Dawn came down the stairs to see two surly vampires staring at one another in their usual state of disgust and dislike. It wasn’t at all how she envisioned her morning. Actually, she’d expected to wake up in Spike’s arms and was disgruntled that she’d woken up alone. She’d planned on snuggling up to him and engaging in more of their playful pillow talk. “Dawn,” Angel called, eyeing her, a particularly churlish look on his face. “Did you sleep well?” She didn’t like the way he said that or the way he was watching her.
“Yes, I did as a matter of fact.” She came the rest of the way down the stairs and went to stand behind Spike’s chair.
“You were supposed to get up early for your aerobics.” He sounded so disappointed in her as if she were ignoring her duties as a Slayer. It was only one work out.
“Well, I had a change of plans, Angel.”
Angel narrowed his expressive eyes on Spike. “I know exactly what kind of ‘plans’ you had.”
Spike was enjoying himself. Nothing like stirring up trouble between his Nibblet and this pansy ass wanker. He gave Dawn a glance that was full of sensual meaning. “Let’s just say that she had enough of a workout last night.”
“Spike!” Dawn and Angel cried simultaneously. Dawn, because she was embarrassed and because she was tired of being the latest rope in the tug of war between Spike and Angel. First Drusilla, then Buffy and then herself. They both had issues and she was sick of being their babysitter.
But Dawn couldn’t the look of pain on Angel’s face, she needed to ease it a little. “Nothing happened.”
“That’s a lie.” Spike said. “She’s a shy one, this girl. I’m sure you understand, mate.” He leaned back and winked at Dawn. She smacked his forehead and he screeched in protest before he sat up straight again.
“I looked in on you this morning and you were both fully clothed.” Angel said angrily, watching both of them closely. No, they couldn’t have. . .could they? Why would they put their clothes back on afterwards?
“You were checking up on me?!” Dawn cried.
At the same time, Spike decided to go with this a bit more. “Hoping to sneak a peak at me, weren’t you poof? See how you measure up?” Spike crowed. He relished the image he got of Angel walking in on them while they snuggled in each other’s arms. He could picture the hurt in his eyes. The torment. Maybe it would teach him what if felt like to have his girl stolen. And Dawn definitely belonged to him, she just didn’t know it yet.
He scowled at Spike before turning pleading eyes at Dawn. “Not like that. You were supposed to sleep with me last night.”
“What?!” It was Spike’s turn to be angry.
“Not like that. Just sleeping, nothing else.” Dawn said hastily to Spike.
“What a pity.” Angel muttered but no one heard him.
Dawn looked at her mentor. Her friend. “You know why I didn’t.” She stared down at her toes suddenly. Dawn knew that if she had stayed the night with Angel something would have happened. Something wonderful and terrible too. They both had stretched the limits of their control last night. The alcohol wouldn’t have helped their judgement either.
“Did I miss something?” Faith said, breezing in with a box of donuts . “What’s with all the gloom?”
“Nothing, luv.” Spike said, eyeing the donuts with delight. “Say, pet, you didn’t happen to get a bear claw did you?”
“I got two. One for you and one for me.” Faith said with a smile. She reached out and chucked Dawn under the chin. “I got you a cream-stick, D.”
‘Thanks.” Dawn felt the tension leave her body, grateful for the distraction and the promise of sugar. She had reluctantly come to the conclusion that she couldn’t have both of them. She could be with either Spike or Angel. She owed it to herself to see how things would work out with Spike didn’t she? Why was this so damned hard? She welcomed the break from the decision. Especially in the form of chocolate and sugar.
The older vampire retrieved some mugs and the coffee pot for the group from the other room. “What did you get for me?” Angel asked, still sulking from her hasty departure last night.
“You’re getting into this food thing aren’t you?”
“Not all food, just some of it.” Angel said defensively. “Sugar is good in the morning. It makes you more alert.”
“He likes donuts.” Dawn supplied.
“Did you get glazed?” The dark vampire asked hopefully.
“Yes, there’s a couple of them.” Faith said, watching his goofy‘happy face’ with amusement.
“Thanks, Faith.” Angel grabbed up a donut and dunked it in his coffee. He took a bite and chewed with gusto.
“You brought me donuts once.” Faith said. She remembered that morning like it was yesterday. She’d been sent to kill him but she couldn’t do it. She’d screamed like a banshee and begged him to kill her. He’d merely reassured her that she could change, gave her a place to sleep and brought her donuts the next morning. It was the first food she’d had in days. She’d shyly eaten one while lounging in his bed. It felt like home to her somehow.
“I remember.” Angel met her eyes, it was obvious that he was remembering the same thing she was.
Dawn looked at them curiously. She didn’t understand. “He gets them for me all the time. I eat them after I train.”
“I know, princess.” Angel reached out and ran a finger down her upturned little nose. It was something an older brother might do to a precocious younger sibling. She snickered and bit into her creamstick.
Spike was jealous. The great poof had managed to connect with both women on two different levels. Leaving him out in the cold. Again. “Shut up and eat your goddamned donut, poof.”
************
The phone was ringing. Dawn sprinted down the hallway and ran down the stairs to the office. She picked it up to hear Giles on the other end. “I thought you’d never pick up.”
“Hello to you too.”
“Hello. It’s nice to hear your voice, Dawn.” Giles said with resignation. “How are things going there?”
“Fine. It’s the usual. Training. Patrolling.”
“Nothing out of the way then?”
“Out of the way?” She queried. “Is that British for. . . is there something wrong?”
“I spoke to Buffy this morning and she sounded very upset. I couldn’t really make out all of what she was saying, mainly because she screaming in my ear, but I put two and two together. Are you Angel, uh, involved shall we say?”
“Yeah, we’re involved. He trains me.” Dawn said deliberately.
“What about Spike? I know you have a soft spot for him. You haven’t, er, had some sort of liaison?”
“Is that British for screwing, G?”
“FAITH!” Both Dawn and Giles yelped.
“What?” She drawled. She waved cheerily at Dawn while holding up a phone at the front desk.
“This was a private conversation.” Giles pointed out.
“So what?” Faith said. She could hear fussy old Giles cleaning his glasses as they spoke. “Nothing happened. D is safe with me, I wish all of you would remember that.”
“Good.” Giles said. “Dawn, dear, are you there?”
“Yeah, I’m here.” She answered, sticking her tongue out at Faith. The other Slayer made a face and hung up the extension. Dawn twisted the phone cord around her finger. “How are things in Sunnydale?”
“Just fine. You’ve nothing to worry about. “ He sighed. “You do know that getting involved with Angel or Spike wouldn’t be wise.”
“Giles?”
“What?”
“This is none of your business. Or Buffy’s for that matter. Nothing is going on and that’s that.” Well, it was sort of the truth. “I really don’t want to discuss this topic.”
“Alright! I know when I’m beat. But if you need anyone to talk to, I’m always here for you.”
“Thanks, Giles. I’ll talk to you later.”
