Sunnydale
Dawn walked into the house with a big grin on her face. She couldn't wait to tell Buffy and Willow her news. So he was exactly normal. Who was these days? Besides, she was almost 100 per cent certain that he wouldn't try and turn her into a creature of the darkness like that idiot Justin. So that was a plus. She was distracted from her thoughts by the sound of giggling coming from the kitchen. Willow and Tara had been spending a lot more time together since Xander and Anya's non-wedding. With that thought Dawn's smile disappeared. Xander hadn't been seen since he left Anya on their wedding day. Buffy said he wasn't gone for good, he just needed time alone. It hurt to not see his Xander face around. As for Anya, she just stayed in her apartment. No matter how much money they used to try and lure her out, she wouldn't even answer the door. Dawn walked into the kitchen to find Willow and Tara kissing. She smiled - it felt good to see them together and happy - then cleared her throat to announce she was home. The girls immediately pulled apart.
"Dawnie, hey, how was school?" Willow asked, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"The same as usual." Dawn walked over to the fridge and took a look inside. Finding nothing of interest, she shut the door and turned to face Willow and Tara. "But you'll never guess who showed up outside of school."
"Who, sweetie?" asked Tara with interest.
Dawn was about to say when she heard the front door slam, a sure sign that her big sister was home and not in a good mood. Buffy stormed into the kitchen and flung herself into a chair.
"How much longer do I have to work in that stupid shop? I know Anya's going through, stuff, at the moment, but the longer I stay in the Magic Box, the less sane I get." Buffy ranted. She had been the obvious choice to look after the store until Anya came back, but she still loved to complain about it. Willow shot Buffy a smile of sympathy.
"Oh, Buffy, it can't be that bad, can..." Dawn interrupted Willow.
"Never mind about that, Orlando showed up at my school!" She said with a burst of excitement. At the blank looks on the other girls' faces, she let out a sigh. "You know, the demon guy from the wedding that I spent, like, the whole time talking to? The one with the horns? He said he would see me again, which I wasn't sure about, because, you know, horns, but he turned up looking totally normal and very hot. He's a," Dawn struggled to find the right word "passer? I think that's what he said. Anyway, he wants to take me out tonight, is that ok?"
Buffy smiled to see her little sister so excited. She barely remembered what that was like. She deserved some happiness.
"Well, I had bought home a video and thought that the four of us could have a girlie night in,"
Dawn's smile turned to disappointment. "But I'll guess it'll just be the three of us."
Dawn squealed in delight. "Yes, yes, thank you!" she exclaimed as she gave Buffy a quick hug. "I have to go get ready!" Dawn left the kitchen with a little dance. Buffy watched her go.
"So," Buffy said brightly to Willow and Tara, "Popcorn and pizza sound good to you guys?"
"Oh, well, um," Tara faltered. She looked to Willow, who said
"Well, we were kinda going out, too, for dinner, but you can come, if you want."
Buffy could hear that her best friend would rather Buffy didn't tag along. They were just getting their relationship back on track. They didn't need a third wheel.
"Don't be silly, you two go, have a good time. I'll be fine."
With a reassuring nod from Buffy, Willow and Tara smiled and left the kitchen, leaving Buffy alone.
Dawn walked into the house with a big grin on her face. She couldn't wait to tell Buffy and Willow her news. So he was exactly normal. Who was these days? Besides, she was almost 100 per cent certain that he wouldn't try and turn her into a creature of the darkness like that idiot Justin. So that was a plus. She was distracted from her thoughts by the sound of giggling coming from the kitchen. Willow and Tara had been spending a lot more time together since Xander and Anya's non-wedding. With that thought Dawn's smile disappeared. Xander hadn't been seen since he left Anya on their wedding day. Buffy said he wasn't gone for good, he just needed time alone. It hurt to not see his Xander face around. As for Anya, she just stayed in her apartment. No matter how much money they used to try and lure her out, she wouldn't even answer the door. Dawn walked into the kitchen to find Willow and Tara kissing. She smiled - it felt good to see them together and happy - then cleared her throat to announce she was home. The girls immediately pulled apart.
"Dawnie, hey, how was school?" Willow asked, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"The same as usual." Dawn walked over to the fridge and took a look inside. Finding nothing of interest, she shut the door and turned to face Willow and Tara. "But you'll never guess who showed up outside of school."
"Who, sweetie?" asked Tara with interest.
Dawn was about to say when she heard the front door slam, a sure sign that her big sister was home and not in a good mood. Buffy stormed into the kitchen and flung herself into a chair.
"How much longer do I have to work in that stupid shop? I know Anya's going through, stuff, at the moment, but the longer I stay in the Magic Box, the less sane I get." Buffy ranted. She had been the obvious choice to look after the store until Anya came back, but she still loved to complain about it. Willow shot Buffy a smile of sympathy.
"Oh, Buffy, it can't be that bad, can..." Dawn interrupted Willow.
"Never mind about that, Orlando showed up at my school!" She said with a burst of excitement. At the blank looks on the other girls' faces, she let out a sigh. "You know, the demon guy from the wedding that I spent, like, the whole time talking to? The one with the horns? He said he would see me again, which I wasn't sure about, because, you know, horns, but he turned up looking totally normal and very hot. He's a," Dawn struggled to find the right word "passer? I think that's what he said. Anyway, he wants to take me out tonight, is that ok?"
Buffy smiled to see her little sister so excited. She barely remembered what that was like. She deserved some happiness.
"Well, I had bought home a video and thought that the four of us could have a girlie night in,"
Dawn's smile turned to disappointment. "But I'll guess it'll just be the three of us."
Dawn squealed in delight. "Yes, yes, thank you!" she exclaimed as she gave Buffy a quick hug. "I have to go get ready!" Dawn left the kitchen with a little dance. Buffy watched her go.
"So," Buffy said brightly to Willow and Tara, "Popcorn and pizza sound good to you guys?"
"Oh, well, um," Tara faltered. She looked to Willow, who said
"Well, we were kinda going out, too, for dinner, but you can come, if you want."
Buffy could hear that her best friend would rather Buffy didn't tag along. They were just getting their relationship back on track. They didn't need a third wheel.
"Don't be silly, you two go, have a good time. I'll be fine."
With a reassuring nod from Buffy, Willow and Tara smiled and left the kitchen, leaving Buffy alone.