Disclaimer: I don't own any of the BVS characters.
A/N New years bring out the fatalistic side of me. Drunk drivers take a lot
of innocent lives. Losing someone like that is one of the most painful
things on earth. This story is not based on my own. My loss was very
different. Please don't drink and drive.
7:15 pm Dec. 31st
"You're Not My Mother" Dawn screamed furiously at Buffy on New Years Eve. Willow stood by with her heart in her eyes, Tara softly took Willows hand. Dawn was being completely unreasonable, Buffy and Willow had decided that Dawn was too young to be out on New Years. Dawn disagreed; she had been alternately begging and demanding, she was determined to get her way. Buffy was tired of fighting but Dawn was just getting started .
"You know what Dawn, you can just stay home, you won't tell me where you're going or who your going out with. I'm not stupid; you're not telling me these things for a reason. Look I need to go, I have plans."
"I'm going, Buffy. I'm fifteen okay. I know what I'm doing."
"Whatever Dawn, I gotta go."
Dawn ran up stairs and the house shuddered when she slammed the door.
"You gonna be Okay, Will?"
"We'll be fine; I keep an eye on her."
With a sigh Buffy left the house. This was totally going to ruin her evening. Dawn heard Buffy leave and she slammed the door again. It was so unfair. I'm totally mature enough for a stupid party. Screw this I'm going. Dawn settled down to wait. Willow and Tara would check on her a few times then they'd forget all about her. They don't care about me. They all think I'm some stupid baby. I can take care of myself.
Willow and Tara stare at each other the frustration clear on both their faces. Dawn thought she was invulnerable and she was so wrong. Dawn was just a kid. She didn't realize that no matter how safe or careful you are there are billions of other people in this world and there's no way to control their actions. This night of all nights was dangerous for the young. Teenagers who would be bumper to bumper with adult who though they were in control. Those roads are a death trap. Hopefully Dawnnie would come around. Maybe they could rent videos or something.
10:35pm
Dawn silently tiptoed through the house, it would be hours before Buffy came home and Willow and Tara were in their room. I'll be home and in my room by morning and nobody needs to know. I'll show Buffy that I can take care of myself. Dawn ran to the car waiting for her and climbed into the front seat. Amy and her boyfriend Brendan had come to pick Dawn up after Dawn had called her.
"I can't believe you escaped. If Buffy finds out she's gonna kill you." Amy said.
"Oh please," Dawn snorted, "She'll yell a lot but she'll forget all about it in a few days. If Willow hadn't stuck her big nose in to My business, I wouldn't have needed to sneak out. Buffy never really notices me any way. So, where are we going?"
"Over to my place" Brendan said "my parents won't care and we can watch movies or something."
"Buffy so wouldn't believe I was just watching movies, I swear she thinks I'm some kind of drug addict slut. God she drives me nuts, and Willow's worse, at least Buffy's related to me."
1:45 am Dawn and her friends had watched two scary movies and eaten a ton of popcorn but they were all out of soda.
"Let's go down to the gas station and get something to drink." Brendan said " I'll drive.
2:30 am
Ring , Ring. "Hello" Willow answered the phone groggily "No she's not here. Who is this?" All of a sudden Willow was wide awake, the official sounding voice on the phone was telling lies, it had to be. " But Dawn's in her room she didn't go anywhere. Yes I'll be right there." Willow numbly woke Tara, the she ran to Dawns room. She'll be sleeping, I know she will, Willow thought frantically.
Three days later they buried Dawn, Amy and Brendan. They had been driving to a Gas station when a drunk driver had T-boned them at an intersection. Brendan had died instantly, Amy died of a broken neck, she wasn't wearing a seat belt. And Dawn, Dawn took three days to die. Internal bleeding can be slow and very sneaky. Buffy was glad Dawn hadn't lingered, some Coma's can last years with no hope. The three teenagers had done nothing wrong, they weren't drinking or doing drugs all they had wanted was some soda and maybe some candy. But, it was New Years Eve and many others were drinking. One of them killed three children. The drunk driver sustained superficial injuries, a broken arm and a concussion and will serve eighteen months in jail. Reckless endangerment.
Jan 31 Willow sat in the bathroom looking in the mirror, a month ago Dawn would have been pounding at the door. Dawn saw dead, and it was Willows fault. She stared down at the blood pouring from her wrists, I can't live with the guilt, I just can't. Two years later the same drunk driver killed a young couple when coming home from a bar on a Friday night. This time he served five years, with the possibility of parole. Man Slaughter one.
7:15 pm Dec. 31st
"You're Not My Mother" Dawn screamed furiously at Buffy on New Years Eve. Willow stood by with her heart in her eyes, Tara softly took Willows hand. Dawn was being completely unreasonable, Buffy and Willow had decided that Dawn was too young to be out on New Years. Dawn disagreed; she had been alternately begging and demanding, she was determined to get her way. Buffy was tired of fighting but Dawn was just getting started .
"You know what Dawn, you can just stay home, you won't tell me where you're going or who your going out with. I'm not stupid; you're not telling me these things for a reason. Look I need to go, I have plans."
"I'm going, Buffy. I'm fifteen okay. I know what I'm doing."
"Whatever Dawn, I gotta go."
Dawn ran up stairs and the house shuddered when she slammed the door.
"You gonna be Okay, Will?"
"We'll be fine; I keep an eye on her."
With a sigh Buffy left the house. This was totally going to ruin her evening. Dawn heard Buffy leave and she slammed the door again. It was so unfair. I'm totally mature enough for a stupid party. Screw this I'm going. Dawn settled down to wait. Willow and Tara would check on her a few times then they'd forget all about her. They don't care about me. They all think I'm some stupid baby. I can take care of myself.
Willow and Tara stare at each other the frustration clear on both their faces. Dawn thought she was invulnerable and she was so wrong. Dawn was just a kid. She didn't realize that no matter how safe or careful you are there are billions of other people in this world and there's no way to control their actions. This night of all nights was dangerous for the young. Teenagers who would be bumper to bumper with adult who though they were in control. Those roads are a death trap. Hopefully Dawnnie would come around. Maybe they could rent videos or something.
10:35pm
Dawn silently tiptoed through the house, it would be hours before Buffy came home and Willow and Tara were in their room. I'll be home and in my room by morning and nobody needs to know. I'll show Buffy that I can take care of myself. Dawn ran to the car waiting for her and climbed into the front seat. Amy and her boyfriend Brendan had come to pick Dawn up after Dawn had called her.
"I can't believe you escaped. If Buffy finds out she's gonna kill you." Amy said.
"Oh please," Dawn snorted, "She'll yell a lot but she'll forget all about it in a few days. If Willow hadn't stuck her big nose in to My business, I wouldn't have needed to sneak out. Buffy never really notices me any way. So, where are we going?"
"Over to my place" Brendan said "my parents won't care and we can watch movies or something."
"Buffy so wouldn't believe I was just watching movies, I swear she thinks I'm some kind of drug addict slut. God she drives me nuts, and Willow's worse, at least Buffy's related to me."
1:45 am Dawn and her friends had watched two scary movies and eaten a ton of popcorn but they were all out of soda.
"Let's go down to the gas station and get something to drink." Brendan said " I'll drive.
2:30 am
Ring , Ring. "Hello" Willow answered the phone groggily "No she's not here. Who is this?" All of a sudden Willow was wide awake, the official sounding voice on the phone was telling lies, it had to be. " But Dawn's in her room she didn't go anywhere. Yes I'll be right there." Willow numbly woke Tara, the she ran to Dawns room. She'll be sleeping, I know she will, Willow thought frantically.
Three days later they buried Dawn, Amy and Brendan. They had been driving to a Gas station when a drunk driver had T-boned them at an intersection. Brendan had died instantly, Amy died of a broken neck, she wasn't wearing a seat belt. And Dawn, Dawn took three days to die. Internal bleeding can be slow and very sneaky. Buffy was glad Dawn hadn't lingered, some Coma's can last years with no hope. The three teenagers had done nothing wrong, they weren't drinking or doing drugs all they had wanted was some soda and maybe some candy. But, it was New Years Eve and many others were drinking. One of them killed three children. The drunk driver sustained superficial injuries, a broken arm and a concussion and will serve eighteen months in jail. Reckless endangerment.
Jan 31 Willow sat in the bathroom looking in the mirror, a month ago Dawn would have been pounding at the door. Dawn saw dead, and it was Willows fault. She stared down at the blood pouring from her wrists, I can't live with the guilt, I just can't. Two years later the same drunk driver killed a young couple when coming home from a bar on a Friday night. This time he served five years, with the possibility of parole. Man Slaughter one.