TITLE: Finding Me (2/?)
AUTHOR: Rebecca Parker
EMAIL:
LaVelleBelle@aol.com
RATING: PG
FEEDBACK: Yes please! I
can't stress the PLEASE enough!
SPOILERS: This is set after Season 5,
but there are no spoilers except for the *speculation* that Glory will lose and
Dawn will still be around.
DISTRIBUTION: At my site
(http://www.ourowndestiny.com), FINNatics and The Hellmouth Chronicles. All
others, please ask first.
DEDICATION: To Moe, my sole feedbacker for
the first part. Thank you so much!
NOTE: The title is a song by
Vertical Horizon.
"Dawn, we are *not* listening to the new
Britney OR the new Christina," Buffy said, sighing as she lay her arm on the
edge of the window which had been rolled down hours ago due to the lack of air
conditioning in Xander's car.
Dawn crossed her arms, sitting back
against her seat as she rolled her eyes. "OK, then let's just listen to another
hour of whiny women," she said sarcastically.
"Sarah McLachlan is
not whiny," Xander said, looking at Dawn in the rearview mirror. "She's tender
and good for the loving," he said, smirking. A quick look from Buffy made the
smirk disappear. "I mean, good for the loving...group of friends I have gathered
in my car."
"Nice save," Buffy said, laughing softly. She reached
into the glove compartment and pulled out the book of CD's. "How about a
compromise? No Sarah or Britney, but instead," she said, removing a CD, "a
little Matchbox 20."
"Fine with me," Dawn said, shifting
uncomfortably in her seat. She grabbed her magazine and started flipping through
the pages as the sounds of "Bent" filled the car. She smiled, remembering the
night before and how they had all danced at the Bronze to this very song. She
had never really realized how bad of a dancer Xander was before.
"Looks
like the Dawnster approves of the music choice," Xander said, looking at her
again. "She's all smiles. Or maybe she's just had too much candy."
Dawn rolled her eyes at Xander and flipped the page, reading the latest
gossip about Tara Reid and Carson Daly. An hour later and she was on the last
article, mulling over fashion do's and don'ts and dreading the last few turns
Xander was making. They were almost there.
"Buffy..."
"I'm sorry Dawnie," Buffy said, turning around in her seat. "But yes,
you have to."
Dawn frowned, shutting the magazine and folding her
arms. "Fine," she said, her voice angry. "But I'm going to make him
sweat."
"I wouldn't expect any less," Buffy said, smiling as
Xander pulled up in front of her father's house.
He turned off the
engine and the three of them sat there in silence for another five minutes; none
of them wanting to get out of the car and face the man who none of them had any
respect for.
Finally, Buffy opened her car door and slipped out,
pulling the seat forward so Dawn could follow. "Come on," she said, sighing. "It
won't be so bad."
"So you say," she said, getting out after her
sister and grabbing her bookbag. She slipped the straps over her shoulder and
watched as Xander got out and grabbed her suitcase. "You'll call me every
day?"
"Every day, Dawn?" Buffy said, smirking. "Really, even *my*
life isn't so interesting as to have something new to say every day." She
reached out to touch her sister's shoulder and pulled her into a firm hug.
"We'll rotate. I'll take Monday, Xander Tuesday, Willow Wednesday and so on and
so on. OK?"
Dawn nodded. "Sounds good to me. Maybe even Spike can
call?" she asked, looking up at her sister shyly.
Buffy quirked an
eyebrow at Dawn. "Spike? Dawn, didn't we just make a sisterly pact to not have
things for chipped vampires last night?"
"Yeah, but," Dawn said,
shrugging. "He makes me laugh."
"Don't I make you laugh,
Dawnster?" Xander asked, punching her lightly on the shoulder. "Don't tell me
I've been laid off from my court jester position at Dawn Dawn & Dawn
Company." He smiled nervously at her and Buffy had to stifle a laugh. Only
Xander could be upset that their 14-year-old sister was getting over her crush
on him.
"Oh," Dawn said, smiling shyly. "Sure you do," she said,
walking over to him and leaning her head against his arm. "You're still my
number one funny guy."
"Good," Xander said, putting his arm around
Dawn's shoulders. "We're gonna miss you in Sunny D, Dawnster. Place just won't
be the same without you."
Dawn blushed, looking down at her shoes.
"Well, I'll miss you too."
Buffy smiled. "Wow. This is a touching
moment. A little creepy, but touching nonetheless," she said, laughing as she
watched Xander automatically remove his arm from Dawn and Dawn automatically
shoot her an evil look.
"Right," Xander said, grinning at Buffy.
"So, we're off to see the Wizard?"
"The Wonderful Wizard of
Deadbeat Dads," Buffy finished sarcastically. She took a deep breath and then
nodded. "Yeah." She reached out for Dawn's hand and looked at her sister. "We
can do it."
Dawn nodded sullenly, and together, the three of them
walked towards the house.
+++++++
An hour later, Buffy and
Xander were mulling over the menus at a nearby diner- Buffy torn between a
cheeseburger or soup, Xander torn between a burrito or grilled cheese. They had
sat in relative silence for several minutes, neither knowing what to say, or
worse, what to do.
The last few months had been all about Dawn and
protecting her, and now, the danger was past and no one knew what came next.
Returning to Sunnydale was the obvious option, but Buffy was hoping to at least
spend a few days in Los Angeles before she and Xander returned.
She just needed some time away. Sunnydale reminded her of everything she
had lost in the last year- her mother, Riley, and now she would return and face
a summer without the only family she had left- Dawn.
The waitress
came and took their orders, and faced with the prospect of having their menus
taken away and nothing left to stare at blankly, Xander and Buffy looked at each
other and smiled awkwardly. "So," Buffy said, picking up her straw and fiddling
with it. "Would you mind if we stayed for the weekend? I mean, I know I only
vaguely mentioned it once, but I just thought it would be nice- you know, to get
away for a little while."
"Yeah," Xander said, nodding. "It's been
kind of a mad, mad, mad, mad, mad world back in Sunnydale lately."
"Mad," Buffy echoed. "I just don't know if I can handle going back there
right now. Everything that's happened in the last year- Mom being sick, Riley
leaving, Mom dying, Glory nearly killing us all- this is the first chance I've
really had to stop and think about it and I'm kinda feeling-"
"Freaked?"
Buffy nodded. "To say the least. It's just one
big bad memory after another. Oh- here's the park where I didn't run fast enough
to catch Riley. Oh, and here's the ruins of the building where Glory first
royally kicked my ass. Not to mention that every time I patrol I relive the
funeral. I don't exactly want to be staking vampires on top of my mom's grave."
She sighed, holding her forehead and looking down at the table. "I just need
some time away right now."
"I'm with ya Buffy," Xander said,
nodding. "We can get a hotel room and just hang out for the weekend."
"Maybe see old friends," Buffy said, taking a sip of her soda and
looking away from Xander.
"Old friends as in..." Xander said,
leading Buffy to the answer he was sure was coming.
"You know,
Cordelia, Wesley..."
"Angel?" Xander finished, nodding. "Come on
Buffy, you don't have to be ashamed. It's been a while since I've seen Dead Boy
anyway. I've been working on some really good sarcastic remarks that I really
think will hit the mark."
Buffy laughed. "You're not going to
freak? I mean, Angel and I even just being in the same room has always been
something of a touchy subject with you."
"Buffy," Xander said,
reaching his hand out to hers and holding it. "I trust you completely."
"Thank you," Buffy said, her cheeks feeling a little flushed. No matter
how close she and Xander had been, she never felt like he did trust her when it
came to Angel- not that she blamed him. Her mistakes, as always, caused everyone
heartache.
"No thanks necessary," Xander said as the waitress
placed their meals in front of them. "In fact, instead of thanks, I'll take," he
said, reaching over and grabbing food from her plate, "french fries."
"Seems like a fair compromise," Buffy said, laughing as she began to
eat. After a few bites, she placed her burger down and looked at Xander again.
"So the last time I talked to Angel, he told me they had their offices at this
hotel- the Hyperion. I thought that we could stop by there tonight. Maybe they
have a room or two?"
"Free hotel accommodations?" Xander said,
grinning. "My wallet says 'Yes Please!'"
"Well, I mean, we'll have
to ask first. Angel may just make you grovel," Buffy said, giggling.
"Uh, well, in that case my wallet may say 'YES' but my dignity says
'Hell no!'," Xander said, picking up his grilled cheese sandwich and taking a
bite out of it. "But since my wallet is right here with me and I lost my dignity
sometime back in high school, I guess I'm up for some groveling."
"I doubt he'll actually make you..."
+++++
"Say
please Xander," Angel said, grinning as he stood in the doorway of the hotel,
looking down at the young man in front of him. "It's only polite since you're
asking to stay here."
Xander rolled his eyes and shot Buffy a
look.
Buffy patted his arm reassuringly while trying not to burst
out laughing.
"Please," Xander said, gritting his teeth.
"Angel, let the poor guy in," Cordelia said, smiling as she moved past
Angel. "Xander Harris," she said, looking him up and down. "You really need to
cut your hair," she said finally.
"Why? I see you cut yours for
me," he said, walking into the lobby and looking her over. "A new look for you,
Cor. Nice. I approve."
"Oh, I was so frightened you wouldn't,"
Cordelia said sarcastically, tipping her head to the smile and giving him that
familiar grin of hers. "Good to see you again."
Xander nodded,
stepping close and hugging his ex. "Been way too long."
"Way," she
agreed. "When Harmony the vampire makes her way out here before you, we know we
have problems."
"Sorry about that," Xander said, nodding as he
stepped back and looked at Buffy, who was watching them with an amused
expression on her face. "Lot going on back home."
Buffy nodded.
"Cordelia, you look great. I love the hair."
"Thanks," she said,
running her fingers through it.
The four of them stood there in an
uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before Angel spoke. "So, not that we're
not happy to have you here, but what's going on? Is everything OK?"
Buffy nodded. "Yep. Xander and I are just taking a vacation from reality
for a weekend. I had to drop Dawn off at Dad's and I thought maybe we could
crash here."
"Sure," Angel said, nodding. "We have one or two
rooms that aren't entirely composed of dust." He stopped. "I think."
Cordelia nodded. "Well, we didn't until I did some spring cleaning a few
months ago. But now we have two rooms up and running. That is, if you don't mind
an orange carpet and green walls."
Xander laughed. "So um..about
these rooms of dust?"
Buffy grinned, smacking Xander's arm. "That
sounds great. We're not imposing?"
"Nope," Cordelia said, moving
over to the couch and flopping down on it. "We were just going to go out for the
night, try to sniff out a new case. You're welcome to come. Just leave your
eardrums at the door," she said, grinning.
"Our eardrums? Huh?"
Buffy asked, looking around. "Where are we going?"
Angel caught
Cordelia's glance and smiled. He turned to Buffy and laughed. "How do you feel
about karaoke?"
To Be Continued...
