Title: Night Time Visitor [1/1]
Author: Alicia Ann
Email: HelloImGod@aol.com
Website: Sparkage. Any website that'll take me.
Pairing: None.
Rating: G.
Spoilers: Season 5 spoilers.
Summary: Dawn pays someone a visit.
Disclaimer: I don't own this, kay? Good.

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Her hand trembling, she set the envelope in front of the tombstone, written on it in cursive handwriting was the name: Buffy. She quickly stepped off of the mound of grass and dirt where, six feet under, her sister laid. Moving quietly around she made it to the foot of the grave and began to quietly speak.

"I'm not supposed to be here, but I had to come. Tell you what's up with us and... I missed you. All of Sunnydale still thinks you're still alive, slaying and punning your way through town. Willow fixed the Buffybot back so we use her as...you. It's hard to watch her. She talks, walks, laughs... just like you." The sisters slayer let out a choked sob. Silent, the night listened to the one sided conversation Dawn was having.

"Willow and Tara moved into the house. They took mom's room. I kinda got mad and spent a day in my room but then Tara came in, hugged me, and told me that 'We aren't taking their place just trying to pick up where they left off'."

She sniffled and rubbed her red eyes. "Tara makes me breakfast and we watch cartoons on Saturday mornings and Powerpuff girls late at night. Xander and Anya come over and we play Monopoly and Life. Anya always complains to Xander that she doesn't want Pink or Blue children and he tells her not to worry because children usually don't come in those colors."

Dawn smiled for a second and looked at the headstone. Reading the words engraved on the granite for what seemed like the thousandth time, she shook her head. "Giles is...leaving. Going off to England. He tells us that we're old enough to handle things. We've got to move on without him, but I think the real reason he's leaving is because he can't bear to see us without you. Or think of Sunnydale at all. Anymore."

Dawn pushed a piece of stray hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear, she sort of felt a bit odd talking to someone who would never be there again but for some reason it made her feel calm.

"I saw him after a night of major demon-y research and he was crying. More like sobbing. He was sitting at the island in the kitchen, shaking. I think you being gone is the hardest thing he'll ever have to go through."

She looked down at her shoes, new glittery purple sneakers that Tara had picked out for her. They were a welcome diversion as she tried to think of what else she could say.

"Spike, um, he isn't doing so well. I find him in his crypt, drunk, crying, screaming your name. He always tries to hide it and talk about all those Big Bad things he used to do, but I still see the puffiness around his eyes, they're always bloodshot now. He blames himself, y'know. I know he does. Sometimes, we find him on the porch passed out, usually sitting right in front of the door, leaning against it. Fast asleep."

Dawn carefully walked around the new grass, as to not disturb her sisters space. She ran her fingers over the stone and shuddered at the cold of it.

"They look at me like I'm a ghost, Buffy. Your ghost. Sometimes whenever Willow turns around and finds me behind her she looks into my eyes and looks away really quickly. I know she sees you inside. They tiptoe around your name like you were never here!"

Dawn let out a strangled sob, trying not to be too loud, didn't need or want to draw attention to herself.

"Sometimes I wonder if they want to forget you. I don't." She fell to her knees and hugged the headstone tightly. "I don't ever want to forget you, Buffy. I love you. I miss you so much and I know you told me to be strong but I can't. I just can't, it's too hard" Her last words were whisper soft. She held the stone hoping for some comfort, wishing that somehow something would brush her tears away and wrap it's arms around her.

She listened to the crickets and sighed. Nothing would come, not tonight. Nothing ever did.