RED HANDED
by perletwo
Buffy sighed. She didn't know *how* Spike had gotten his hand where it was, but it felt so good she didn't care.
The non-couple was spooned up together in Spike's bed, resting between rounds of lovema- *sex.* Hot, sweaty, *convenient* sex, Buffy reminded herself sharply with the few remaining active brain cells unfogged by arousal she had left.
Just because Spike's body behind her had warmed up to a near-lifelike flush from the night's exertions...and his mouth and tongue were paying reverent attention to a small patch of skin on the triangular muscle between the back of her neck and her shoulder...and the bed was invitingly warm and comfy and roomy...and the aromas of candle smoke and melting scented wax were creating a lovely buzz in her upper respiratory system...it didn't mean this was any time to relax her vigilance.
The motion of his fingers sent a shiver through her, making her back rub up against the length of his body, and she cuddled down a little closer and let her eyes slip shut. Maybe she could be vigilant later...
A sudden sharp ::BOUNCE:: at the foot of the bed shocked her out of her reverie.
"Hey guys!" Dawn chirped, swinging her foot off the side of the bed and shaking the mattress. "Whatcha doin'?"
"DAWN?!?"
Buffy shot bolt upright in the bed, clutching a sheet to her chest. She shook Spike off her back, and he sat up beside her with a reluctant groan.
Dawn was sitting cross-legged on the bed now, clearly settled in for the long haul. A huge, bright, sinister grin was pasted on her face. Buffy felt a flood of intense cold, then intense heat, shoot up and down her spine, and she just *knew* she was blushing. All over.
"Wha-what are you DOING here?! Don't you know what time it is? Does, does - ah - Willow, does Willow know where you are?" she stammered. Spike's hands went to her upper arms and he tried to murmur something soothing in her ear, but she shook him off again.
If possible, Dawn grinned even wider. "One, looking for you. Two, yes, it's 2 a.m. Three, yes, Willow *is* babysitting me tonight, two points for that correct guess, and yes she knows I came here looking for you."
She bounced in place on the bed again. "We had a surprise phone call from Dad. Serena had her baby. It's a girl. Eight pounds, two ounces, and *ouchie* by the way, they're torn between Leah and Jane for the name. After growing up with 'Serena' stepmommie dearest is determined to give her kid a simple name. Dad was *not* happy you weren't there to talk to him, wants you to call him ASAP if not sooner as he puts it. Since Social Services's been breathing down our necks, Willow and I thought he oughta get a call back at *least* ASAP."
"If not sooner," Spike agreed, amazed that the teen had got all that out on one breath.
"But-but-but - " Buffy shook her head, desperately trying to think up a way to take the moral high ground. "Si- since when do you just bust into Spike's bedroom unannounced?" Spike tapped her shoulder, shaking his head, but she waved him off without turning to look.
Dawn smirked. "Since like always. Duh, inattentive much?" Buffy turned to glance at Spike, who nodded ruefully.
"But - when - why -"
"Really it started after Glory turned the heat up, luv," Spike explained. "After bein' with 'er when she found out about the Key, she started comin' to me to blow off steam about it all. There's just so much supportiveness a body can take 'fore you just wanna veg out with somebody safe, y'know."
Buffy nodded wryly. Boy, did she ever know about that one.
"An' what with you puttin her an' Joyce in my care that time, she figured it must be safe. Once Harm moved out, I let 'er know she could think'a my place as her place. Anytime, day or night. I figured it was safer than lettin' 'er run around loose out there lookin' for someplace better. An' after, after you died, she pretty much took me up on that."
Dawn giggled. "Looks like he's offered you a *much* better deal though, Sis..." Buffy blushed again.
"Look - look, Dawn. I don't know what you guys had worked out before, but - but Spike, he needs his privacy and - and you can't just barge into other people's bedrooms like this!"
"Oh please. He doesn't care. And anyway, I've got cable TV. This isn't anything I haven't seen before."
"Niblet! Your sister's right!" Spike said, his timing only a half-beat or so off. "This was a very - BAD - stunt you pulled! Bad, bad girl!" He swatted at her with a pillow, and she snatched it out of his loose grip, wadding it up in her lap.
"Oh, give it a rest, Spike," Buffy sighed. He was hardly even bothering to try and cover up his glee.
"Well, it's not like *I* have anything to be ashamed of here, Slayer."
"I'll say." Dawn leaned over, trying to peek around the edge of the sheet. Buffy yanked it up higher in response.
"Look. Dawn. This isn't - well. Yeah. It *is* what it looks like. But it - it's *only* what it looks like, okay?"
"Oh. That's too bad. I always thought you guys could have a lot of fun together if you'd loosen up enough to let him in a little," she said. "Oh, and don't worry. Spike gave me The Talk while you were dead."
"Talk?" Buffy's mind went blank.
"Yeah. You know, birds, bees, where babies come from, all that?" Buffy moaned.
Dawn leaned over and patted her sister's hand. "Buffy. It's okay. Really. I'll keep this to myself if that's what you want. I'll help you break it to the Scoobies if that's what you want. Whatever. I'm happy for you guys. I just wish you'd relax and start being happy for yourself, okay?"
"There's nothing here to be *happy* about!" Buffy snapped, a little too sharply, and tears sprang up at the corners of Dawn's eyes.
"Well FINE. Just - BE - that way. Dad's expecting your call. ASAP." She jumped up and scurried up the ladder, lower lip sticking out in a Buffy-like pout.
"DAWN!" Buffy called up after her, starting to scramble out of bed. Spike caught her arm and pulled her back.
"It's you she's pissed with, Slayer, let me try first, all ri'?" He hurriedly pulled on a pair of jeans and a button-down shirt and started barefoot up the ladder.
Buffy sank back down in the bed and pulled the covers up over her head, moaning pitifully.
Spike found Dawn waiting for him upstairs, and pulled the metal plate over the rabbit hole behind him. Dawn smirked and bounced her weight cockily on one hip. "So? How'd I do?"
"Academy award, Niblet," he assured her. "Thanks ever so."
"Hey," she shrugged, "anything for *you.* Anything for *her.* You know that. An' if I can do something for both of you at once? Hey. Slam dunk."
"Two points." Spike high-fived her, clasping her hand tightly on the downswing.