Title: Somewhere Safe to Sea
Prompt: Haunt
Timeline: long, long post-series
Warnings: angst, character death
Author's Note: In this AU, Buffy did not come back to life after The Gift.
"Who's that creepy guy with Grandma Dawn? She's dying. She should have family."
Willow answered her great-nephew quietly. "He is family, Alex."
Inside the room, machines beeped.
Dawn took a breath with effort. "If you do anything stupid, I'll come back and haunt you."
Spike held her hand, almost as cool as his. "Give Buffy my love."
"Tell her yourself."
"Dawn. We both know I'm not going there."
"You have to guard my grandchildren. Dying wish."
"Not what I promised, Bit."
The beeping changed to a shrill drone.
Spike waited a moment, then opened the curtains.