Dawn grinned, then lifted her hands up in defense. "Okay, okay. I got it. No need to get all bad moody here."
Following Spike towards the steps, Dawn sighed and lowered herself down next to him. She should have expected a bit of a lecture, even from Spike. He was awesome, yes, but he'd also become just as protective as Buffy over time. She couldn't get away with much with him, either.
"I didn't sneak out. I just...left without telling her. And I haven't come across any baddies here yet, which means there's no real reason for me to stay cooped up all day and night."