[Reviews - 6]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 2493 times

- Text Size +




Chapter 5:

Dawn was getting impatient, very impatient. She was impatient with the rest of the Scoobies for not really seeming to be in research mode. Giles kept insisting that there was other things they should be spending there time on. Kennedy kept trying to insist that Willow really needed to get some sleep, although Dawn was mostly sure that she just wanted to make out with Willow. Xander, well he wasn't really a research guy to begin with, and he didn't seem all that in to trying to save Spike. And Anya was bitter and sarcastic as always.

The fact is they all would have probably left and given up on Spike if she hadn't continually lectured them on all the things Spike had done for them over the years. There had been much arguing over it. Finally Dawn had hit upon a line of reasoning, which, even if it was full of holes, the other more or less went along with.

"Look, we all know Buffy's in love with Spike, whatever she says about it. I know you don't like it, I'm not sure how I feel about it myself, but Buffy thinks she needs him. Do you all really want to face Buffy when her boyfriend dies and we could have saved him if we'd just researched an hour longer? Do this for Buffy, not for Spike."

It wasn't the best argument, but it kept them at the dinner table with old books spread in front of them. Dawn really wasn't sure how she felt about the whole thing. She wasn't ready to forgive Spike, she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to forgive him. But she wasn't ready to lose him either.

Even once she'd found out what Spike had tried to do to her sister, it hadn't made his leaving any easier. But he'd come back, and she figured after what he'd tried to do, that took guts.

She was also frustrated at Buffy. What was she thinking just running off with Spike like that? How were they supposed to save him if they couldn't. . . run test or something. Buffy did have her cell phone, so Dawn supposed they could call her if they needed to, but still it seemed irresponsible to just haul the guy off to have sex, which Dawn was sure was what they were doing.

The sun had already come up and they weren't back yet. They were probably naked in some cheep hotel living it up while Dawn was stuck trying to keep a mutinous band of Scoobies in line.

Not that it looked like it mattered whether Spike was there or not. They hadn't found anything good. Every reference to the spell seemed to imply that Spike was doomed.

Giles took off his glasses to clean them. "Dawn, it's. . . well it's early actually. I don't think anyone can accuse us of not trying. We all need rest. I think we should call it a night, or rather morning."

"But-" she started, but Willow interrupted her.

"Dawny, we tried. And we haven't heard anything from Buffy, which is good. It means Spike's just fine. He's probably stabilized, or something."

"But-"

"Dawn," Xander said. "Willow's right. We're all too tired to research anymore. If nothing's happened by now. . ."

Just then they heard the front door open. They all turned toward the door, to see a tired looking Buffy walk in. She was alone.

Dawn got up and moved to her sister. "Buffy what-?"

"Spike's dead," she said in a flat voice.

"What. . . what happened?" Willow asked cautiously.

"It was just after the sun came up, he just. . . stopped I guess. He kind of gasped, and then, his heart wasn't beating. I called 911, and I did CPR, but well. . . he dead so obviously it didn't work." Buffy put her hand on the banister rail, and moved up the first step. "Are the potentials up yet?"

"Uh, no. It's still pretty early, Buff," Xander told her.

"Right, well. I'm going to get some sleep. Wake me when they're up, we'll need to start training."

Concerned Willow asked, "Buffy are you-?"

"I'm fine, Will. I just need. . .I'm tired. Oh! Can you. . . can you find out how we can get his body from the. . . I don't know the coroner or whomever. I want to bury him myself."

"Sure, Buffy. I'll get right on that."

Buffy nodded and went upstairs.

Dawn wanted to scream at her sister. Buffy was shutting down and shutting herself off. Dawn had seen it before. Buffy would probably go cry all by herself in her room, then she'd be busy. She'd probably train the potentials into the ground. All so she wouldn't have to deal. She'd never even stop to think that maybe other people were hurting too. Okay, so in this case other people was just Dawn, the other Scoobies might care for Buffy's sake, but none of them was really sorry to see Spike go.

Dawn was. Suddenly it seemed stupid that she had avoided Spike for so long. It was obvious he had been sorry for what he did to Buffy. And not just for that, but for everyone he'd ever hurt, and Dawn had never given him the time of day.

If she could forgive Buffy for tying her up and leaving her for a demon to kill, she could forgive Spike for what he'd tried to do. Everyone else always said that Buffy hadn't really been responsible for that, she had been under the influence of demon poison, but Dawn wasn't so sure. Dawn knew there had been a moment when Buffy had chosen a life with their parents, and without Dawn. In the end Buffy had saved them, had chosen Dawn and the rest of her friends, but still it was hard knowing that Buffy's perfect world hadn't included her.

Now Buffy was shutting her out again. No one talked about Dawn being The Key anymore. But at times Dawn thought that they all still remembered that Dawn wasn't as real as the rest of them. She couldn't help wonder if at times like this Buffy shut her out because she wasn't her real sister.

There was nothing she could do about it now. She figured she needed her sleep as much as Buffy.

"Well, guess that's it. Sorry I kept you guys up last night. I'm going to bed too," Dawn told the others.

"Dawny?" Willow asked.

"I really need some sleep. I bet you guys do too. Thanks."

Dawn ignored all their concerned looks as she went upstairs to her bedroom to cry into her pillow, and hope that none of the potentials noticed.





You must login (register) to review.