A/N - And now... what you've all been waiting for... The actual events in the house. Mostly.
I'm told that the last scene may require multiple read-throughs to make complete sense of and assemble the various conversations going on on top of each other but that it's very worth it in the end? Please let me know what you think.

Interlude 11C – Where Did I Go Wrong:

***Joyce POV***

-Summers Residence : Tuesday of the Previous Week (happens during 33)-

"I don't know, Hank. Maybe because she's our only child and she wants to see you! Lord only knows why, because I certainly don't. But you go right ahead and enjoy your time in Madrid with your secretary!" I slam the phone down onto the hook.

Leaning against the kitchen counter I try to decide how I'm going to break it to Buffy that her father won't be joining us for Thanksgiving this year.

I open a box of the chocolate Buffy had to sell for the School Band and munch on it to settle my nerves. Chocolate makes everything better.

Maybe if I invite all her friends over she won't have time to be upset about it? Of course, that's assuming they don't have Thanksgiving with their own families.

Xander is a safe bet there. Only... no, he might be having dinner with Cordelia's family this year.

...

It's too bad whatever Jack's half-something side is makes him unable to use a phone. I could invite his whole little family over for dinner. I'll have to ask him the next time he stops by for lunch.

Even if she and Jack aren't best of friends, I'm sure Buffy would love to spend more time with Faith. And it's just so nice knowing she isn't out there alone.

I pause to collect my thoughts.

Hmmm... "Dawn, honey, could you come down here for a moment?" I yell up the stairs.

Instead of coming down, my youngest daughter just yells back from her room "What is it mom?"

Sighing, I head up the stairs to her rather than yelling through the house like a bunch of hooligans. Where did I go wrong that a little manners are too much to ask for?

"Do you know Faith's phone number? I was hoping to invite them all over for thanksgiving this year." That they all have their own of those mobile phone devices still seems excessive to me, but you can't fault it for convenience.

Dawn sags slightly. "... Dad's not coming is he..?"

"Oh honey, it's okay... You know your father loves you very much, he's just busy with work."

"Sure mom." She grabs a piece of paper and scribbles down a number. "This is Faith's phone number... uh... you should probably call Ames though. She's their version of 'mom' and runs their calendar I think." My youngest smirks up at me on the mom comment and scribbles down another phone number.

I pull her into a hug when she tries to hand me the paper. "You sure you're alright sweetie?"

"Yes mom. Five by Five."

"What does that even mean?"

"...I dunno. Like, everything's good, maybe?" She shrugs. "Faith says it a lot. I think she said her favorite step-dad liked... radios..? before he died, so it's probably a radio thing."

That girl... has been through far too much in her short life. I'm so glad she and her brother found each other. Now if only I could get her to take after Dawn in clothing tastes instead of the other way around.

Walking back down the stairs, I start dialing the number for Amy's cell phone.

...

Can vampires even eat turkey..? I'm certain I've seen Jack eat normal foods. I'm sure it'll be fine.

"Hello? Is this Amy? It's Joyce Summers."

"Hi, Mrs. Summers. What's up?"

"I was wondering if you and your... housemates... would like to come to thanksgiving this year?" It still seems strange to me that those children all live on their own. I can't help but disagree with Mr. Madison on that. Jack's a nice young man and all, but I don't know that I'd call him a proper parental figure. They do seem to have everything well put together though. "Dawn thought you'd be the best one to ask."

"Oh! That sounds great. I'll ask Jack if he ever gets back here. Can you believe he got himself lost in Czechoslovakia? Actually, you know what? Never mind. I'll tell Jack that we are joining you for Thanksgiving when he gets back." That's right, I forgot they were in Europe this week.

She sounds annoyed about it too. "Oh my. What happened?" Finishing a third bar of chocolate I settle in for what sounds like some absolutely wonderful gossip.

...I wonder what Rupert's up to?

-Summers Residence : Saturday Evening-

William heads off into the kitchen to refill his and Dawn's mugs. Such a gentleman, offering to help out like that.

I turn to Jack who's been entertaining said youngest daughter while I have grownup talk. "I don't think you ever mentioned having an older brother." If Dawn hadn't called him Spike I never even would have known it was the same man who featured in her fanciful stories of daring rescue. "He seems very nice..." And I do so love that accent, I have to remind myself that he's actually far older than I am. "...I can definitely see why Dawn was so smitten with him for months." I tease, mostly. Though honestly, if expressing an interest is enough to stop my youngest from repeating my eldest's mistakes than why not? Of course his being the one to save my little girl may have something to do with my thinking.

"MOM!" Dawnyells, her voice full of teenaged outrage.

"Yeah. He's a good-" Jack cuts off as his brother shouts from the kitchen.

"Oi!" I think William keeps talking but it's hard to make out.

"I haven't actually seen him in years." Jack scratches the back of his head, looking slightly embarrassed. "I didn't even know he was in town until he showed up on my doorstep. I'm probably just as guilty in that regard as he is, I never really tried to reach out..." He trails off, looking lost in thought. "...I've been a bit fixated on getting Faith settled in and everything lately." I'm sure Faith appreciates everything you've done for her. Such a sweet young girl. It's hard to believe she's been through so much already from what I overhear my daughters talking about. Not that either of them would ever tell me about such things themselves. I have to content myself to taking advantage of how well sound carries in this house.

Jack at least fills me in on what he can. "And how is Faith doing? I hear she and my daughter are-"

"Moooom! That's cheating."

"Excuse me?" Jack looks as confused as I feel.

"You're trying to get him to tell you about Buffy! And you're using my friend to do it."

Jack grins, looking over at her. "So now we're friends? I tho-"

"Not you... Faith, duh! I'm still mad at you."

Jack snorts and then grins at me with mischief in his eyes. "It seems we'll just have to talk about you and Giles instead of-"

"SO! Buffy and Faith. What're they up to?" Oh, well played. I'll make a proper parent out of you yet. Dawn sounds so horrified. She wasn't even the one to walk in on- Oh Buffy. I'm so sorry you had to see that.

I feel my cheeks heating up in embarrassment but Jack just laughs at Dawn and starts to answer her question while I recover. "Mrs. Post still has them searching the caves-"

There's a loud crash as the door flies open, Angel standing there with a crazed look on his face. "Oh my God. Get away from here!"

Jack is on his feet in an instant, tossing the table aside and putting himself between that monster and my daughter faster than I can blink.

I try to pull my daughter away, but she has her fists clamped around Jack's shirt. "It's alright. He can't get in. You're safe. We won't let him take you again."

I repeat my statement to her like a mantra while she shakes in my arms.

My world hones down to my daughter's slowly steadying body and my own repeated murmurs.

Sometime later Faith appears at my side, and the sound of my eldest's voice speaking nearby clicks in my head. "Buffy, thank God! Get rid of him before he hurts your sister again."

Suddenly Jack starts to glow purple as he charges at Angel, "YOU MEAN YOU KNEW!?" Fortunately Dawn let go when the purple lights surprised her and she isn't pulled along behind Jack like Faith is.

I have no guilt about being happy at the sound of bones breaking coming from the thing that hurt my little girls as Jack's fist connects.

With Angel dealt with I turn to see at what looks like all of my daughter's friends crowding into the doorway to the living room.

Buffy takes her stake out. Good. Go get rid of- "Buffy, what are you doing!?" Buffy starts attacking William who stumbles to the side, barely avoiding being impaled. It looks like he may have hit his head, the poor dear.

Dawn races away from me throwing herself between them. "NO!"

"Dawn! What're you doing!? He's a vampire!" Buffy shouts.

"I don't care. He saved me from Angel. I won't let you stake him."

"Angel has his soul back now, he's goo-"

Dawn gets directly in Buffy's face and screams at her, almost nose to nose. "I. DON'T. CARE! YOU'RE NOT THE ONE HE HELD DOWN AND TOLD HE WAS GOING TO COMPLETE THE SET."

Oh no... no! nononono... please tell me you don't mean- No. Not my little girl.

William's voice reassures me even as he slurs his words. "...His face! He didn't like... being interrupted before the fun started did he?"

Before. Oh thank God...

"Dawn? Are you okay?" Jack is standing in the doorway. The door is missing.

People are shouting, but I can only watch as my little girl takes a deep breath and then... nods slowly, yes. She's okay. Oh thank God.

Buffy moves away, coming back over towards me- and punches Jack? He must have walked over while I was focused on Dawn. Why would Buffy do that? He just saved her sister from that horrible-

"REALLY!? AGAIN!? Jack shouts. Again? Buffy!

"Gawd, Buffy! Psycho Much?" I can't even bring myself to chastise my youngest for breaking the rule I set out after Hank and I put Buffy in that place that obviously didn't help her.

I stare at my daughter. What are you thinking!? I don't understand what would make you think this is okay. I glance angrily at Mr. Giles, I'm sure this is your doing.

"Right. So. As I was saying..." He turns to face me. There's a piece of wood sticking out of his chest, but he just gives a resigned sigh, which is obviously painful. "Joyce, thank you for the cocoa. I'm sorry about your door and chair. I'll pay for the replacements, but my family and I are leaving, for obvious reasons." He glances at my eldest daughter. Yes, perhaps it would be for the best if we all took a moment to calm-

"You can't honestly believe we'll just let you walk away." Mr. Giles sounds accusatory.

"Okay, I'm confused again..." Why shouldn't we let him leave? He's not the one who's done anything wrong here tonight.

"You're a Vampire?" Of course he is, Xander... wait...

"You mean you all didn't know?" Why would Faith tell Dawn but not everyone else?

...

"WHAT!?" Why is everyone staring at me like I've lost my mind.

- One Awkwardly Silent Moment Later After Jack's Departure-

I turn to glare at my daughter and her friends. "Well! I hope you're all proud of yourselves."

"You knew!?" My eldest daughter shouts at me.

"I know you and your sister think of me as just mom, but I'm not-"

"You knew!?" Xander yells from the living room doorway.

...

"Yes, Xander, I just said-" Oh. He's doesn't seem to be talking to me. Instead he's glaring at an incredibly upset looking Willow.

"...I- I'm sorry Xander! I just- and Buffy didn't want me to- and I- I sent him to hell, Xander! I sent him to hell! I couldn't just not help him."

"Angel!" and just like that my eldest daughter runs out the door.

I sit down at the dining- I sit down in a chair where my dining room table used to be.

...

I sigh. "Where did I go wrong?" I ask no one in particular. Not that anyone is paying any attention to me anyway at this point. Everyone arguing with, or just maybe at, each other except for Mr. Giles, who is polishing his glasses and staring off into space.

As I question my own parenting, Xander continues to rant at Willow while pacing about in the living room."Are you kidding me? Let's just take a look at Angel's highlight reel huh? Creepy sketches left in Buff's bed, a letter whose only wordage was your fish, Wills!"

Cordelia's voice cuts across Xander's, "And my car! He was in my car!"

"Then there's kidnapping dawn-" Dawn! She's not here, where's my little Dawnie? "-Giles's new look from the Spring domestic violence collection..." I race over towards the stairs. "-and that's not to mention our sudden need for a new computer teacher. So yeah." Xander and I pass each other in the doorway. "You've just got to help Angel. He's clearly the victim in all of this."

"Dawn!? Are you up there!?"

I have a few seconds of heart rending terror before my youngest appears at the top of the stairs.

"Yes, mom. But I think I'm going to go to bed okay?"

"That's fine, dear." I turn back towards the dining room. Xander has made it outside and is holding a piece of my back door while arguing with my eldest who's carrying Angel.

"How can you stand there and defend him!?" Yes. Thank you, Xander.

I try to focus on just how satisfyingly broken that monster looks, but seeing Buffy carrying him is just too much.

"Buffy! What are you doing!?" At my question, she starts looking back and forth between Xander and I.

"He's not- That wasn't- He..." My eldest trails off.

Nearby, I hear Willow say gently, "I think your glasses are clean now."

"He has his soul back. He's-" Buffy cuts off.

"Oh, dear Lord!" Mr. Giles voice shouts behind me. Glancing back, it looks to be a delayed reaction to Willow taking his glasses away.

Xander cuts back in before my daughter has a chance to continue defending that bastard. "And what happens the next time he loses it? What do we do then, Buff?"

"He won't. He can't- we aren't- That isn't- We're just friends." How can you be friends withhim!?

"Friends!? He took your little sister! He tried to-" I can't bring myself to finish the statement. It's too horrible to think about let alone say.

"That! Wasn't! Him!" What!?

"What are you talking about, Buffy? I saw him-" I get cut off by Cordelia, again.

"WHAT!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE DRIVING THEM HOME!?"She screeches from behind me.

Everyone pauses, and looks at Cordelia as she paces into and then back out of view in the living room. She's holding her phone in front of her face rather than to her ear, staring at it in obvious disbelief.

"I'm... taking Angel back to the mansion." I turn back and go to protest, and Xander looks like he's about to say something as well, but we both get interrupted again.

"NO, I WILL NOT RELAX! HARMONY, ARE YOU INSANE!? YOU INVITED THEM INTO YOUR CAR!?" Buffy stops mid backward step at Cordelia's latest shout, aiming a funny look into the house.

"...Did we all forget to tell her it doesn't work like that?" Willow sounds confused. I am too. What doesn't work like how?

"Oh, good Lord! He can walk around in the daylight." Mr. Giles looks lost in thought even as he speaks.

My daughter resumes her attempt to back away from Xander and I, not stopping this time when Cordelia continues yelling into her phone.

They're Vampires, Harmony!" Everyone seems hung up on that one point.

"Buffy! Stop!" But she's gone, ignoring me as usual. Where did I go wrong?

"Oh, dear Lord! He doesn't stake." Mr. Giles is definitely stuck in his thoughts, just looping his favorite words.

Xander walks back into the house looking furious and dejected. He glares at Willow for a moment before walking over to join Cordelia in the living room.

"NO, NOT AMY! JACK AND SPIKE!" Cordelia sounds even more irritated than before.

"OH, DEAR LORD! What if he can make more vampires like him?"

Xander walks back into the dining room, shaking his head. Still glaring at Willow, he tries to get Mr. Giles' attention. "G-man. You in there?"

Cordelia cuts in before Mr. Giles can answer. "SO WHAT!? They'll EAT you!" Well, I hardly think that's likely. They've been living together for months. To overhear Faith tell it to Dawn, she can barely even get Jack to hug Amy.

"Oh, dear Lor- ...What is it Xander? And must you call me that infernal nickname in a time like this?"

Xander's answer is drowned out by Cordelia, again. "EXCUSE ME! You can't possibly have just said- YOU LET HIM BITE YOU!?"

What!? That can't be right, I need to call Amy. I pick up the phone. Instead of a dial tone I hear Faith's voice. "...B's been stressin-"

My youngest daughter's voice interrupts her. "Mooom, get off the phone! I'm talking to Faith." Oh good, I can ask her instead.

"Hey Momma S! ...Oh, Jack wants me to tell- HARM! EYES ON THE ROAD!" I drop the phone in shock. Harmony is still driving while talking to Cordelia!?

"No, I don't care how many pounds you've- SPIKE! GIVE THE PHONE BACK TO HARMONY!"

Oh thank God. At least someone is being responsible. Thank you, William.

I catch a bit more of Xander's conversation with Willow and Giles. "Xander no! He has his soul back, you can't just-" Who..?

Xander cuts Willow off, yelling, "He's a Vampire!" Again, I'm not sure why everyone seems to be hung up on that point. It's not like they weren't vampires when William saved my little Dawnie.

"But- so is Jerk! Why- Why aren't you talking about staking him!?" Willow starts looking flustered. Who's a Jerk? Or should that be what? Is Jerk a type of demon?

Xander starts to reply. "Angel is clearly the bigger-" Giles interrupts him.

"I quite disagree, Xander. Certainly Angelus is a more immediate problem but Jack has demonstra-"

The rest of Giles point is lost as Cordelia storms into the dining room. "URGH! Spike just called me rude, and then he hung up on me. Spike! Can you believe that?"

Well you were on the phone yelling at the girl driving- The phone! I pick it up in time to hear Faith finish, "...the fuckin shit out of some dude crossin the road though."

"Faith! Language!" I shout before even thinking about it.

...

I can't help it. After everything that happened tonight, my reflexively chastising Faith for swearing is just too much.

I break down into hysterical laughter and can't seem to stop.

A/N2 - And yes... Joyce checks out for bits here and there and misses things Jack or Spike tell us about... I think her reasons are obvious. Some confusion regarding events is to be expected.

Also, It's been pointed out to me that I probably ought to specify that Dawn's recollection of season 2 both never happened because it's a fabricated memory, and that even in her memory Spike interrupts before anything can happen.
Dawn doesn't exist until Joyce says "I pause to collect my thoughts." which were scattered by having just gotten rewritten on the fly.