Title: It Was You
Author: Jmaria
Rating: FR-15
Disclaimer: Joss owns Buffyverse, Davies owns the newest bits of the Whoverse
Spoilers: Post Chosen, pre Rose (slight spoilers for Torchwood series 2 Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.)
Characters: Dawn Summers, Ninth Doctor, Time Agent
Summary: Why can't she remember anything but his face?
Words: 660
A/N: Prequel to Standing at the Beginning of the End, mentions a character from Torchwood series 2. Kinda dark, because that's how they roll, I've decided.

It was You

Dawn Summers was used to things trying to kill her, eat her, use her, and pretty much destroy her world on a daily basis. Nothing could shock her any more. It was impossible. And then he came into her life. She remembered that now. She was looking for someone - he - AARGH! Why couldn't she remember?

She could barely remember how she'd gotten here, in this dark cramped corner of a warehouse. She was freezing, her jeans ripped and her shirt was completely unfamiliar. What had happened to her? Who had she gotten separated from? His face was there, but blurred - the one who'd changed everything so drastically. But she'd been with him, not the man who wasn't much more than a blur to her, no. Tears welled up in her eyes. What stupid thing had she gotten herself into now? It took her a minute to realize someone had actually said the words to her. She glanced up, her hands up in case it was a baddie.

The man towered over her, and it clicked, everything that had happened in the last 48 hours she'd been with him. Sobs wracked her body as it flooded back.

He was the Doctor, a tall big eared man with a often goofy smile on his face that never quite reached his eyes and an obsession with a leather coat that rivaled Spike's. He'd stumbled upon her getting attacked by a demon in Cleveland the night before while she'd been coming off a guided patrol with her new squad of junior slayers. Turned out the demon was really a Rotlocc'd alien. He'd saved her in his big blue box, yanking her away before the alien could rip her open to eat her pronephra. She'd staked a vamp that had been plaguing her Hellmouth because of some alien thing. He was the Doctor, he'd saved her, and he was like a memory she could feel but couldn't really remember.

"By all rights, I really should leave you here, you silly little ape," the Doctor huffed, hands jammed into his pockets. He shifted uncomfortably, watching as she curled herself into a tight little ball. "What'd you get yourself into this time?"

"I can't remember, Doctor. There was a guy -"

"There's always guys with you lot, arent there?"

"It - it wasn't like that! He - he reminded me of someone I know. Someone I - it was Spike," she shook her head, trying to make it clearer.

"Spike? That vampire you mentioned?"

"But it wasn't!" Images flashed through her brain, searing into permanent memories. "He said his name was Toby. That he was a traveler, kind of like you." She rubbed at her temples, hoping that would help the ache pounding behind her eyes.

"There's no one left like me, Dawn."

"I - I knew - he was from the future. The 52nd century - no, 51st?"

"And he was a traveler?"

"He looked so much like Spike, and I - I thought - I don't - I don't know -"

"It's all right," the Doctor pulled her to her feet, hugged her close.

"He said he wasn't Spike, that he was Toby March. And he seemed so sweet, but really? He was worse than Spike was when he didn't have a soul! He did something to me, and then he made me forget it all, and I was scared and alone and - I didn't know where I was or how I got here and I forgot even you and the TARDIS!" Tears poured down her cheeks as the Doctor pulled her closer, the smell of the old leather coat blocking out the stench of the alien alleyway she'd stumbled into after she'd woken up alone. "I didn't mean to go off on my own. But I did and I couldn't remember how to get back."

"I wouldn't have really left you."

"I know. You came for me, when there wasn't another person in this world that would have."