Chapter 27
“You’re a lesbian?”
Buffy patted Tara on the arm to give her some comfort when she finally decided to tell Spike the truth.
“Yes, I am. I hope you can be okay with this, it’s not likely to change.”
Spike ran his fingers through his hair. “When exactly did you realize it?”
Tara shrugged. “I think since I was fifteen. I just never found myself attracted to any of the boys in school. I was so afraid to tell anyone, afraid of how they would treat me afterwards. I didn’t want people to look at me like I have a problem. Kind of how you’re looking at me right now,” she finished, really worried about her brother’s reaction.
Spike shook his head. “No, of course I don’t think you have a problem. I just wasn’t expecting this, but it actually does explain a lot. I can’t remember you ever talking about a bloke that you liked.”
“I had a girlfriend when I was in London, but things didn’t work out with us. That’s one of the reasons why I decided to move back here. Are you really okay with this, Spike?”
He was shocked and placed his hand over his heart. “Bloody hell, she called me Spike. This must be serious.”
Tara grinned and was relieved to see that he was messing with her. “Don’t get used to it. I just really want you to be okay with this, your opinion means a lot to me.”
Spike stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her. “I love you, Tara. You’re my baby sister and you never have to worry about telling me anything. Nothing you do could ever be wrong.”
Tara felt tears in her eyes and returned the embrace, pulling away after a moment. “Thanks, you don’t know how relieved I am to hear that.”
Buffy smiled at the siblings and finally decided to speak up. “I talked with Willow today, Tara. She’s expecting a call from you.”
Tara blushed at the mention of the red head and nodded, making her way to the phone in the kitchen to do just that.
Spike looked at Buffy. “Tara and Willow, huh? I don’t think there are two people more made for each other. Well, except for us.”
She smiled again and just knew that Spike would be okay with everything. “You’re pretty amazing, you know that?”
He smiled as well. “Funny, I was just thinking the same thing about you.”
* * * * *
Willow and Tara went out on their first official date the next night.
Buffy and Spike stayed home to spend time with their children. The twins were already starting to walk, which proved to be quite the handful. They put the babies down when it was their bedtime and decided to relax by the fireplace in the living room, but their relaxation was short-lived when a knock sounded at the door.
Spike sighed and got up to answer it. He was stunned at the sight of the visitor standing out there. “Buffy, you better come here!”
Buffy instantly made her way over to the front door, gasping when she got a good look at the girl. “God, Dawn. What happened to you?” she said, pulling the shaking girl into the house and closing the door.
Dawn had tears streaming down her face, which was marred with cuts and bruises. “I’m sorry to just show up like this, but I didn’t know where else to go. I got your address from the Magic Box, I figured you wouldn’t mind.”
Buffy shook her head. “Don’t worry about it, let’s go sit down and you can tell us what happened.”
They headed into the living room and sat down on the couch.
Spike went to get Dawn a glass of water, while Buffy rubbed her back soothingly.
“What happened, sweetie? Did your mother do this to you?”
Dawn wiped at her eyes and gazed at Buffy’s concerned face. “I…I made her mad again. I talked back to her and she really doesn’t like that. She was drinking again, I should have known better than to piss her off when she gets like that. I think she might have been high, too. She’s a drug addict, I never told anyone about that because I was afraid of what would happen to me. She was yelling and beating on me. I couldn’t do anything to stop her, but then she just fainted in the middle of the living room. I panicked and ran out of the house, that’s when I decided to come here.”
Spike came back with the glass of water at the end of Dawn’s speech and handed it to her.
She took it from him with trembling hands, taking a slow sip of the liquid and placing it down on the coffee table.
Buffy couldn’t believe everything that she just heard. “I have to call the police, Dawn. I know you probably don’t want to get them involved, but your mother is too dangerous. She could have killed you. Someone has to go to your house and check up on her, you’re going to stay with us for right now. Just until this is all settled, okay?”
Dawn nodded after a moment, not knowing what else to say. She prayed that her mother would finally be able to get help for her problems, but had a feeling that everything was far from being over.
* * * * *
Buffy jumped up from her seat and headed for the door when there was a knock. She called the police over an hour ago and they were sending a few cops over to Dawn’s house.
“Are you Ms. Summers?” the officer asked.
Buffy nodded. “Yes, I’m the one that called. Is everything okay?”
Spike and Dawn went over to join them to see what was going on.
The officer took a deep breath. “We went to the house of Mrs. Kramer. She was in critical condition when we arrived there and was instantly taken to the hospital. I’m afraid to report that she didn’t make it. The drugs and alcohol in her system was too much for her to handle and she passed away in the ambulance. I believe they did all that they could for her. I’m sorry for your loss.”
Dawn gasped and placed her hand over her mouth.
Buffy wrapped her arms around the sobbing girl. “Thank you, officer,” she told him.
He nodded and continued. “Does she have any other family members to stay with?”
Buffy shook her head and ran her fingers through Dawn’s hair. “No, I don’t think so. She’ll be staying with us right now, we’ll figure something out.”
“You told us that this woman was abusive. We may need her to come down to the station and answer a few questions.”
Spike looked at the distressed girls, then back at him. “Could that wait until tomorrow morning? It’s been a rough night and I think we all just need a good night’s sleep right now.”
The officer nodded again. “That would be fine. Again, I’m sorry for your loss,” he finished, then walked away.
Spike closed the door and watched as Buffy helped Dawn up the stairs, his heart breaking for the young girl.