoulder.

"I wonder when he got the chip out…" Willow asked, looking at the others, "I mean, it could have been out for days, or weeks…"

"Then why didn’t he eat us?" Anya paled, looking over her shoulder as if she expected Spike to pop up from behind the sofa at any moment, "XANDER! Stop comforting her and comfort ME!

I’m frightened."

"The twisted freak promised Buffy he’d watch Dawn…." Xander’s brow creased in thought, "He probably thought he was protecting her in some sick, perverted, revolting, disgusting-OWW!" He yelled in pain as Paige’s mug of scalding coco spilt on his lap.

"Uhh….real good profile Xand." Willow made a face.

"It’s alright." Paige sat up, wiping her eyes, "I understand…..He’s not my William anymore. It’s a shame that we couldn’t save the boy…but at least the moppets safe."

"Spikes dangerous…" Tara began, "You told me he nearly killed BBBUFFY, and shshe was the Slayer."


"Whets going on?" a pajarma clad Dawn was standing in the door way, rubbing her eyes sleepily, seeing the grave faces she stiffened, "Did someone…Did someone die?"


"Oh Dawn!" Paige jumped up and ran over to the girl, hugging her tight, "its Spike!"

"NO!" Dawn struggled to free herself, "NO! Spikes fast and smart…and…and…just NO! He can’t be dead! He just cant!"


"Spikes not dead…" Said Willow miserably, "He’s bad again."


"Huh?" Dawn stopped in mid rant, eyes widening, "how?"


"He killed someone…"


"So?" Dawn demanded, refusing to accept, "maybe they were…like, bad…maybe they tried to kill him…."


"It was someone you know…" Paige hesitated, "That boy from school…Kevin."


"NO!" Dawn shouted, "NO! Spike wouldn’t DO that!"

"Dawnie…" Willow whispered, "We saw him. Its true…."


"No." Dawn swayed slightly with shock, feeling sick, "but…but the chip…"


"We think he took it out." Paige led her gently to the sofa, sitting her down and taking her hands in her own, "Dawn pet…Spike is very dangerous. We think he might try to hurt you…"


"We do?" Demanded Anya in alarm, "Will he try to hurt me? Or…or Xander?" She gulped.

"Spikes my friend." Dawn said, dazed.

"Yes….but, dear, he’s sick…he might think he’s helping you. He might want to keep you with him forever….." Paige trailed off, glancing at the others, "He told me he’d turn Dawn before he let anything happen to her."

##

Spike leaned against the cave wall, fumbling for a cigarette. Finding the packet he snarled, crushing the mud soaked cardboard and throwing it into the darkness.

He couldn’t believe it, he’d been done up like a kipper by that cow of a sister. It was like that time she stole the peach pie, only worse because he was likely to get more then a whipping for this. He was soaked in wet mud, covered in scratches and, much as he hated to admit, it frightened.

He glanced at the cave mouth, calculating how much time he had before sunrise. He pulled himself painfully to his feet and moved to the entrance.

He found a phone box on the road, not far from his temporary hide out, breaking it open to get coins he dialled the summers house.

Tara answered, her voice full of weariness and he thought a touch of fear.

"TARA! It’s me! Spike…"


"SSSSpike…" Great, now she was stuttering again. Nice top know he could still scare them…well, normally it would be, but he had to get her to listen.

"Is Paige there?" he demanded, hearing the receiver at the other end being passed to someone else.

"Spike?" Willow.

"Red! I didn’t kill that kid! I just ate him!"

"What do you want?"

"Dawns in Danger! You need to let me come back to the house-"


"You stay away from her!" she hissed shrilly.

"Oh PLEASE! I wouldn’t hurt her for the world! I promised BUFFY! You know I wouldn’t hurt her!"


"Oh Spike…I thought you’d changed…"

"Red! You got to believe me! Its Paige! She’s evil!" it occurred to him that he, too, was evil, but

Thought it best not to mention that, "The bitch off’ed someone at the mall! And Dawns English teacher!"

"What?"

"And some Pizza boy because the food was cold, or something…and she wants to turn Giles!"

"You know about all these deaths…"


"I saw her do most of ‘em!"


"But you didn’t tell us? I, Uhh, Oh, I DON’T think so Spike." Willow sounded mad, he mused, not a good sign.


"What?"


"You killed all those people!" Willow sounded shocked.

"Hell, I’ve killed HUNDREDS of people, Red-" it was the wrong thing to say, he had intended to add ‘But not those ones’ but she cut him off.

"If you come near Dawn, so help me, Spike I’ll stake you! You get out of town mister!"

"WILLOW!" he yelled angrily, "Listen to me you stupid cow! I’ll twist your bloody head off if you let anything happen to the ‘bit! Hear that? I’ll use your skull as a beer mug! I’ll eat your girl’s eyeballs one at a bloody time! Willow? Willow?" She had hung up.

"BOLLOCKS!" He kicked the phone booth apart in frustration.

##

Anya glanced rammed the key into the lock.

"Careful Ayn…" Xander smiled, trying to calm her. She had been badly freaked by this whole Spike being (Realy) evil thing, he thought. She’d want to burn off some of that nervous energy with her favourite sport…..

"Get inside!" She snapped, "I don’t want to be a widow before we’re married."

"Relax, hon, Spike’s probably cowering in some pit somewhere…" He hoped there were cockroaches.

He followed her into the apartment.

A few seconds later the screaming started.

##

Giles looked like death, not even warmed up death at that. He had come to the magic box for the meeting, eyes red and bleary and a touch of stubble.

Anya was still rocking, clutching Xanders arm and staring into space.

"We SO need to stake Spike." Xander had waited a long time to say that and have everyone nod in agreement.

"I have to agree.." Giles croaked, gulping a glass of water, glancing over at Paige and licking his lips nervously. She hadn’t told him about having a soul and that bothered him….still, he had never know her to lie. For a vampire she was scrupulously honest.

"Don’t worry about me…." She shrugged, looking sad and deflated. Not her usual self at all,

"Keeping the moppet safe is the main thing."

"The bot’s out of action for now…Spike messed he up pretty bad." Willow looked worried, "I was, Uhm, thinking…what if he tells the other vamps that Buffys dead?"

The Scoobies looked at each other, weighing up the ramifications. They were not good.

"I don’t think Willia-Spike…Spike would do that." Paige said, "He never was a tattle tale…"

"Well, that’s just great!" mused Xander sarcastically, "He’s a blood sucking psycho, but he won’t tell!"

"Xander!" Willow frowned at him.

"Oh..Sorry P." he looked at Paige a little shamefaced.

"No offence taken…" She smiled weakly, making a mental note to pull the whelps tongue out SLOWLY.

"We’ll look for him tonight…" Willow made the decision.

"At the cemetery, Willys, and the pool hall…" Xander nodded.

"What about Dawn?" Paige asked suddenly, "I should stay with her….incase he tries to get to to her."


"We already uninvited him from the house…" Willow said, she still didn’t trust Paige, whatever Giles thought of her.

"You think that will stop William the Bloody?" Willow was sure she heard an undercurrent of pride in her voice.

"Ahh…someone should stay with Dawn, but-" Giles rubbed his forehead.


"Oh! Still don’t trust me? Don’t you know what you’re dealing with? My brothers killed two slayers already…do you think that you can stop him alone?"

"We might need you….Willow should stay with Dawn and see if she can get the..Uhm, buffybot working again." Giles gulped more water, "We might need it."

Willow smiled at Paige, who smiled sweetly back

Rocking slowly Anya began to mutter again.

"Bunnies…so many Bunnies…"

Chapter Seven



Dawn shivered alone in her room, feeling sick, and sad and frightened. She was soposed to be doing her homework, but somehow geometry didn't seam all that important when she was likely to be turned into a demon by her former sitter. Life sucked, but the fact that it might soon be over sucked more.

She decided that if Spike did get her she was definitely going to eat Willow first....that would teach her to nag about keeping her room tidy. Dawn started at the gentle knock at the door, it was Paige.

"How you feeling, moppet?"

"Fine..." Whined Dawn, eyes down cast. Paige looked uncomfortable, stepping into the room and crouching beside her.

"Thinking about William?"

"I thought he was my FREIND!" Dawn wailed, "He used to say that I was the only scoobie he probably wouldnâ't eat if he didn't have the chip! He said he LIKED me..." She sniffled.

"I.m sure that William DOES like you..." Paige rested a hand on her shoulder, looking thoughtful, "He feels responsible for you."

"Spike wouldnâ't hurt me..." She insisted, "I just KNOW he wouldnâ't!"

"He wouldnâ't think he was hurting you....He'd look after you forever, you know...he'ed make sure no one ever hurt you....but you'd be a vampire."

"Yeah well..." Dawn looked over her shoulder, "What's it like being a vamp?"

"Oh its absolutely w-I mean, terrible..." Paige shook her head, "But dot you worry, We'll

make sure your ok." She patted Dawns cheek and rose, Willow was standing in the Door way.

"The gangs ready."


"Oh well, Tally-Ho and away we go...."

##

Spike did NOT like the way the tree limb bent and creaked under his weight as he crawled out towards Dawns bedroom.

"Dawn..." he whispered as loudly as he dared, the Niblet had her headphones on and was rocking her head in time to the music while she played her GameBoy. He frowned, she ought to be doing her homework.

"DAWN!" He hissed a slightly louder, pulling himself a little further along the branch, which made ominous creaking sounds.

The bit just rocked her head in time to the music, eyes glued to the screen. Spike growled, face vamping out in frustration.

At that moment Willow walked into Dawns room carrying a tray of food. Spike saw her glance in his direction, suprise slowly moving over her face as she dropped the tray. Dawn jumped at the clattering, looking at her and following Willows gaze she saw him. The bit's mouth dropped open in horror-what the hell was up with her? Willow was also looking at him in horror, which rapidly turned into anger as she raised both hands and began to move her lips.

Spike watched with growing alarm as she conjured up a glowing ball of plasma which flew towards him, gaining speed. He let go of the branch, falling as the ball whizzed over his head, singeing his hair as it impacted the tree with a shower of hot sparks.

"What the hell do you think your doing, Red?" Picking himself up he looked up at the window where a furious looking witch was glaring.

"You stay away from her Spike!"

"But-" he was going to reason with her, but her jet black eyes and spell muttering made him think it wiser to run.

##

"And he was all vamped out watching her....just waiting...." Willow shuddered.

"Its OK, baby..." Tara caressed her hand, "You chased him away..."

They were gathered in the Summers lounge, Giles and Paige sitting very close, their finger tips touching when they thought no one was looking.


"We need to know where he is!" Xander said, looking at Anya. She was slowly coming back to herself after the incident with the rabbits.

"I should stay with Dawn..." Paige looked around the room, "If he finds a way to get into the house...."

"I can handle it." Willow smiled, "Once he saw the ball-"

"Paige is right." Giles decided, "The rest of will find Spike, and, ahh, kill him."


"I can do a locator spell..." offered Tara, smiling Shyly, "I've been practising..."

"Then its decided. Tomorrow." Giles looked at Willow, who shut her mouth with a snap.

##

Spike didnt like the crypt in the smallest cemetery in town, (Sunnydale was unusual in that it had more graveyards then public toilets, but no one seamed to have noticed.) He'ed chased out all the local vamps and picked the biggest crypt as a hide out, lamenting at the loss of his stuff.

Having been up for half an hour he was leaning on a gravestone smoking his third wake up fag when he heard the twig snap. Jerking his head around his eyes widened in alarm as the now forgotten cigarette dropped from his fingers. Screaming like a banshee Anya was charging headlong at him swinging an axe.

Spike grabbed the handle and steered the blow aside as she pressed close, her crazed, hate filled eyes boreing into him and drool running from her tight lips. He threw her back with a jerk as a crossbow bolt hit him in the arm.

"Arghhh!" He threw himself down as a second bolt pinged off the gravestone, ricocheting past Anya’s head as she rushed him again.

"Bunnies!" She growled, pounding at his head with her fists, "In my HOME!"

"GerOFF me you mad cow!" Spike struggled out from underneath her as Giles ran forwards, taking a running kick which caught him in the gut. Wheezing as the wind was knocked out of him Spike rolled desperately away, trying not to vomit.

He was on his hands and knees now, scrabbling desperately away as Anya jumped on his back, sinking her perfect teeth into his ear. Spike jerked her off, croaking in airless agony and clutching his ear as he tried to crawl away. Again Giles kicked him, this time a stunning blow to the head that sent Spike sprawling. Giles was reloading the blow now, standing over him as Xander and Tara tried to hold back Anya who was virtually foaming at the lips in her desire to get at him.

The crack of a gunshot made the Scoobies duck their heads as a gravestone exploded, showering stone chips every where. A vamp came running out of the darkness, waving a pistol as he grabbed spike by the coller and pulled him away.

"It's OK boss!" He shouted, "I got YA! Ya-all betta stay back¦." It brandished its pistol menacingly, dragging a very surprised spike to safety.

"What the.."


"Paige sent me!" The vamp hissed, helping Spike to his feet and pulling him off into a run. The Scoobies were regrouping and a crossbow bolt came out of the darkness as they fled. Reaching the wall of the cemetery Spike followed his saviour over the wall, looking in shock at their get away vichal.

Jumping on the pizza hut moped and slipping on a helmet the vampire started the engine, gunning it.

"You coming or what?"

##

Dawn sat infrount of the TV, not really watching as she sipped her hot chocolate. Willow was working on the bot.

She started at the scrapping sound outside the window, looking nervously around,

"Uhh!Willow!"

Willow came running, seeing no immediate threat she smiled a little irritated. There was an oil smear on her face, "What up, Dawnie?"


"I hheard something!"

"You did?" Willow looked at the closed curtains as the scraping noise came again, this time louder.

"Probably just a racoonâ! ..." She said nervously, "Nothing to worry abouT..."

"Make it go away!"

"Sure." Willow gingerly approached the curtains as Paige walked into the room.

"Hello All!" She said cheerfully, "Who's up for muffins and a game of cards?"

Dawn ran to her, grabbing her around the waist and burying her face in Paige's side,

"Theres something out there!"

"Just a racoon!" Willow said, irritated. She pulled the curtains open, jumping back in fright at what she saw.

"Ohh..." Paige's face fell, "That's just...revolting."

##

Spike looked around the hide out. The vamp had been watching too many movies, he decided, who the hell REALLY slept in a badly carpentered box full of damp earth?

"Hey!" The vamp was alarmed when spike felt the stinking mud with his fingers, "Dont do

that!"


"You sleep in THIS?" It explained the smell.

"The sire told me how to make it!" the vamp said proudly, "So I dont go all green and turn into a zombie."

"She said you had to sleep in...." Spike laughed. Paige really was a cow, "So, mate, what's your game?"


"The sire said to watch you, make sure they didnt get you."


"Yeah, Sis never wants the fun to end." Muttered Spike angrily.

"You have to stay here..she'll call later." He held up a mobile phone.

"Thanks mate." Spike took the phone, slipping it into his pocket before punching the minions lights out. No way was he hanging around here.

##

Willow was sobbing into Tara's shoulder as the other witch tried to calm her. Dawn was gripping onto Paige for grim death and Anya was muttering, glaring at them all.

"It's not as bad as what happened to ME!" She insisted for the tenth time.

Even Giles was looking a little crazy, thought Xander as he studied the small cemetery that had sprung up in the yard. Buffy's head stone was placed beside a shallow pit with a piece of plywood stuck up beside it acting as a second marker.

"Willow and Xander, Irritated the world, A lot." He read the crudely daubed message.

"It would seam that William has taken a dislike to you two." Paige said sadly.

"This is so..." Xander considered, "I mean...Spikes soposed to have done this ... it just seams..."

"He's gone mad." Giles pronounced, walking over to stand beside Paige and rest a hand on Dawns shoulder.

"But, Buffy's head stone!" Xander shook his head, "I though he, well, am I the only one who thinks this is all wrong?"

"Of corse its WORNG!" Snapped Giles, glaring at him.

"No, I mean its just not like spike¦" he looked at Paige, frowning, "Am I the only one who thinks spike woudnt do this?"

"He's evil!" Willow turned, staring at Xander, "He's EVIL!"

"Yeah, I know that, but.."

Willow huffed at him, turning to go inside.

##

Spike answered the mobile when it rung early the next morning.

"Hello William!" He could imagine the smirk, "How's it going Bro?"

"I'm going to kill you."

"Tut-tut, Wil' all's fare in love and war."

"If you've hurt Dawn.."

"As if I WOULD!" She actually sounded hurt, "She's such a little moppet, wouldn't hurt her

even if you werent so unhealthily obsessed. Thinks of me as a big sister she does!"

"Paige..." His voice caught in his throat.

"Its been lonely these last few years, William ... I'll SO enjoy having a family again ...Giles, Dawn"


"Please Paige!I'll do anything you want."


"Anything?" her voice perked up, taking on a falsetto, "how about a trip to Disney land daddy?"

"I mean it, pet." He said slowly, "I'll do anything you want, just dont hurt her ... we can blow town, pet, you and me. Be fun wouldnt it? Hit Rio maybe…its what you wanted isnt

it?"

"Oh William!" She sounded happy, "that sounds wonderful!"

"Yeah pet..it would be."


"But we'll HAVE to bring Dawn"


"NO!"


"But you DID promise the dear girl's sister youd take care of her ...Ripper I can live

without, but we simply MUST take the moppet. She'll love Rio ... and wont she look so SWEET with bumps on her forehead dont you think?"

"NO! The deals off if you-"

"I dont think so, William¦" Paige sounded smug, "You see, I know you wont leave HER like you left me...Its been fun here, but I s'pose tonight's the night.."


"Paige! You cant!"


"Try not to get yourself killed. The Scoobies are using some sort of tracing spell thing to find you. Just stay out of trouble until the moppet and I meet you."

"NO!" She had hung up, Spike dashed the phone to pieces on the wall in frustration.

##

Giles loaded the crossbow, face grim.

"Theres something not right!" Xander said again, wishing that someone would LISTEN to him. They had all gone psycho on him, even the normally placid Tara was grim and silent as she held the modified witch compass that was leading them across the park.

"There!" Anya pointed to the figure sitting on a bench, face suddenly illuminated by the glowing tip of a cigarette as spike inhaled.

"It could be a trap.." Giles peered into the gloom, "If he's got minions now."

"No one, but no one, scares Willow like that." Tara slipped the tracker into her pocket and fumbled for a stake.

"HEY!" Something occurred to Xander, "Hey, guys, wait!"

"I've been wa-" Spike began as they approached, Giles didnt let him finish the sentence as he fired the bow.

##

"So, how long before the 'bot's fixed?" Paige stood behind her as Willow carefully soldered wires together.

"Uhh..not long." Willow frowned as she realised that she'd put the wrong wires together. They were in the basement which served as a workshop.

"You know, I might stay around after Spikes dusted." She stepped a little closer, almost resting her chin on the witches shoulder.

"Uhh .. yeah?" Willow coughed.

"Well, If I had something to stay for.." She reached her hand out and pointed, "is that ment to be like that?"

"Uhm, what?" willow was flustered, turning her head slightly to see Paiges sly smile as she slipped her hand over the witches.

"That." She guided willows hand, "Is that meant to be like that?"


"Uhh...no!" Willow coughed as she flushed, "Uhm, I got it wronge."


"Would you like me to stay?"

"Uhh…" Willow kept her eyes on the Buffy bots innards, "Uhh,maybe."

"You know dear, you're sooo shy." One of Paiges hands was on the small of her back now, moving slowly up her spine, "its not necessary, not with me."

"Tttaraa!" Willow managed to breathe through her growing excitement.

"Oh, what the eye doesnt see the heart doesnt grieve." Whispered Paige as her hand reached Willows shoulder, "So ... shall I?" She smirked, "Stay that is?"


"Uhh.."Willow shivered as cool finger tips settled on the back of her neck, "Uhh, yeah."


Moving unnaturally fast Paige closed her fingers around Willows neck, whipping her other around her waist and pulling her backwards away from the bench. Jerking Willows head forwards she smacked the witch's head into the bench, letting her drop with a thump..

"Well!" She smirked, looking down at the unconscious form before her, "Willow, I'm positively shocked. You looked so respectable too .." She began to whistle softly to herself as she looked around the room.

Finding a roll of tape she pulled Willow into a sitting position and leaned her against the wall. Seeing her eyes flutter Paige rammed a piece of rag from the bench into the other womans mouth.

"Now, now, not polite to speak with your mouth full!" She slapped tape over Willows mouth.

##

Dawn was looking out of the window when Paige walked into her room.

"Hey Paige." She greeted her morosely.

"Smile a bit, pet." Paige came to stand behind her chair as the girl looked back out into the gloom, "Allow me..." She picked up the hair brush and began to brush Dawns hair.

"Looking out for Spike?"

"No...""


"Its alright to miss him, I missed him for years." Paige rested one cool hand on her shoulder.

"I cant believe Spike would do that!" Dawn sighed, "I mean! He promised he was going to PROTECT me!"

"Oh he will, dear..." Paiges voice was soothing.

"He said he'd NEVER hu-" Dawn fell silent, musing on the words she'd just heard. She stiffened, feeling the fingertips tighten ever so slightly around her shoulder.

"Uhh,Paige?"

"Yes Moppet?"

"About having a soul?"

"Yes?"


"Giles said you never tell lies..."


"Truth is like an investment. If you tell it long enough people will believe almost

ANYTHING you say, no matter how ridiculous. Quite amusing really."


"Uhh..wheres Willow?"

"Oh, down in the cellar...Why?"

"I, Uhh, think I'll go check on her." Dawn tried to get up but the hand on her shoulder held her gently but firmly in place on the chair.

"I'm sure she's very busy, moppet. Best to leave her alone."

"Sure." Said Dawn nervously, "Uhh, Paige."


"Yes?"


"Spike didnt kill Kev did he?"


"Oh, I'm sure he would have if he didnt have that contraption in his head."

"But he..Uhh,he...Didnt did he?"


"No, pet. He didnt." she stopped brushing, carefully laying the brush on the desk.


"Paige...."


The hands pressure lessened, letting Dawn get to her feet.

She turned slowly, gritting her teeth. Paiges eyes were yellow and her forehead lumpen.

The vampire smiled, "Now, dear, I know you probably feel hurt and betrayed...well," She frowned, considering, "I sopose you ARE hurt and betrayed, but I want you to know that William and I will take very good care of you."

"I dont wanna be a vampire!" Dawn whined.

"Well, pet,you dont seam to have a lot of choice." Paige lunged for her.

##

Chapter Eight


Paige growled angrily, licking the fresh blood off her finger. William had obviously been teaching Dawn more then verse.

"You cant get away Dawn." She called, getting to her feet and heading for the bed room door...she looked up and down the hall, wondering where the brat was. She sniffed slowly, "Come out come out wherever you are...."

##

Dawn yanked at the cellar door, Paige had locked it. She looked around, wondering if she should try to get out of the house. Paige would run her down once she was in the open.

She heard Paige coming down stairs and looked around in panic,she had to hide.

##

Casually pulling out the fuses Paige watched the lights cut out. She smiled, listening for Dawn.

"I know your still here, moppet..." Paige lit a cigarette, dropping the match on the carpet and grinding it in. "You hurt my nose pretty badly." She stepped into the lounge, "that wasnt nice...I thought we were mates?"

She sniffed slowly, the whole house stank of that damn herbal stuff Willow made into tea, making it hard to pick dawn out. Where was the brat?

Oh well, time for a bluff...."Ahh-ha! See you!"

Dawn burst from behind the sofa and rushed for the window. Paige leapt after her, catching the girl around the waist and pulling her down to the ground.

"Silly girl!" She struggled to pin Dawns flailing limbs down, "I hope you werent planning to jump through the window! You could have been badly Owww!" She growled as Dawn bit her hand.

"Oh well...Fairs fair, now its turn-about." She flipped Dawn over, gripping the squealing girls head and turning it to the side, moving her own mouth to her neck.

"PAIGE! HELP!"

"Huh?" Paige looked up in surprise at Spikes voice.

"PAIGE! For God sake help! They're after me!"


"Hmn..." She growled at Dawn, "Be in my eyes...Dawn, be in my-" there was another shout outside.

"Oh Bugger it! Thrall takes too long." She knocked Dawn out and jumped up, running to the window.

They were in the garden. Spike was limping from a crossbow bolt in his leg, desperately trying to fend Xander and his axe off. Tara was stepping up with a stake while Anya waved a cross at nothing in particular and Giles was reloading. Spike stumbled and fell.

"OI! YOU!" She burst through the window with a yell, "Leave my brother alone!"

She slid low, knocking Giles legs out from under him. The watcher went down with a yell, the bow flying upwards. She was on her feet a second later, catching taras hand as she jabbed the stake forwards, tightening her grip she crushed the wrist. Ignoring Taras screams Paige spun herself, propelling the witch away from the fight.

Xander was swinging the axe at her head but Paige ducked under the blow, coming up with a powerful upper cut that knocked him backwards. She turned to Anya, who was still waving the cross.

"Boo!" She jumped, throwing her arms into the air as Anya dropped the crucifix and fled screaming.

"William!" She ran to Spike, helping him to his feet.

She heard the twang, throwing herself to one side as the bolt whizzed about her head. Rolling to her feet she smiled grimly at Giles.

"Oh well, Ripper..." stepping forwards, she glanced around for possible threats, "I s'pose I'm off your Christmas card list?" She kicked the bow out of his hands and gripped his lapels, yanking the watcher off her feet and throwing him away from her. He hit the ground with a thump.

Xander was picking himself up groggily as she headed for him, "I did say keep out of trouble William!" She grumbled, pulling Xander to his feet and head butting him. She was rewarded with a stream of blood from his nose and a scream. His breath stunk of Garlic, good, she'd always liked spicy food.

"Put him down Paige..." She turned her head, eyes widening as she saw Spike levelling the crossbow at her.

"WHAT?" She shook Xander angrily, "They want to bloody Kill you! You bloody fool!"


"Put him DOWN!" Spike brought the bow up to his shoulder, drawing a bead on her heart.

"Phaghhh!" She threw Xander to the ground.

Giles was coming up behind Spike, looking sad and grim, Tara was leaning on Willow, Paige wondered when she'd found time to let her out of the cellar.

"Shoot her Spike." Giles said slowly, looking her straight in the eyes.

"Bugger off watcher!" Spike growled, "She's my SISTER!"

"Xander!" Willow ran to her friend, looking up at Paige with hate filled eyes, "You squished his brains!"

"Who'll ever notice?" Paige sneered.

"Give me the bow, Spike." Giles held out his hands.

"Paige...Run!" Spike said.

"You cant let her go!"

"I'm not running anywhere!" Paige looked Spike straight in the eyes, walking towards him,

"You'd best shoot me."

"Give me the damn bow!" growled Giles.

"NO!" Spike spat at him, stepping away and training his bow on the Watcher, "Now RUN Paige! I cant hold them long, damn chip'll go off when I pull the trigger."

"Bollocks!" She sneered, "I'm going to eat the lot of them!"

"Paige!" he stepped around, bringing the bow to bear on her, "Dont make me..."


"NO!" They all looked towards the sound, Dawn was running towards them, "Dont shoot her!"


"You alright pet?" Spike glanced at her, then back at Paige, "if she hurt you..."

"No!" Panted Dawn, "I'm fine! Dont hurt her Spike!"

"I wont..." Spike swung his bow around to Willow who was slowly bringing her hands

together, "Say a word, Red, and I swear I'll kill you."

"She tried to kill DAWN!" hissed Giles.

"She was just lonely... cant we just let her go? Please?" Dawn pleaded, "She misses Spike...like ... like we miss Buffy!"


"Its nothing like that!" Growled Willow, "Shes evil!"

"Paige." Spike sighed, "Please...I love you, but you have to go."

"I see..." Paige shook her head, deflated, "Oh well...thanks for the reference, moppet." She reached out a hand to muss Dawns hair but she shrank back.

"Oh well..." Paige shrugged, "Do take care, William,Dawn." She turned and walked quickly away.

##

Spike drank the mug of hot chocolate as Dawn fussed and arraigned pillows on the sofa. His leg wound had healed within minutes, but hell, if the kid wanted to pamper him he wasnt going to disillusion her. Even a week later all he needed was one little wince to be waited on hand and foot.

She seamed over the moon that he was back with the gang.

"So it was XANDER who saved you?" She asked again, well, he could hardly believe it himself.

"Yeah...lucky Giles is such a crap shot with the bow though or old spike would've been shake'n'vac."

"Giles needs new glasses."

"Hey!" He objected, "Good thing he missed or you and Auntie Paige would be doing the conger down in Rio."

"Rio?" She asked excitedly, "That sounds ...Oh."

"Yes...Well, Xander knew I wouldnt have touched Buffys head stone. Unusually bright for the whelp, but he was arguing it out with the watcher and Tara...what the hell happened to Anya? She was foaming at the bloody mouth..."

"So..Giles bought it?"

"Well, not really, but when Tara said that you wouldnt have told me about Kev he started to waver a bit."

"Yeah." She nodded, sipping her coco, she had told Spike all about Kev weeks ago.

"Then He want to go busting into the house, but I tells him that Paige'll have your head off afore we're all even inside...So we did a little street theatre."

"But-" She was interrupted by the door bell, "Great Pizza's here!" She ran to the door, Sipping his coco spike jerked in alarm when he heard the delivery boy's voice.

"Ya-all have a nice day now!"

Dawn walked back into the room, staring at his expression.

"Whats up?"

"Nothing." Spike sat back down, listening as the moped drove off.

Dawn opened the box "Whats that?"

Dawn picked up the white envelope hidden under the Pizza, Spike let her open it. He eyes widened as she read it.

"You gonna hog that or let me have a butchers?" he snatched the letter from her, reading aloud.

"Dear William and Dawn,

I have to write to apologise about the way I behaved. I should never have tried to come between you and your friends, and I'm sorry about frightening the moppet when I could have just munched her from behind before she knew what was up..."

"That's an APPOLGY? It sucks!" Dawn objected, taking the edge of the letter so that she could read also.

"Hey! She's a vamp! For her that's like getting down on her hands and knees, anyway, get on with it."



"Please tell Ripper that I'm sorry if he feels that I used him, but that he's really good in-Hey!" Dawn shouted as Spike pulled the letter from her hands.





"I'll read it..." Spike coughed, holding it infrount of his eyes myopically and wishing that he had his glasses, "Giles that he's a good watcher. I'm in Rio now, the foods just great, wish you were here and all that though I understand if you dont feel the same. Wishing you well, and if either of you ever want to go evil ring my solicitor at the number at the bottom of the letter. We'll do lunch as the yanks say."



"Lets See!"



"I SO dont think so, Niblet..." Spike went on, "P.S William, if you get a chance to drop it in conversation tell Tara that Willow was...Uhh…" He coughed, "Willow loves her very much. Your Sister and friend, Paige."



"Nice of her to write..."

"Yeah," Spike folded the letter and slipped it into his pocket, "So, lets eat, hey?"

"Hey! Its cold!" She objected, poking a finger into the pizza.

"Oh well...some folk never learn." Spike shrugged, taking a slice and biting into it.

##

Continuity Note:

Sadly God, (in his Aspect Of Joss) has Spoken and-in his infinite wisdom-cast Paige from Cannon fic in yesterdays episode in the states.


Many bad words were uttered when we discovered this and Paige (who was looking forward to signing a major Solo story) is now scratching for work as an extra in second rate B-fics (Shes the one going ‘Grrrrrr’ as she chases the short guy

She has borrowed Johnathons lightsabre and is practising in the hope that she can one day get into StarWars fandom.