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Pulling back slightly so she could see her face, Buffy gently tucked a strand of hair behind Dawn’s ear.

“Dawnie, you have to know that I would never intentionally hurt you right? You know that I would never let anyone hurt you.” Dawn nodded, and pulled Buffy back in for a tight hug.

“I know Buffy. What was it?” Dawn asked, referring to what had happened to her before.

Buffy looked down, at the chain still around her neck.

Gently extracting her arms from Dawn, Buffy reached up and pulled the necklace from her neck.

“It’s called the Gem of Sight” Buffy explained, placing the trinket in Dawn’s hands.

“What does it do?” taking the amulet back, Buffy held it up as though to put it around Dawn’s head.

“It shows things that can’t be seen with the naked or untrained eye. Auras, spells, barriers, that kind of stuff.” Buffy explained before putting it around Dawns neck.

Dawn opened her eyes, she hadn’t realized she had shut them, and gasped when she looked at Buffy.

“Buffy…you’re beautiful.” Dawn said in an awed tone.

Buffy gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“You should look in the mirror.” Was Buffy’s cryptic reply.

Dawn gave Buffy a weird look, but did as she suggested, and went to find the mirror in the front hallway.

“Buffy!” Dawn gasped as she took in her reflection.

Through the mirror, Dawn could clearly see Buffy standing just behind her. She could also see why Buffy had flipped out on her earlier.

“Buffy…what’s wrong with me?” Dawn asked in a small voice.

Buffy came up and wrapped her arms around the little girl.

“I don’t know Dawnie. But don’t worry ok? I’ll have the gang check it out first thing tomorrow, everything’s going to be fine. We’ll figure out what’s going on. And who knows, maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it’s just who you are, I mean…look at your parents.” Buffy joked, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

Buffy didn’t even realize what she had said until Dawn pulled back from her slightly and looked into her eyes.

“I am.”

It took Buffy a moment to follow what she was talking about. Buffy’s eyes teared up and she let them fall before she could hold them back.

Gathering Dawn up in her arms, Buffy once again found herself crying into Dawn’s hair.

“I love you Dawnie.” Buffy whispered, stroking her hair.

“I love you too Buffy.” Dawn said, squeezing Buffy around the waist tighter and snuggling deeper into her embrace.

“Dawn!” Spike’s harsh voice broke the moment, and Dawn was heartbroken to feel Buffy flinch away from her at the sound.

“If you ever need anything. From either myself, or the Scoobies, all you have to do is ask. No matter what, we’re all here for you. Always.” Buffy whispered to her urgently.

Both of them could hear him coming into the house, and through the kitchen towards them.

Dawn quickly tried to wipe the tears off her face, as Buffy quickly put more distance between them.

Spike walked into the room. He took in the tears in his daughter’s eyes, and then Buffy’s guilty form and drew the wrong conclusions.

“What the fuck did you do now?” Spike asked, gripping Buffy’s arm hard enough to bruise. “Some defender of the helpless you are, attacking little girls. You’re disgusting.” He sneered at her.

This time, Buffy didn’t flinch at his grip, and she shielded herself off from his harsh words.

Buffy raised her head to look him dead in the eye, unconscious of the tears running down her cheeks.

“Go to hell, William.” She said in a soft, dead tone.

Sneering at her again, Spike carelessly tossed her into the wall, turning a deaf ear to her pained grunt as she hit the wall.

“Buffy!” The sound of Buffy hitting the wall woke her from the stupor her father’s sudden presence and cruelty had caused.

She couldn’t believe the things her dad was saying. She had never known him to be unnecessarily cruel, even when he was the big bad.

Before Spike could think of stopping her, Dawn rushed to Buffy’s side.

“Buffy?” Dawn said, nudging her.

When Buffy didn’t move, or make a sound, Dawn got scared; it took a lot to knock out the Slayer.

“Mommy?” she whispered, again trying to nudge Buffy awake.

Dawn didn’t care whether or not Spike heard her.

For the first time in her life, Dawn could actually say that she hated her father.

The sound of Buffy’s moan pulled Dawn from her thoughts.

“Mom? Are you ok?” Dawn was surprised at how easily the term came to her.

When she had been smaller, and her and Spike had still been living with Dru, Dawn had never felt comfort able with using the term, but now it came easy.

Naturally.

Dawn couldn’t help but smile.

“Ya Dawnie…I’ll be fine.” Buffy groaned, pushing herself up to lean against the wall.

“I suppose two major blows to the head, in the same spot, isn’t really conductive to healthy living.” Buffy quipped; she placed her hand on the back of her head, and groaned when it came away covered in blood.

Dawn gasped when she saw the Buffy’s hand covered in red, and not for the first time, wondered what Buffy had ever done to deserve this.

“It’s ok Dawnie. I’m ok.” Buffy reassured her, running her un-bloodied hand over Dawn’s head.

“Dawnie would you mind doing me a favor, and bring me the-“

“No.” Spike’s voice rang out again.

Both Buffy and Dawn looked up at him.

One pair of striking light blue eyes, looking at him with something akin to hate.

The other, a pair of sparkling emerald and forest green full of disappointment.

“Dawn. Get your things. We’re leaving.”

“No!” Dawn yelled, standing up to face her father. “She’s hurt! And she needs help!”

Spike looked coldly down on Buffy.

“She doesn’t deserve help.”

Dawn looked at Spike like she had ever seen him before.

Seeing the look on his daughter’s face, Spike relented half a fraction. “Besides, she’s a big girl; she can take care of her self.” He said shrugging.

“He’s right Dawn.” Both Dawn and Spike turned from each other and looked at Buffy in surprise as she slowly raised her self up off the ground for the second time that night. “I am a big girl. And I can take care of my self. And he is your father, you belong with him.”

“But Buffy…!” Dawn started to protest, but Buffy raised her hand to stop her.

Giving Dawn a soft, loving look, Buffy explained; “Yes Dawn, I am, and I always will be. But only you and Willow will ever know the truth. I…I can’t do it, Dawn. Please, try to understand.”

Dawn nodded. “I know.” She said softly.

Turning, Dawn went to leave the room to collect her discarded bags, when Buffy’s voice stopped her.

“Dawn…the necklace.” Buffy said, reaching out her hand. Dawn’s eyes went wide and almost fearful.

“But, Buffy! No…this could…” Dawn trailed off as she looked into Buffy’s sad, pain filled eyes.

Buffy shook her head. “It’s too late.” She said, brushing her fingers across Dawns cheek.

“I’m sorry Dawn.”

Dawn nodded. “I know. I’m sorry too. I love you mom.” Dawn said, hugging Buffy tight around the waist.

“I love you too Dawnie.” Buffy replied, holding her tight.

“Remember.” Buffy said pulling back slightly. “The Scoobies and I will always be here for you. No matter what happens.”

Dawn nodded before giving Buffy one last hug, and heading out the door to where her father was waiting.

“Hey Dawn?” Buffy called out just before she reached the door. Dawn turned back to her. “Try to sneak away every once and a while, K? And that friend invitation still stands.” Dawn smiled widely, and nodded her head.

“Bye Buffy.”

“See you later Dawnie.”





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