"We are going to have peace even if we have to fight for it."
~ Dwight David Eisenhower
Buffy past Dawn to the young man behind her while demanding, “Who are you?”
Dawn harshly glared at Buffy putting her hands on her hips, “Where are your manners? This is Connor. He knew that Spike was a vampire luckily but he definitely would have known thanks to the little demonstration.”
Dawn rolled her eyes almost glaring at Spike but Buffy jumped to Spike’s rescue pointing a finger towards Dawn, “You weren’t supposed to arrive until tomorrow first off and second off, it’s our house, he has a right to walk around vamped if he wants to.”
Dawn glared at Buffy, “How dare you disappear from England saying you are going to help Faith, then not call me the entire week you were there, and then disappear to Vegas not telling me about Anya and Xander getting married. AND THEN to make things worse, you go off and have Spike appear and don’t even bother to remember your little sister who cares about you and would want to know these kinds of things? How long has he been back? How long have you been hiding him? Are you never returning to England? You’re in a house that Spike bought and you didn’t even think to even invite me. Do you hate me?”
Spike walked around the two sisters closing the door trapping Connor in the house and motioned for him to follow Spike out the back door to sit on the porch, “Sometimes, you just need to get out while you’re not part of the victim.”
Connor looked nervous glancing back towards the fighting duo, “Shouldn’t you be in there refereeing?”
Spike shook his head as he continued to lead Connor out of the room and into the kitchen, “The Summers’ girls are mighty stubborn and violent and sometimes it’s best to let them have it out. When I get involved, I end up all bloody.”
Connor looked at Spike curiously and Spike could pick out his feelings like an opened book, “So you want to hear my story? I won’t tell you Dawn’s although I could but that’s her place. I’ll tell you a bit of Buffy’s as it’s intertwined into my life but I’ll tell you mine. You smoke?”
Connor shook his head, “Aren’t you related to Angel? You know Angel was my father right?”
Spike replied, “I need a smoke. I recognize you from a one-time visit to Wolfram and Hart back when broody-pants was alive. Yes I was connected or related to the big poof, Angel. I didn’t realize he was your father really. It wasn’t discussed but then again Angel and I didn’t sit down and have tea and cakes too often. So if you’re Angel’s kid, how did you get hooked up with Dawn?”
Connor shrugged looking a bit awkward, “I found Willow’s number on a phone in Angel’s Investigations. You know the old hotel where they used to live before taking over that evil place. I called Willow who gave me Buffy’s address in Italy. I showed up there since no one answering the phones and found Dawn. We talked for hours because we had a lot in common. She’s a mystical key and I’m the result of two vampires. We were both misunderstood and had lost both parents. So we spent the last week talking nonstop. I really like her company, Spike.”
Spike laughed out loud totally understanding, “Dawn has a way of making everyone around her fall in love with her and enjoy her company. You will treat her good, yeah?”
Connor nodded feeling a little more comfortable since it didn’t appear the Spike was hating him or anything, “I really don’t know much about the way life works but I’ll do my best. So do I still get to hear your life story? Angel never talked much about his past. Since you are all domesticated I’m curious to see how that happened.”
Spike grinned loving the idea of someone giving him their full undivided attention, “Well listen up. It’s quite the tale and your daddy will be woven into it as well.” Spike started his tale making sure to tell the best parts of Angel and not making him into the big poof that he really was.
Meanwhile Dawn and Buffy were still fighting. Dawn yelled at Buffy, “I’m in college now Buffy. I’m old enough to handle things for myself. I have a boyfriend named Connor who is able to handle my life and all the vampire stuff of this world that I have come to know about since pretty much I was created. All you have done in my life is try to shelter me. I accepted that and hate you for it but accepted it but what I can’t accept is you blocking me out of your life. Do you know how I found out about Anya and Xander?”
Buffy shook her head no but didn’t say a word, “Giles got them wedding presents so they stopped by the training center to find me with no present mind you and no idea that Anya was even alive! Do you know how embarrassing it is to have no idea someone is even back to life?”
Buffy started to apologize but Dawn cut her off, “Oh don’t worry Buffy, it gets worse! Then they tell me about their wedding and proceed to tell me that their maid of honor was you, Buffy and the best man was none other than Spike. Spike! I must have looked pale because Xander said, ‘Dawnie, you did know Spike was back right?’ But I didn’t know. Everyone else around me knew but I didn’t know. Willow knew, Xander and Anya knew, even Oz knew and had seen you guys. When are you going to start treating me as your sister and not some key?”
Buffy sighed watching the tears pour down Dawn’s face and she tried to hug her but Dawn backed away, “No don’t touch me. You don’t get the right to touch me if you can’t even share any part of your life with me. I listened to you cry night after night and you refused to let me in. You don’t let anyone in except apparently Spike. Do I have to be dead to be let in Buffy? Why can’t you pretend I’m your sister for once and let me in damn it!”
She was mad now and the tears had stopped. She raised her hand and slapped Buffy on the face stating angrily, “If you can’t treat me like a sister then I don’t want to stay here. Connor and I will stay at a hotel and I’ll see if I can calm down this week enough to see you again.”
Buffy spoke up, “Dawn, wait I’m sorry. I really am. It’s just so complicated and so busy and I spent over a day on a plane to go to Brazil and Xander’s wedding took up a day and I was badly injured another while took up a day and it’s just been one thing after another and I have barely got a chance to…”
She was standing in Dawn’s way by now trying to reach out to pull her in for a hug and Dawn put her hands up to push her stomach away and suddenly Dawn was thrown into the air and thrown back 3 feet to hit a wall rather hard. Dawn blinked and yelled out loudly, “What did you do to me?”
Spike came running into the room after hearing the loud crash and saw Dawn against the wall rubbing her head and Buffy standing there in horror. Dawn screamed, “What did you DO TO ME?”
Buffy stood there shaking her head repeating over and over again, “I didn’t touch you Dawn.”
She looked down at her stomach and realizing in horror what had done it.
Spike looked at Buffy and Buffy nodded and Spike replied, “Why that’s some bloody powerful mojo that the witches and Willow performed on you.”
Dawn then noticed the ring on Buffy’s finger and screamed, “Oh my God, you are engaged too?”
Buffy looked at Spike and started to cry knowing that she was about to lose her sister and all the things that had happened to her since she had left England suddenly came crashing down. Spike held Buffy tight and watched as Connor helped Dawn to stand and Spike said to Connor, “We will finish that story some other time this week. I think right now, Dawn and us need to have a little talk. You can sit in boy too if you want.”
Connor nodded and Dawn and him took the loveseat while Dawn still rubbed her head and Spike lead Buffy to the sofa where she leaned against him wiping her eyes.