Author's note: This chap is for Crimson08, even if there's no Spike in it. She ust makes my day with her reveiws. (not that i belitle everyone else who reveiws.) hahahaha so this one is for her... and if she continues i'll dedicate a Spike chapter for her!
AND NOW on to the boring part of the story with no Spuffy or Alex, and just Dawn and the scoobies.
Chapter XXV - Dawn Finds Someone Who Understands
Los Angeles, a little ways away from the Hyperion:
Dawn didn't go very far. She knew far better than to do that. Instead she went into the nearest pizzaria she saw and bought a slice and a soda. Not because she wanted to eat it. More like so no one would bother her.
"Dawn?"
She was sitting with her back to the door so she looked around when she heard her name.
It was the hot guy from Angel's neo-Scoobies.
"Yeah?" she managed to murmur.
She wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone. She could only hope that Connor (was that his name?) could sense it.
Her plan to be a new Dawn was not working out so well. She had been to no parties or clubs (her mother had gone totally scitzo on her insisting that she call home every two hours.) and she had spent all this time just sitting in front of the hotel TV, thank god for cable.
She chanced a look up. He was approaching.
Damn.
He was obviously not getting her 'buzz off, bucko!' vibe. He had just slipped into the tattered vinyl booth across from her; he had the same slice and soda that Dawn had bought.
She glared at him expectantly.
"I'm not going to ask you if you're okay." he said.
she the vemon with which re reguarded him lessened a bit.
"Good." she replied.
They both just sat there, not saying anything.
"Are you going to eat your pizza?"
Dawn shook her head.
"This is pointless." she said. "I'm fine."
He arched an eyebrow but said nothing.
"And even ifI wasn't..." Dawn relented. "What are you going to do about it? Tell me that everything will be alright? Hug me and tell me that everything will be better? That everything will be wonderful some day? Huh? That everything will be sunshine and puppies? Well, then let me tell you something, bub, you do not know me! Not a single thing about me! No one does..."
Somewhere along the line, Dawn's anger turned into sadness.
She was now sniffling.
Conner, however, had a sudden realization. She was not sad because Buffy died, because her sister was gone. She was sad because no one noticed her, everyone was so caught up on moping over the old slayer that they had lost sight of her completely.
"You're wrong, Dawn." Connor murmured.
Dawn looked up at him disbelievingly, her cheeks tear stained.
"I do know something about you." he said. "You want the spot light to be on you for a change. You want to be the leader. Not walk in your sister's shadow."
Dawn's stare continued.
"That's it." he said. "Just so you know, I've lost someone too. My father, he was a great warrior. AndI felt-"
"Isn't Angel your father?" she asked.
Connor shook his head.
"He killed my father. Or the man who pretended to be my father. And...You are changing the subject."
Dawn managed a small smile.
"But he told me something before he died." Connor went on. "If we want something we have to do it. You want to be your own person? Take Buffy's place and out shine her? Do it, Dawn."
She just looks at him.
"Just what? Do it?" she demanded. "I'm not a slayer, Connor."
Connor shook his head.
"And I'm not a demon hunter. ButI try, andI can do it." he said. "So you can do it."
Dawn glared at him.
"I should kick your ass for your freshness!" she said. "After all, we've only just met and here you are giving me advice about things that are so completely none of you business."
Connor shrugged as if he could care any less.
"Do it." he said.
Dawn rolled her eyes and shook her head, finally taking a bite out of her pizza.
"But you make sense." she said. "So I'll do it."
Connor grinned at her, and then he took a bite of his own.