Title: Summer in Sunnydale; Only When it Rains
Author: Elisabeth
Rating: Same as the show...er...pg-13 or pg. Language.
Spoilers: Post-The Gift Pre-Season Six
Disclaimer: Me poor , Joss not, Buffy and crew not mine
Feedback: Please!
Summary: The Scoobs have to deal with Dawn, and their own demons.

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"For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these: 'It might have been!'"
-John Greenleaf Whittier, "Maud Muller"
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The brown haired teenager girl, was curled up on blue athletic mats that adorned the corner of
the old training room when the gang entered the room in silence.

Dawn:

Go away! (she cried) I don't need you here.

Willow:

We love you Dawn.

Xander:

We're your family.

Dawn:

My family's dead.

Spike:

(starts to approach Dawn) Yes they are, but since we are all you've got and vice versa.
We are your family.

Giles:

Albeit, a bit unconventional. But Dawn we are a family.

Dawn:

No a family has a mom! And a sister! And a dad! And they're dead, or might as well be.

Anya:

We are a family. Giles is like the patriarchal father (Giles looks proud), and Spike is like the
mischievous brother. Like that terrible child who tormented Mr.Wilson.

Willow:

Spike the menace.(softly laughs)

Dawn:

(sits up a bit) It has a nice ring to it.

Spike:

That it does. (he bravely sits next to Dawn)

Anya:

Yes and Willow is like the sister who is good hearted yet messes everything up
continuously with her spells.

Willow:

Hey!

Xander:

Well there was the whole 'my will-make-everyone-kooky-spell', when I was a literal
demon magnet.

Giles:

And I was blind.

Spike:

I was getting married.

Giles:

I was thankfully blind. (Giles takes off and cleans his glasses, then he places them back on)

Willow:

Okay, I get it. I'll always be very careful.

Anya:

May I continue with my family comparisons?

Dawn:

Yes, please.

The gang begins to relax seeing Dawn was responding, they all sit around Dawn.

Anya:

My Xander is the other brother, the eldest, who protects everyone. And is loyal. And sexy.
And does the most incredibly thing with his-

Xander:

Can we change and compare someone else? Now?

Anya:

Oh yes...Let's see ,Tara and I are the added on family. And we support the core group,
and love our. And Dawn you are the little sister.

Dawn:

I'm always the little sister.

Spike:

Yah but you get the best deal.

Xander:

Cuddled more.

Willow:

Spoiled more.

Giles:

We are here and we all want to take care of you. But you have to take care of yourself
too.

Dawn:

Don't you think I know, you're all just her because you feel like you owe Buffy. I'm just
what Buffy used to call looking after me. Dawn Duty. A duty. Just like taking out the
trash.

Xander:

Dawn your not a duty. We love you.

Giles:

Buffy is the reason we know you, not the reason we stay.

Spike:

That's all you pet. With your charm, intelligence, and the way you make horrible food
experiments.

Willow:

We haven't really talked about the ... when she died yet.

Dawn:

I don't want to anymore. She's dead isn't that enough.

Anya:

Well we are all trying to adjust and you seem not to be eating. So I think we need to talk
about it.

Willow:

Why haven't you been eating?

Dawn:

I don't deserve to.

Giles:

Of course you do child, why the heavens don't you deserve to eat.

Dawn:

(tears start to stream down her face) I should be punished. I'm the reason she died. If only I had
jumped before her. Or hid better from Glory. Or if the monks hadn't made me. Buffy
would be here, happy, and alive and-

Spike:

Stop that right now! It's not your fault and you know it! Buffy loved you and did what she
believed she had to do. She did her job, and loved you. And if it's any one fault it's mine.
If I had been quick enough, faster, smarted, if I didn't even talk to the bloke. I would have
saved you Dawn, before he cut you. I could have saved Buffy.

Giles:

It is no one's fault.

Anya:

He's right. Bad things happen all the time. No one can change them they just happen. I
don't understand mortality yet. But I know that things happen for a reason. There was a
reason that I was made mortal, a reason why your the key, a reason why Spike has metal
in his head. And a reason why this happened. Even if we don't know why. (Xander puts
his arm around Anya and holds her close.

Willow:

'What ifs' just make it harder. There is no going back

Anya:

Only if your a Hiblashinflack.

Dawn:

A what?

Anya:

And ancient demon. They live there whole lives. Dying and reliving. It's actually kind of
sad.

Xander:

Like a living breathing Ground Hog day, without Bill Murray.

They sit in silence for a moment.

Giles:

Everything is going to be all right. We are going to be all right. I guess it's time for
Willow and I to tell you why we have been a little distant for the past month.

Willow:

As you know Tara went to New Orleans. She was looking for a summoning spell. It's a
spell so we can loop-hole the calling of a Slayer. So that Faith wouldn't have to die to
get another one.

Giles:

And I've talked to the counsel. And they agreed to my proposal.

Spike:

What sort of proposal?

Giles:

To have a headquarters of the Watchers Counsel here in Sunnydale. We received the deed
from Angel for the mansion, so it will be set up there. Sunnydale will be safer.

Xander:

You've been busy.

Giles:

I also have a proposal for you. All of you.(silence) Since Sunnydale will have a new Slayer
and a council to protect it I propose we move to LA.

The crowd that faced the watcher was silent (except Willow, who knew), and
contemplating a different life.

Giles:

We all have been assured that we have rooms at Angel's hotel. And jobs there if we want.
Cordelia assures me that they have plenty life saving to do, and could use a hand. Or you
could go somewhere else, entirely up to you.

Anya:

But what about the Magic Box! My shop, (Giles glares), our shop, we can't just leave it.

Giles:

I've already found a spot in the city for a new location. I bought it yesterday.

Anya:

Oh... it's still our shop. Xander you better pack up, we go where my business goes.

Xander:

I have a job here. A life, I can't just pick up and move. (Anya looks at him injured) Well I
guess I could find a job there. I have great references. I go where she goes.

Dawn:

But my life here, everything's here. Mom and Buffy are here. I couldn't visit them.

Spike:

Your mum, and the slayer are always with you luv, you bring them were ever you go. I'd
take you down on weekends if you would like.

Willow:

And you did have a lot of friends in LA before you moved here.

Dawn:

Yah, I guess.

Willow:

There must have been a cutie in your class...it would be nice to see how they turned out.

Dawn:

Yah, it could be a nice change. I could meet all my friends for real. (She smiled)

Giles:

So it's settled we make our big move in September, before school starts for Dawn. And
the counsel will be here next week. Let's go out and get some more hot coffee.

The gang left the room, leaving just Spike and Dawn alone.

Spike:

So how are you really pet?

Dawn:

I'm a little scared, but happy, and a little sad all at the same time.

Spike:

Well in La la land, we can pass some good times tormenting Peaches. (Dawn giggles).
You and I are a team.

Dawn:

Like Sherlock and Holmes.

Spike:

Like Bonnie and Cylde.

They laugh. Dawn gives Spike a hug. She cringes a bit.

Spike:

You okay bit?

Dawn:

Yah, it only hurts when it rains.

Dawn exists the room, Spike moves to the window and watches the rain slowly fall.

Spike:

(murmurs) Sometimes it rains too bloody much.