Department of Social Services

Visiting Room B

Friday Afternoon

3:35 p.m.

Buffy was shown to Visiting Room B and was told Dawn would be there shortly. She looked around. It wasn't a big room, maybe twenty five feet by twenty five. Several small windows were near the ceiling, too high and too small for anyone to escape through. Along one wall was a worn out looking sofa and an easy chair. In the middle of the room was a table with chairs on three sides. Buffy sat down in one of the chairs facing the door. Ten minutes later Dawn came into the room accompanied by Mrs. Kendall. Buffy and Dawn immediately had their arms around each other, tears in both their eyes.

"Still strong," Dawn whispered in Buffy's ear, trying not to sound like she was in too much pain.

"Oh, Dawny, I'm so sorry. I just missed you so much."

"Me too."

They sat down on opposite sides of the table, holding both hands.

"How've you been? They treating you okay? How's the food?"

"I'm okay – been better, been worse. Food's alright. I'm not starving."

"I brought you some of your clothes," Buffy said, putting a paper grocery bag on the table. "They said you could use some."

"I'll take that," Mrs. Kendall said as she got up from the chair she was sitting in. Buffy handed the bag to her and she began looking through it.

"Do we get any privacy?" Buffy asked.

"No."

"You think I'm going to beat her up or something?"

"Or something. We can't risk you passing her any contraband."

"It doesn't matter," Dawn said. "I'm getting used to being watched all the time."

"I hear you have a tutor. That working out okay?"

Dawn gave a short negative laugh. "There are five other girls in my classes about my age – older and younger. And I guess they haven't been in school much, so they're teaching us from books I had in the seventh and eighth grade. It's – boring."

"Well, look on the bright side – at least you'll make all A's."

After the fourth time Dawn wrinkled her nose, Buffy asked, "What's wrong?

"Something in here kind of – smells."

Dawn put one hand next to her mouth so Mrs. Kendall couldn't see, and whispered, "Have you been patrolling at the city dump?"

"Dawn!" Mrs. Kendall interrupted. "No whispering. If you can't say something out loud, then it doesn't need to be said at all."

"Yes ma'am. No ma'am." Then to Buffy she said, "Well?"

"Is that me? I thought it was this room. I had to get a job … at the Double Meat Palace."

"Cool! Can you bring me some burgers and fries?"

"I don't know, maybe. Anyway, I started a few days ago. I'm working double shifts to try to make enough money so that when you come home we can get by with me working just one."

"Why can't you still work two of them? Willow and Tara will be there."

"No, they won't. They had to move out."

"Why?"

"It was one of the conditions of you coming back. Apparently, 'some people' think that lesbians who dabble in 'pretend magic' are a bad influence on you."

"That's CRAP!"

"Dawn!" Mrs. Kendall broke in again. "Language."

"Sorry."

"Tara moved back into the dorm. But she took the last available room, so Willow's staying with Xander and Anya for now. Xander has to go out of his way to take her to class, then drop Anya off at the magic shop before he goes to the construction site."

"I bet Anya's loving that."

"She thinks Willow should get her own car, or chip in for gas. Anyway, Will said it's not too bad. They put a bed and small dresser in a small room they have, maybe it was supposed to be walk-in closet. Anyway she's not on the sofa, so she has some privacy.

"Why didn't she go back home?"

"Well, I think she is still a bit uncomfortable living with her mom after that whole MOO thing."

"Yeah, I can see that."

"The house sure is big – and empty, with nobody there but me. But I keep most of the lights off, and I only turn on the water heater when I want to take a hot, hot shower or do the dishes, so I'm saving money there."

"Hard to wash that smell off, huh?"

"Apparently. So, are you making any friends?"

"I guess. I really don't have much in common with the other girls. They're in and out of foster homes, so they have kind of an attitude, you know?"

"I can imagine."

"So, is anybody else going to visit me?"

"I don't know. They'll have to fill out a form; I did. And then it will have to be approved. But I'll talk to them. They all miss you and I know they want to see you."

"Ten more minutes," Mrs. Kendall said.

"This is all the time we get?"

"Nine more minutes."

Buffy quelled her anger. "So can I bring you anything else next time? Magazines? Books? Any favorite clothes?"

"Something from the Double Meat Palace? One of those Medley burger combos would be great, and a large chocolate shake."

"I'll see what I can do."

"When can you come back?"

"Next week, I think."

Buffy looked over to Mrs. Kendall, who nodded, then went back to pretending to read her magazine.

"Dawn, I'm going to get you back home. You can count on it. And sooner than anyone thinks."

"I know you will. But if it takes longer, that's okay. I know you're trying."

"Trying, and going to succeed."

After one last, long hug and exchanging 'I love you's' Buffy left, and Dawn went back to her room to wait for supper.

To be continued