Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel the Series both belong to Joss Whedon. Along with the characters in them. The characters I create within this story belong to me.
Chapter 1 - A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Pulling the pink ballet flat onto her foot, Dawn sighed. Another day of school hardly held a candle to the other exciting events in her life. Sure, there was always danger around every corner, but that's what made it thrilling...at least for Buffy. For Dawn there had been no late night vampire hunts, or visits to creepy crypts as of late. There had only been school, and there was no hope that it could be exciting, especially not since she was banned from the basement. True she got to hear all of Buffy's glorious stories of adventure, but she longed for me. She longed to be on the frontlines with them, kicking evil ass and taking names.
Standing, she collected her backpack, still lamenting about how life wasn't fair in her head. She couldn't go on the frontlines of battle, but she also couldn't be a normal teenager as Buffy hoped she would turn out to be. There were no dates lined up, no fun events planned after school, and certainly no one came over. Her house was just too weird to have guests popping by. She could hear herself explaining it now when Buffy came in with a gaping wound inflicted upon her by a demon. Not to mention the fact that they had at least six girls living with them now. What was the excuse for that? They ran a brothel?
Grabbing an apple for breakfast, she rolled her eyes at the girls giggling at the table. They were always waking her up in the morning when they came in from the hunt. Suddenly, distracted from her death glare, she heard the doorbell ring, followed by a couple soft knocks.
Not even looking up, the slayers-in-training kept on with their conversation over cereal and juice.
"Don't worry, I'll get it," Dawn rolled her eyes. Yeah, they didn't live there officially, but it didn't kill them to answer the door every once in a while.
Another ring of the doorbell made Dawn quicken her pace. "Coming," she shouted right before opening the door to reveal a woman with long brown hair, holding a plate of cookies in one hand, and the hand of a toddler in the other.
"Hi, I'm Sophia," the woman said in a thick British accent, handing the plate of cookies to Dawn, "I'm your new neighbor, and I'm sorry it's so early. I tried to come in the evening for a few days, but no one ever answered, so I figured I'd try the morning."
"Oh, yeah, sorry. My sister's a night shift nurse at Sunnydale General, and I work at the Java Bean after school. We're not really around that much," Dawn lied, using the first thing that came to mind to excuse her sister never being here at night.
"Oh, you go the high school," Sophia asked, picking the little boy by her side up into her arms, "my nephew, Simon, starts there today. He's rather nervous."
Looking at at the boy in her arms, Dawn smiled to him, "This can't be Simon," she said, as he smiled shyly to her.
"No, no," Sophia smiled, "this is Tyler, my son. My husband couldn't make it this morning. He teachers math at the high school, and he had to get there early to meet with Principle Woodside," she explained.
"I see, he's a nice guy," Dawn smiled again to the little boy as Buffy came up behind her.
"Hi, who's this," she asked, not noticing the slayerettes following her into the hallway. Sophia extended her hand, "I'm Sophia Bellamey, this is my son, Tyler, we're your new neighbors along with my husband Seamus and my nephew Simon. I was just telling Dawn Simon and she will be classmates."
"Buffy," Buffy replied, shaking the woman's hand, then looking behind her, "...and these are my Girl Scouts. I'm a Girl Scout troop leader. Big trip today, you must excuse us."
Retreating back into the house, shooing the girls with her, Buffy left Dawn alone.
"Yup, that's Buffy, nurse, Girl Scout troop leader, all around American heroine," Dawn stated, awkwardly trying to explain her sister.
"Right," Sophia smiled, almost accepting Dawn's explanation too easily. A moment of silence transferred between the two females, which Sophia broke, "so, I guess we'll be seeing one another. It was nice to meet you, and oh, and please, be on the lookout for Simon today at school. He's hard to miss, I swear," she smiled one last time, stepping off the porch.
"Will do. Thanks for the cookies," Dawn replied, then shut the door. Meeting new neighbors, that was normal. Hmm...maybe there was hope for her after all.
"Ms. Summers, can you answer the question," the teacher's voice seemed to echo off the walls and surround Dawn, "I said, Ms. Summers, can you answer the question?"
Awoken from her daydream, Dawn looked at the teacher blankly, trying to recall what exactly the question had been. "Umm...of course, Romeo and Juliet...it was set in...Rome..." she answered weakly.
"Wrong, it was set in..." the bell rang, cutting the teacher off. "Read King Lear, and I don't mean the Sparknotes version, the actual version in your book!" His words were lost on the students as they exited the room.
Grateful to be saved some humiliation, Dawn caught up with her friend, Samantha. "So, it's the first week back at school, what are you doing tonight, Dawny," Samantha asked, trying to see if her friend would be spending yet another boring evening at home.
"Oh, you know, the usu..." she began but was cut off.
"Home again with Gilmore Girl reruns," Samantha quipped.
"It's a complex show," Dawn replied, trying to reason her miserable existence of every night, including Friday and Saturday in front of the tv or the computer, looking at other people having fun, but not having any herself.
"What about the Bronze," Samantha asked, already knowing Dawn would totally not be going.
"Oh, you know, I've got...plans," Dawn weakly managed.
"I see. And what if I told you the guy that's totally been checking you out for the past ten minutes would be there," Samantha smiled as Dawn looked around quickly, only to find the boy across the hall quickly occupying himself with his locker, which it seemed he couldn't get open.
"Wow," was all she managed, then came to her senses, "and how do you know he'll be there...," she was about to finish asking, but Samantha was no longer beside her, but rather across the hall already.
"Oh God," was all Dawn could manage, highly embarrassed as her friend helped the boy with his locker, then settled into her flirtatious stance. Watching the exchange reminded Dawn of cheetah going after its prey. The poor guy didn't know what hit him.
Coming back with a triumphant smile on her face, Samantha took Dawn by the arm, and began to stroll down the hall. As Dawn looked back, she could see the boy looking back as well, grinning and shaking his head before he caught her glance and looked away. He was hot, she had to admit.
"Oh my gosh, he totally agreed to come tonight, and guess what...he's British. Oh that accent! If you don't make a move on him, I'm definitely going to," Samantha continued on as they walked to their third period. Perhaps tonight would be interesting, Dawn thought to herself, blocking her friend out.
"Did you get his name," she finally interjected when Samantha had calmed down.
Looking confused, Samantha shook her head, "no, but with that butt, he doesn't need to have a name." Both girls giggled, walking down the hall as the bell rang.
"Please, Buffy, can I please go to the Bronze tonight," Dawn begged her sister, who had been reluctant to acquiesce to her little sister.
"It's dangerous right now. I mean, Spike just got back, and he's well...crazy, and there's unknown badies out there. Who knows what's lurking around every corner," Buffy looked off into space, as if imagining the unimaginable horrors that were waiting to harm her sister.
"But he's totally hot, and totally waiting for us," Samantha interjected, having come over unannounced to help Dawn make her case. She was not going to let her best friend spend another night sitting on the couch alone. Not when there was a hot guy who seemed to have a major crush on her.
"Guy," Xander questioned, coming into the room with a sandwich, "what guy? Dawny's got a date," he continued, stuffing his mouth with the sandwich.
"It's not a date, we're just meeting him, and Sam's friend Wyatt there. That's all," Dawn blushed.
"And I don't think it's a good idea," Buffy stated, taking a seat next to Xander.
"Buff," Xander started in an empathetic voice, letting Dawn know that she might have a chance, "how many times did we hang at the Bronze as teenagers? Heck, I still frequent there. Some of those girls are hot," he laughed.
"Ew, and illegal," Buffy jabbed him with her elbow, playfully.
"I meant the ones that are eighteen," Xander defended himself.
"Ok, ew, can we change the subject," Samantha chimed in, "back to hot boy?"
"Yes, you can go. Go," Xander covered Buffy's mouth, "and have fun. Use protection. You know punches and kicks if he gets too grabby," he laughed as the girls made a quick exit before Buffy could object.
"This was totally an awesome idea," Dawn laughed as she made her way to a table, Diet Coke in hand.
"Right," Samantha agreed, her Diet Coke a little spiked with the vodka she'd stolen from her mother's liquor cabinet, "now if only Brit boy would show up!"
Just as she said this, Dawn saw him approaching, elbowing her friend to straighten up. She didn't want him to think they were both alcoholics.
"Hello," he said, mostly to Dawn.
"Hi," was all she could manage while trying not to giggle like she was in elementary school. His accent only made him that much hotter. He even dressed like what she supposed most British boys dressed like, with a blue, neatly pressed Oxford that without meaning to showed off all his arm muscles, and a pair of jeans that did accentuate that lovely butt Samantha had mentioned.
"I'm Simon," he said, extending his hand after an awkward period of silence in which the girls had been oogling him.
"Simon? Simon," Dawn exclaimed, shaking his hand, drawing a confused look from him. "You're my new neighbor," she explained.
"Oh, the Summers, right," he said, falling into conversation with her quite easily. She made him feel comfortable for some reason. He didn't find it hard to talk to girls, but most of them didn't hold his interest like was attractive, easy going, and seemed quite intelligent.
The two became so enamored with one another, that within five minutes Samantha was able to slip away, smiling, to find her date without the two noticing.
"So, why'd you move from England," Dawn asked between the kisses, "you are from England, right? Not New Zealand, or Australia, or South Africa?"
"Oh, you know, change of scenery," Simon replied, kissing her again.
The two had been having a casual conversation, but as soon as he had worked up the nerve to kiss her the whole game had changed. God, she just hoped no one from her "family" was here to catch them in the darkened corner.
"How long have you and that girl...um, Samantha, been friends," he asked, trying to think of anything to keep the conversation and snogging going on.
"About three years, she's really great," Dawn said, making a mental note to thank Samantha later. Looking out of the corner of her eye, Dawn was sure she must be watching her handy work from somewhere in the room. She didn't see her however. Not on the dance floor. Not by the pool tables. Not on the balcony.
"Hold up," she sighed, catching her breathe, and pushing his chest back a little.
"Coming up for air," he laughed.
"Yeah, and...I can't find Samantha," Dawn said, scanning the room for her friend again.
"Oh, I'm sure she's okay," he said, going back in for the kiss, but being stopped.
"No, really, she had a bit to drink, and well, she tends to get crazy," Dawn said, almost apologetically. There was nothing more she'd like to be doing than continuing their make out session.
"Right, so, want me to check somewhere," he asked, standing.
"No, it's okay. She's my friend. I'll take responsibility," she said, standing, "but you wait here, I'll be back!"
Smiling as she left him, Dawn walked over to the bar.
"Looking for someone," someone asked from behind her, making her spin around to see Anya.
"Oh, yeah, my friend Samantha. Have you seen her? You know tall, blond, drunk," Dawn asked.
"I saw her a few minutes ago leaving with a boy through the side door, and I also saw you with that boy in the corner," Anya stated rather stoically. It wasn't her style to have emotion. "Are you going to have sex with him," she then asked, making Dawn blush. It also wasn't Anya's style to have a filter that told her not to say certain things.
"No! We are not going to have sex, we're just...friends...who were making out," the younger female replied. She actually didn't know what they were. She'd have to clarify with Simon later. Perhaps he wanted to be her boyfriend. Who knew. Perhaps there was hope for some normalcy in her life yet.
"You said they left through the side door though," Dawn asked, trying to change the subject. Maybe Anya wouldn't tell anyone about this. She wasn't exactly on good terms with everyone at the moment anyway.
"Yeah, from what I heard there's a couple getting pretty hot and heavy out there still," Anya replied.
"Right," Dawn shook her head. Samantha was always getting hot and heavy with someone. Still, she was rather drunk. Perhaps Dawn should check on her.
"Need back up," Anya asked, following her to the door.
"Sure,' Dawn replied, knowing she wasn't going to get away from the former demon. Besides, it might do some good to have an adult with her.
Opening the door, Dawn was surprised when someone pulled she and Anya through, slamming the door behind them, and throwing them onto the pavement beside...Samantha...bleeding.
"Ah, two more meals," a voice said from above her.
"Meals," Dawn asked, looking up to see two vampires.
"Meals," Anya asked, more furiously than Dawn had, "do you know who her sister is? She will obliterate you, she will kill you, she will castrate you if you touch us!"
"Ha, Anya, I think you went a bit far on that one," Dawn said, trying to check her friend for a pulse. Thank God. There was one, it was weak, but it was there.
"No, girlie, I don't know who her sister is, and quite frankly, I don't care," the first vampire said with a growl.
"You should care," a voice came from the staircase by the door.
Jumping over the railing, Simon stepped in front of Dawn, Anya, and Samantha.
"Is she alright," he asked Dawn over his shoulder, never taking one eye off the vampires.
"Yes...Simon, you shouldn't be getting involved with this. You don't know what they can do," she said, concerned that he probably thought he was dealing with some wack jobs in Halloween masks.
"She's right you know, you could be killed," Anya said, causing Simon to smirk.
"Right," he said, sarcastically. "These vampires are harmless, right boys," he asked them.
"Simon...," Dawn began, but he cut her off.
"I think you should leave now," he said, no longer smirking, but with a calm, serious look on his face.
"And what if we decide not to," the second vampire asked, "what if we decide that we're going to eat you all?"
"I object to that," Simon said, "and if you try, I will rip you to shreds."
Laughing the vampire came close to the boy, leaning in, fangs bared, but then pulled back suddenly.
"Let's go," he said to the other one.
"What do you mean," the second vampire asked.
"I mean, he's not kidding. Let's go," the first vampire said, grabbing the second by the arm, then looking back at Simon.
"Don't think you'll always be here to protect them, werewolf."
And with that, the two vampires were gone, as was the sense of normalcy Dawn had had.
"Well, it's figures," Anya looked at the both of them, "her sister is into vampires, why shouldn't Dawn be into werewolves?"
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ooooo! Dawn has fallen for a werewolf, who's British! What will the others say? Also, more to come tying in with season 7 of Buffy and season 4 of Angel.