Two of a kind
"You're not special. You're extraordinary." The words repeated themselves in her head softly. It was the sweetest thing to her; exactly what she needed to hear considering the circumstances and she loved Xander for knowing how she felt. Up until that point Dawn had been feeling dejected to say the least after she found out she wasn't a Potential but something in Xander's words made her realise she could have a purpose without being a potential slayer.
Kennedy sauntered into the room and Dawn snapped out of her thoughts. "Hey Dawn, I was wondering if I could borrow your curling irons? All this training has turned my hair into a complete mess." Dawn smiled; she could imagine Buffy saying something very similar when she was younger. She pointed towards her dressing table "Knock yourself out." Kennedy grabbed them, "Thanks Dawn you are a lifesaver" and hurried to the bathroom. Dawn returned to the research on The First but could not concentrate without Xander's image coming into her head. Sure she had had a major crush on him a few years ago, before turning her attentions to Spike of course. However the crush on Spike had pretty much evaporated after what he had tried to do to Buffy, even if he did have a soul now. She had mostly got over her grudge against Spike now that she saw Buffy had forgiven him but the link between them had been severed and she didn't understand him anymore. Xander on the other hand..she felt closer to him than she did to anyone at the moment, even Buffy. He understood her, he made her laugh, he made her feel needed yet no one ever truly respected him. He was the one who had stopped Willow from destroying the world, not Buffy, not Spike, not Angel, Xander. She wanted to make him feel special, feel like he made her feel but she didn't know how. She doubted he would be impressed by her little crush that had re-emerged .
"Dawn, It's time to come down and help make dinner. We have a group of very tired and hungry girls here. Me being one of them," Buffy's voice boomed up the stairs. Dawn sighed and snapped the book she had been reading shut; it wasn't going to give her any more information.
The kitchen looked rather like a bomb had hit it at when Dawn walked in. Old cookie boxes and crisp packets littered over the tables and the cupboards were in dire need of refilling. Dawn walked into the living room where the girls were all eagerly watching Spike and Buffy demonstrate a fighting move. No one bothered to acknowledge Dawn's presence. Dawn had seen it all before but this time Buffy was struggling and Spike certainly seemed to have the upper hand. He wrapped his arm around her neck and pinned her hands behind her. With his game face on he looked menacingly at the potentials and moved his mouth towards her neck and proceeded to lick it as preparation for the bite. At this Buffy kicked her legs upwards managing to do a semi-backflip. In his surprise Spike released her from his grip and she knocked him to the floor and straddled him pointing a stake at his chest. The potentials let out a sigh of relief and smiled at each other knowingly: of course Buffy would never let Spike win. Buffy looked down at Spike triumphantly, panting slightly from her exertion, whilst Spike looked at her wistfully yet seething at the same time. Buffy realised everyone was staring at her and she stood up quickly. Dawn rolled her eyes and headed into the kitchen to see what she could rustle up to feed the army of teenage girls. Whilst she was looking desperately into the fridge, Xander walked slowly into the kitchen laden with shopping bags. She looked up and grinned "Thank god, Xander you're a star, here I was thinking I was going to have to make pancakes again, without enough eggs.or flour. Never mind, now we have food." Xander smiled "Me man, me hunt, me bring food". Dawn ran over to take some of the shopping bags from his straining arms "Me very grateful. Ooh ice cream but how exactly do we hide it from the potentials?" Xander shrugged, "We could eat it all now. Before they realise its here". Dawn nodded in mock agreement before putting it in the freezer. She proceeded to put some pizzas into the oven and grabbed some plates and knives and forks. "You staying to witness the amazing table manners of the girls Xand"? Xander shook his head "No I think I'll head back to mine, maybe invite a few of my construction buddies over. I think I'm in need of some male company instead of a house full of girls.women and neither Spike or Giles cut it I'm afraid." Dawn smiled half-heartedly, "Oh right, of course," she couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice. Xander looked awkwardly at her "If you want we could just rent a video, if you need to escape this mad house?" Dawn would have jumped at the chance to spend time with Xander but Buffy walked in before she could answer. "Smells good, nearly ready? The girls are getting definite hunger pangs," Buffy said smiling. Dawn nodded "Shouldn't be long now." Xander turned to Buffy "I was just inviting Dawn over to watch a video. Would it be ok for her to come assuming she wants to come?" Buffy looked at Xander and then smiled condescendingly at Dawn "Don't be silly Dawn, you have homework and it is a schoolnight." Dawn glared at Buffy "I've done most of my work and." Xander cut in before she could finish, "Hey, Dawn, perhaps your sister's right, we can reschedule the video, maybe for the weekend? I'll buy ice cream specially." Dawn nodded sulkily. She couldn't be sure whether she heard relief or disappointment in Xander's voice. She realised he was probably only asking her over because he felt sorry for her but then on the other hand he really seemed to understand her and may well have wanted to spend time with her. "Pizza looks ready" she said neutrally and took them out of the oven. "Right I'm gonna hit the road before the stampede blocks my exit. See you guys later," Xander said smiling at Dawn. Buffy waited for him to leave and then shouted "Everyone, food is ready." Dawn prepared herself for the 'fun' experience of eating with the potentials. It was going to be a long night.
Finally the weekend arrived and Dawn was more than excited about the video evening with Xander. Buffy almost ruined it again when she suggested he bring the video to their house so that all the potentials could watch it as well. Dawn didn't think she understood that she was trying to get away from the potentials, not endure another evening with them, especially with them talking all the way through a film. However Xander had a quiet word with Buffy about how he would prefer an evening without the teenage girls and that Dawn especially would. Buffy eventually agreed and by 7pm Dawn was sitting next to Xander in his truck on the way to his house. "So what movie do you want to get? I have ice cream ready prepared as promised," Xander said proudly. Dawn grinned "Chocolate?" "Do you mean 'Chocolat'? I've seen it, didn't like it much." Dawn giggled "I meant, did you get chocolate ice cream?" Xander smiled "Of course Dawnie. I also splashed out and got caramel brownie flavour. Sounds good huh?" Dawn nodded, "So I was thinking Titanic, for a movie, I mean I know its all 90s but it is such a romantic story." Truthfully she thought Titanic was completely sappy but she wanted to see how far Xander would believe her. He squirmed in his seat "Umm, yeah, sure Dawnie, if that is what you want then sure but perhaps you should wait until we get to the rental place, there are some great new films out." Dawn tried to suppress her giggles "No, I definitely want to see Titanic again. The script is so amazing." Xander groaned but nodded and Dawn burst into laughter. Xander pointed an accusatory finger at her whilst keeping his eyes on the road, "Oh, I get it, you were having me on, you little minx." Dawn smiled affectionately and leant over to give him a kiss on the cheek "You are adorable Xand, you know that." Xander nodded "Well it is one of my many talents." Dawn was sure he had thousands of talents. She hoped it was going to be a long night.
TBC
"You're not special. You're extraordinary." The words repeated themselves in her head softly. It was the sweetest thing to her; exactly what she needed to hear considering the circumstances and she loved Xander for knowing how she felt. Up until that point Dawn had been feeling dejected to say the least after she found out she wasn't a Potential but something in Xander's words made her realise she could have a purpose without being a potential slayer.
Kennedy sauntered into the room and Dawn snapped out of her thoughts. "Hey Dawn, I was wondering if I could borrow your curling irons? All this training has turned my hair into a complete mess." Dawn smiled; she could imagine Buffy saying something very similar when she was younger. She pointed towards her dressing table "Knock yourself out." Kennedy grabbed them, "Thanks Dawn you are a lifesaver" and hurried to the bathroom. Dawn returned to the research on The First but could not concentrate without Xander's image coming into her head. Sure she had had a major crush on him a few years ago, before turning her attentions to Spike of course. However the crush on Spike had pretty much evaporated after what he had tried to do to Buffy, even if he did have a soul now. She had mostly got over her grudge against Spike now that she saw Buffy had forgiven him but the link between them had been severed and she didn't understand him anymore. Xander on the other hand..she felt closer to him than she did to anyone at the moment, even Buffy. He understood her, he made her laugh, he made her feel needed yet no one ever truly respected him. He was the one who had stopped Willow from destroying the world, not Buffy, not Spike, not Angel, Xander. She wanted to make him feel special, feel like he made her feel but she didn't know how. She doubted he would be impressed by her little crush that had re-emerged .
"Dawn, It's time to come down and help make dinner. We have a group of very tired and hungry girls here. Me being one of them," Buffy's voice boomed up the stairs. Dawn sighed and snapped the book she had been reading shut; it wasn't going to give her any more information.
The kitchen looked rather like a bomb had hit it at when Dawn walked in. Old cookie boxes and crisp packets littered over the tables and the cupboards were in dire need of refilling. Dawn walked into the living room where the girls were all eagerly watching Spike and Buffy demonstrate a fighting move. No one bothered to acknowledge Dawn's presence. Dawn had seen it all before but this time Buffy was struggling and Spike certainly seemed to have the upper hand. He wrapped his arm around her neck and pinned her hands behind her. With his game face on he looked menacingly at the potentials and moved his mouth towards her neck and proceeded to lick it as preparation for the bite. At this Buffy kicked her legs upwards managing to do a semi-backflip. In his surprise Spike released her from his grip and she knocked him to the floor and straddled him pointing a stake at his chest. The potentials let out a sigh of relief and smiled at each other knowingly: of course Buffy would never let Spike win. Buffy looked down at Spike triumphantly, panting slightly from her exertion, whilst Spike looked at her wistfully yet seething at the same time. Buffy realised everyone was staring at her and she stood up quickly. Dawn rolled her eyes and headed into the kitchen to see what she could rustle up to feed the army of teenage girls. Whilst she was looking desperately into the fridge, Xander walked slowly into the kitchen laden with shopping bags. She looked up and grinned "Thank god, Xander you're a star, here I was thinking I was going to have to make pancakes again, without enough eggs.or flour. Never mind, now we have food." Xander smiled "Me man, me hunt, me bring food". Dawn ran over to take some of the shopping bags from his straining arms "Me very grateful. Ooh ice cream but how exactly do we hide it from the potentials?" Xander shrugged, "We could eat it all now. Before they realise its here". Dawn nodded in mock agreement before putting it in the freezer. She proceeded to put some pizzas into the oven and grabbed some plates and knives and forks. "You staying to witness the amazing table manners of the girls Xand"? Xander shook his head "No I think I'll head back to mine, maybe invite a few of my construction buddies over. I think I'm in need of some male company instead of a house full of girls.women and neither Spike or Giles cut it I'm afraid." Dawn smiled half-heartedly, "Oh right, of course," she couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice. Xander looked awkwardly at her "If you want we could just rent a video, if you need to escape this mad house?" Dawn would have jumped at the chance to spend time with Xander but Buffy walked in before she could answer. "Smells good, nearly ready? The girls are getting definite hunger pangs," Buffy said smiling. Dawn nodded "Shouldn't be long now." Xander turned to Buffy "I was just inviting Dawn over to watch a video. Would it be ok for her to come assuming she wants to come?" Buffy looked at Xander and then smiled condescendingly at Dawn "Don't be silly Dawn, you have homework and it is a schoolnight." Dawn glared at Buffy "I've done most of my work and." Xander cut in before she could finish, "Hey, Dawn, perhaps your sister's right, we can reschedule the video, maybe for the weekend? I'll buy ice cream specially." Dawn nodded sulkily. She couldn't be sure whether she heard relief or disappointment in Xander's voice. She realised he was probably only asking her over because he felt sorry for her but then on the other hand he really seemed to understand her and may well have wanted to spend time with her. "Pizza looks ready" she said neutrally and took them out of the oven. "Right I'm gonna hit the road before the stampede blocks my exit. See you guys later," Xander said smiling at Dawn. Buffy waited for him to leave and then shouted "Everyone, food is ready." Dawn prepared herself for the 'fun' experience of eating with the potentials. It was going to be a long night.
Finally the weekend arrived and Dawn was more than excited about the video evening with Xander. Buffy almost ruined it again when she suggested he bring the video to their house so that all the potentials could watch it as well. Dawn didn't think she understood that she was trying to get away from the potentials, not endure another evening with them, especially with them talking all the way through a film. However Xander had a quiet word with Buffy about how he would prefer an evening without the teenage girls and that Dawn especially would. Buffy eventually agreed and by 7pm Dawn was sitting next to Xander in his truck on the way to his house. "So what movie do you want to get? I have ice cream ready prepared as promised," Xander said proudly. Dawn grinned "Chocolate?" "Do you mean 'Chocolat'? I've seen it, didn't like it much." Dawn giggled "I meant, did you get chocolate ice cream?" Xander smiled "Of course Dawnie. I also splashed out and got caramel brownie flavour. Sounds good huh?" Dawn nodded, "So I was thinking Titanic, for a movie, I mean I know its all 90s but it is such a romantic story." Truthfully she thought Titanic was completely sappy but she wanted to see how far Xander would believe her. He squirmed in his seat "Umm, yeah, sure Dawnie, if that is what you want then sure but perhaps you should wait until we get to the rental place, there are some great new films out." Dawn tried to suppress her giggles "No, I definitely want to see Titanic again. The script is so amazing." Xander groaned but nodded and Dawn burst into laughter. Xander pointed an accusatory finger at her whilst keeping his eyes on the road, "Oh, I get it, you were having me on, you little minx." Dawn smiled affectionately and leant over to give him a kiss on the cheek "You are adorable Xand, you know that." Xander nodded "Well it is one of my many talents." Dawn was sure he had thousands of talents. She hoped it was going to be a long night.
TBC