Title: What's in a name?
Author: Jessica M.C.
Rating: pg
Show/Genre/Characters: Buffy the vampire slayer/ general/ Dawn and Spike
Warnings/Spoilers: from season 4 on?
Word count: 646
Summary: Spike and Dawn closely resemble lovers from the 1600's
Reviews: yes please!

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet." Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

"Hmmmmm" Dawn was tapping her lips with the end of her pencil. Dawn was on Spike's couch doing homework. Her back was resting on the armrest of the couch and her feet were up. She had a couple of books on her lap and she had her notebooks open, note cards everywhere. Spike didn't know how she was able to do homework that way; Dawn was a conundrum to him sometimes.

Dawn was concentrating. Spike could tell. She had a small frown on her face and a little wrinkle on her forehead. He loved this look. Spike loved to watch her do homework. Sometimes he even helped, which he loved more than watching her.

"Spike?" Dawn asked. She looked at him. He was on the stone coffin enjoying a cigarette and blowing the smoke on his newly painted nails.

"Yes, 'Bit?"

"Shakespeare, He was in the 1600's right? You were around then?"She asked hopefully. "You can speak Shakespearean?"

"Not quit that old, Nibblet." He chuckled. "I can help though." He moved to the couch. She moved her feet so he could sit. "What do you need?"

"Help, this quote from Romeo and Juliet is giving me trouble. I may just be reading too much into it."

"Romeo, He was a stupid wanker. He could never make up his mind, 'Ever changing moon'." He told her. She rolled her eyes and she handed him her notebook.

"'What's in a name? That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet'" He read. His accent making it, in Dawn's opinion, the sexiest thing she has ever heard. "Well Juliet is saying this to Romeo. She uses the rose as a metaphor for Romeo. Say I love…" He looked her in her eyes. He knew he shouldn't, but... "You. I love you, not your name. 'Bit, Nibblet, Dawn, Dawnie, Pumpkin Belly." She blushed at mention of her childhood nickname. He smirked at the reminder of how innocent she really was. "Love, they're all just names. It doesn't matter what I call you. They don't mean a dam thing. Your soul, your mind, the way you smell, the wrinkle you get when you concentrate, even the way you bounce in to my crypt at all hours of the day and night and jabber my ear off. That's what I really love 'bout you." Dawn's smile could have lit up the whole world. Spike loved that look more than he loved her concentrating face. Dawn couldn't believe he felt that way.

Dawn loved him too. She loved Spike, William the bloody, William the man, Captain Peroxide, Hostile 17, Big Bad, Randy Giles, all of him. She didn't care what they called him. Dawn loved him. Spike wished he could bask in the love he felt at that moment, but he knew he couldn't.

"As an example, 'course" Spike lowered his eyes. He knew he couldn't be with her. She was The Slayer's kid sister, 'Just another name to add to the list' he told himself. He knew he wasn't supposed to feel the way he felt about her, his 'Bit, but he never did what he was suppose to.

He knew he couldn't follow his heart. If he did, than Dawn's heart would look like his when the Scoobies were done with them. They would rip their love to shreds. They were Lovers doomed to be forever just out of each others reach. Star-crossed lovers never allowed to bask in the happiness their love could create.

Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it. It was originally going to be the tittle of a string of Spawn fics but it didn't fit once I was done writing. Oh well, I like this better any how! Please tell me what you thought!