Secret


Spike's POV

I wonder if she's home.

I try and look in the windows from my position 20 feet away but the curtains are all up.

I've been trying to keep away from this house for a while now, after the resurrection spell I figured there'd be bad mojo wherever the slayers went, and I'm pretty sure I was right. I don't know any of the specifics exactly, just some rumours I heard from the demons I play poker with when I get bored of killing them.

Something about a big bad evil rising up to open a door with a key or something and something about a giant snake, I really shouldn't get so bloody drunk when I'm playing for kittens. I never win and there's always the migraine in the morning. Ah well, at least no one can say I haven't had any fun.

I get a little closer to the house as I hear a noise.

Of course now I'm wondering if she's all right.

There's another noise and I can tell it's coming from behind the house. My curiosity gets the better of me and I make my way quietly around to the back of the house. I only get about half way though before the niblit runs into me, knocking her down.

"Dawn, what the bloody hell are you doing out here so late?"

She gets up and starts walking away from the house.

"Stay away from me Spike."

Well that can't be good.

I start to walk after her.

"You all right there niblit?"

"Leave me alone."

I stop to get her attention.

"Right then, I'll just head on up to the house and tell big sis you've scampered off."

That makes her stop and turn around.

"Don't Spike..."

She comes right up to me and grabs me by the coat.

"Don't you, dare."

"Well then, you should probably tell me what you're up to and maybe I won't."

She stares me right in the eyes.

That would be one fierce stare if it were coming from her sister. What is going on with this bird?

"They're lying to me."

Lying to her?

She lets go of my coat and starts walking again.

"Lying to you about what?"

I go after her when she doesn't stop.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out."

She shouldn't be out here at night like this, some baddy could snatch her up right quick.

I look back at the Summers house as we get out of range.

I know she'd hate me even more if I didn't try and protect the kid.

I go back to watching Dawn motor it to wherever she's off to.

Plus there's obviously something going on with the pint-size Summers girl, could get her into heaps of trouble if she isn't careful. I'm guessing that being careful ain't on her mind right now. She needs someone to look out for her and I guess I'm the elected party, what with her apparent aversion to the people in the house she just snuck out of.

"So where exactly are we heading niblit?"

"We're not heading anywhere, I'm going somewhere and you're stalking me. And don't call me niblit."

"I'm not stalking you. I'm following you to make sure you don't get eaten. There's a difference."

"I don't need anyone's help."

"I'll have them put that on your tombstone if you like."

She doesn't say anything as she slows down a bit.

"If you want to break into the Magic Box with me, then come with me."

"Magic box eh? Whatcha going there for?"

"Giles owns it now."

When did that happen?

"Stealing from daddy isn't very nice kid."

"I don't really care, besides I'm not gonna steal anything."

Not gonna steal anything?

"Then why the bloody hell, are you breaking in?"

"I told you, they're lying to me."

"And what are they lying to you about?"

"I don't know."

"Then how do you know they're lying to you?"

"I just do."

We make our way into the downtown area, a couple blocks from where we're apparently headed.

"And you think whatever's at the magic shop is gonna tell you what they aren't?"

"That's the plan."

"And what makes you think there's anything worth a damn in there that will tell you what you need to know?"

"I don't know that it will, but I don't know that it won't and that's why I'm going."

"That doesn't sound like much of a plan little bit."

"It's the only plan I have, they haven't really given me any other choice."

She seems a little fuzzy on the details.

The magic box comes into view.

"How exactly do you plan on getting in there? I'm pretty sure they don't teach breaking and entering in school little one."

She doesn't respond as we walk up to the front door. She crouches down and pulls a nail file out of her pocket, using it to try and pick the lock.

"Do you even know what you're doing?"

"No, but I'll break the window if I have to."

I look around to see if anyone's watching.

I can't see anyone, and there aren't any cop cars around as near as I can tell.

"Aren't you worried about the coppers?"

"I don't care about the police."

Whatever it is, it must be pretty important if she won't care about the police catching her.

She pulls the nail file out of the lock.

"Damn it!"

"No luck?"

"Actually I only say damn it when I'm happy."

"I could give it a try if ya like."

She stands up and shoves the nail file at me, pointy end first. I grab her hand and take it from her.

Bloody hell, if I didn't know better I'd say she just tried to stab me.

She steps out of the way of the door and glares at me.

"Well?"

What the heck did the slayers do to the kid?

I crouch down to pick the lock.

She's gone completely off her rocker about this secret she thinks they're not telling her.

"Did you get it yet?"

"Hold on, it takes more than 30 seconds to pick a lock niblit."

Ow!

She kicks me pretty hard just above the ankle.

"I told you not to call me that. Hurry up!"

"I'm hurrying..."

It takes me another 30 seconds or so but I finally hear the click that unlocks it. I turn the handle and open the door. She shoves me to the ground.

"Out of my way!"

Bloody hell...

I pick myself up and go inside. Dawn is already heading for the nearest bookcase.

"Don't I even get a thank you?"

She starts pulling books off the shelves, looking at the covers and then dropping them on the floor.

I guess I don't.

"All right then..."

I make my way into the shop, looking at the shelves.

"So what are we looking for?"

She doesn't stop looking as she speaks.

"A book..."

A book?

"What makes you think whatever you want to know is in this book?"

"Because..."

"Because why?"

She's been through like two and a half shelves already. This girl is insanely serious about finding the book. I'd hate to see what happens if she doesn't find what she's looking for.

I walk over to a big round table with a bunch of books on them.

"Because Buffy tells Giles everything, she told me so one time, which means Giles wrote it down somewhere and that means there's a book or a diary or something somewhere that can tell me what I want to know."

"Well Giles does love his books, bloody wanker."

I pick up a book and notice there's no title or anything.

How the hell does he know which book is which if it's not labelled?

I open the book to the inside cover, and there in Giles' hand writing is Dawn's name.

What the hell does Giles have a book with Dawn's name on it for?

I flip through to the first page of what looks like a journal entry.

'September 28th 1998,

On this day I met Buffy's little sister, Dawn Summers. She's quite the peculiar child. She exhibits many strange characteristics which I was only slightly prepared for based on Buffy's...'

This could be what the kid is after. If Giles keeps a journal about Dawn then any secrets would probably be in here.

"Hey niblit, look at this."

She turns to me and I hold up the book.

"What is it?"

"It's a journal about you."

She comes over and grabs the book out of my hand, immediately looking through it.

"Why does Giles keep a journal about me?"

"I don't know kid, could have something to do with the secret you think they're keeping from you. Or it could be that Giles is just a closet pedophile who has a thing for you."

She glares at me.

"What? It's possible."

She goes back to flipping through the journal.

"It would have to be something pretty recent. They didn't start acting nuts until a couple weeks ago."

"The slayers have always been nuts kidlet."

She flips through the blank pages and finds the last entry.

"Look through the other books."

Was that an order?

"Hey kid, I'm here to protect you, not be your whipping boy."

"Fine go away, either way just shut up and let me read."

Bugger, this girl's really got a screw lose.

I start walking around the table, looking at some of the book covers.

"Give a girl what she wants and still she..."

"What?"

"I was just saying, give a girl..."

"This, this can't be... true."

I look at her from across the table.

"What are you on about?"

"How could they not tell me?"

She looks up at me with angry tears.

I'm guessing she found out something she didn't want to know.

She throws the book across the table, grabs the edge and tips the table over in my direction. I back away as all the books fall off.

"They should've told me!"

I look at her once I get my footing.

"I see that."

She turns and starts heading to the door. I make my way around the mess and go after her.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"Get away from me Spike!"

I catch up to her at the end of the cash counter and grab her to stop her.

"What's going on? Little bit? What did you find out?"

All of the sudden she picks up something off the counter and a sharp pain slices into my gut. I look down and she's got a knife buried in me. My eyes meet hers as she pulls it out and her expression doesn't change from that hurt angry look.

I grab the wound and fall to one knee as she turns and leaves, knife in hand.

What the bloody hell is wrong with that girl?


Faith's POV

"You're right. It's the only way we can fix this situation. It could even be the only way to let her work through her anger at the two of you."

Buffy squeezes my hands as we listen to her mother speak about how to help Dawn.

"I just wish we knew how she'd react. My first instinct is to say she'll be angry, but how angry and what she will do about it? That's what worries me."

"We'll just have to show her we love her no matter where she came from. She's with us now and that's all that makes any difference."

I look at B, lean over and kiss her once on the lips.

"I love you B."

"I love you too."

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