Chapter 23

Faith, Buffy, Angel, Willow, and Xander all sat at the Bronze. A pretty decent band was playing and people were dancing and talking all around. Buffy smiled at Angel who smiled back and took her hand. Conner was at a party that the football team was throwing to celebrate the night's winning game. The game had been fun. Conner had played a great game and scored the winning touchdown. Because he was so happy and his parents trusted him, they had let him go to the party. Dawn was at the library studying because she was still in trouble for pushing that boy down the stairs.

"Well, Spike definitely seems a little more cogent, less bl-bl-bl-bl-bl. I'm just saying.. once you get back the soul, doesn't that mean you start, like, picking up your own wet towels off the floor?" Xander asked.

"No, but you start to feel really bad about leaving them there." Angel said.

"At least he's showering, and that's a refreshing and delightful change." Buffy said.

"Buff." Xander motioned towards the floor.

R.J. was there dancing with some slutty girl that reminded Buffy of Faith back when she and Buffy had first met. "I think that's the guy." Buffy said.

"What guy?" Willow asked.

"The one who, according to Dawn, is the quote smartest, funniest, coolest, hottest, and having the thickest boy eyelashes boy in school unquote." Angel said.

"He don't seem so tough." Xander said.

"Check out the fan club." Willow said.

There a girl dancing with R.J. had long light brown slightly wavy hair. She was slim and wore tight hip-hugging blue jeans and a tight, sheer blouse that was off one shoulder and bared the midriff. She was dancing with him very sexily, gyrating her hips and running her hands through her hair.

"Daddy like." Xander said.

"What is that shirt made of? Paint?" Buffy asked.

"Buff.." Faith said.

"Glad Dawnie isn't here to see her precious boyfriend getting all thrusty with some slut-bag hussy.." R.J.'s dancing partner turned around where Buffy could see her face. It was Dawn. Buffy stared, slack-jawed, in disbelief. "Oh."

"Oh. Oh! No! 'Daddy'.. No, I wasn't.. When I was looking, I wasn't.. Oh, God!" Xander said.

"Right there with ya." Willow said.

While Dawn continued dirty dancing with R.J., Buffy and Angel were still staring in disbelief, while Xander looked like he's going to gag, and Faith and Willow seemed ashamed of Dawn's behavior.

"She said she was going to be at the library!" Angel said.

"I can't believe she lied to us." Buffy said.

"She is definitely grounded for life."

"You better believe it. I've never seen anyone dance that slutty since senior year."

"Hey!" Faith said. "Well, ok. No 'hey', but still.. Hey!"

"Sorry. But Dawn is definitely dancing dirtier than you. Where did she get that outfit? Sluts-r-Us?" Buffy and Angel got up and walked over to the bar and sat down.

A few minutes later, Dawn walked to the bar, but Angel caught her off guard.

"So, do you have plans later, or are you just gonna go down to the docks and wait for the fleet to come in?" he asked.

"What?" Dawn asked, turning to Buffy and Angel.

Buffy grabbed Dawn's arm and hauled her to a post. "Where do we start with the bad? First, you told us you were going to the library. Second, you do not go out on a date without informing Angel or me first. Third, Anna Nicole Smith thinks you look tacky."

"Yeah, well I think I look hot, and so does R.J."

"Oh, I bet he does. Maybe I should go have a little word with him." Angel said.

"No!" Dawn grabbed Angel's arm. "Don't you dare embarrass me in front of him."

"I don't like this. This boy has you acting crazy. And don't you dare talk to Angel like that." Buffy said.

"It's my life. I'll do what I want to."

"I don't think so."

"Oh. So, what.. suddenly you're Mom now?"

"No, I'm not. And I am glad she's not here to see you like this. Look, I'm sorry. I just.."

"You just can't handle it."

"What?"

"You've always been the special one. Hot little Buffy with her boyfriends. The Slayer. And now someone likes me, and you just can't stand that I'm getting the attention."

"That is the farthest thing from true."

"No it's not. And I'm sorry, but I like the way R.J. makes me feel, and if you think that makes me a slut or whatever, I don't care."

Dawn started to walk away, but Angel grabbed her by the waist and brought her back. "Oh, no, no, no. You are not going back out on that dance floor."

Dawn stared at both of them and then grabbed her coat, storming out the door. Buffy groaned and Angel growled dangerously in his chest. Buffy walked over, grabbed her and Angel's coats, and apologized to her friends before walking out the door with Angel. As soon as they were outside, they found Dawn and some girl in a major catfight. Buffy broke it up and stood between the two girls.

"Ok, first with the lap dance, now with the cat fight." Buffy said. "Hey, you wanna get drunk and barf next?"

"Let go of me." Dawn said. She turned to the other girl. "This isn't finished."

"I'll never let you have him, bitch." The girl said. She kicked Buffy in the shin then ran off yelling, "R.J. is mine. I mean it! Stay away from him!"

"Well, at least someone agrees you shouldn't be dating this guy." Angel said, staring after the girl and then turning back to Buffy and Dawn. "You ok?"

"At least she missed the ankle." Buffy said.

Angel took Buffy and Dawn home. The minute they were inside, Dawn wheeled on them.

"You two are the most unfair people I have ever met! You let Conner do anything he wants!" Dawn said.

"We let Conner do what he wants because we can trust him. He's not the one dressing like a slut, lying to us about where he's going, and dancing with a girl he barely knows." Buffy said.

"Buffy, I wouldn't call that 'dancing with.' That's more like 'mating with.'" Angel turned to Dawn. "That little dance you pulled with that BOY made Buffy's dance with Xander look like ballet!"

"Conner does what he's told. He knows not to push us."

"He's pampered!" Dawn yelled.

"You're grounded."

"What!?"

"Yes. No going out, no football games, most definitely no Bronze, no phone, no TV. You can have your radio, but that's if, and only if, you finish all your homework AND you're chores. Straight to school and straight home from school. I don't want to hear any arguments. Go up to your room."

"That's so unfair!"

"Now!" Buffy and Angel both yelled.

Dawn huffed and ran up the stairs. Buffy walked into the living room and threw her coat onto the couch's armrest. Instead of sitting down, Buffy started to pace. Angel plopped down onto the couch and watched her. His anger was just as high as Buffy's.

"I don't know how else to control her." Buffy said. "I hate being the bad guy here, but I swear, she's out of control. That little diddy she brought up about mom earlier, I almost smacked her."

"You're not the only one. I may not be her father, but no one in this household is going to be doing the stuff Dawn's been doing." Angel said.

"I wish there was something I could do to make her understand that. She's not the one with the power in this household. You'd think that she'd take a hint from Conner and learn that if she does what she's supposed to and doesn't argue about every little thing, she'd be getting what she wants. But as long as she pulls these little stunts, she's not going to get anything but misery."

"I've never felt more like my father than I do right now. He was right about all of it."

Buffy sat down next to Angel. "How do you mean?"

"I was the prodigal son. I was worse than Dawn at her age. My father used to tell me that when I had to punish my children for acts as sinful as mine, that I'd understand the way he felt. Of course that was on days that he was being nice to me and I wasn't drunk out of my mind."

Buffy kissed Angel's temple. "It'll all work out in the end. At least I hope. My mom used to tell me that. I guess it will because she was right about one thing when she said it."

"Right about what?"

"You."

"Me?"

"When you left graduation day, I was a train wreck for weeks afterwards. My mom would come into my room with hot chocolate and tell me that it would all work out in the end. And now here we are. All worked out."

"Thank God for that."

"Well, I'm going to talk to this R.J. tomorrow. See what his deal is."

"Good. Then you can send him to me and I'll beat the crap out of him."

"That's my lover. Always thinking with his fists." Buffy said, wrapping her arms around Angel's waist.



Principal Wood was talking to R.J. outside his office door, near Buffy's cubicle. Buffy was listening to the conversation. R.J. was wearing a gray t-shirt, and holding his letterman jacket by the collar.

"How bout if you try doing your own homework for a change? No more getting these young, impressionable women to do it for you. Avoid detention, R.J. Sound good?" Principal Wood asked.

"Whatever." R.J. said.

"Oh, sweet infectious enthusiasm." Principal Wood walked back into his office, while R.J. started to go back to class. Buffy interrupted him.

"Whoa. Hang on there, slappy. I'm not done with you yet." She said.

"Oh, man. Like it's not bad enough I got that guy riding my back all the time. Now I gotta deal with you, too?" R.J. said.

"Actually, I'm a bit more formidable than Mr. Wood. You might come to look fondly on his back-riding."

"Yeah, but come on.."

"Sit."

He plopped down into one of the office chairs. "Hey, I told him I was sorry about the homework."

"Mmm.. not the homework, Mr. Wizard. The girls. What you're doing to them. In specific, my sister."

"Hey, I didn't do anything to your sister. And you saw how hot she looked last night. I think that proved that she.."

"Aah! No more with the talky." Buffy turned away, hands up, to avoid the conversation. "Look, I know how guys like you work. You turn on the charm, you get whatever you want, no matter who gets in your way, right?"

"Ok, look, it's not like that." R.J. started putting on jacket. "I just.." Buffy pushed him back into the seat. "..get along really well with girls."

"Oh, I see how you get along." She turned to pace while she ranted. "Oh, look at me, I'm Mr. Quarterback. I crush little girls and all their little feelings. All I have to do is.." Buffy turned back, facing him now, and suddenly changed to a more pleasant tone. "Lead a team of high school athletes trying their best to do a good job. Everyone depending on me. That is a lot of pressure. But it doesn't mean you get to disregard other people's feelings."

"It's not like I meant to hurt anyone."

"I know. I know that. It's just.. you're a leader, a captain, ok? People look up to you. You need to keep that in mind when you.. I bet you run a lot, huh? I mean, they work you pretty hard, don't they?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"I get that. I do. I'm there. Or at least I was there when I was still in high school. Which I was, just a couple of years ago, really. You know, I just realized that I'm basically the same age as you. I'm not really older at all, actually. Just like you, but with the sexual experience and stuff."

"I think I hear what you're saying."

A colleague came into the office lobby area. Buffy stood and cleared her throat, changing the tone of her conversation to seem more professional. "Um, right, I'm.. I'm really glad that w-we had this talk, so, uh, I think you'd better to get back to class."

"Ok. Thanks." R.J. left.

Buffy watched his back side with a small tilt to her head.



"How'd your talk go sweetheart?" Angel asked Buffy as she sat on the couch watching TV.

"Hmm.. Fine." Buffy said distractedly.

"Dawn'll be home soon."

"I know."

"Are you gonna talk to her about what you and R.J. talked about?"

"Sure." Dawn came through the front door as quietly as she could, but Buffy was sitting on the couch waiting for her. "Dawn. You wanna come talk to me?" Dawn walked in and sat down next to Buffy. "I wanted to tell you that I talked to R.J. today. He's ok. I think he likes you."

"Really? Tell me what he said about me, every word, including intonation and facial expressions." Dawn said.

"Well, he thinks you're-you're funny and-and pretty and interesting. Didn't have a thing to say against you." Buffy avoided eye contact with Dawn.

"Yes, he did. I can tell."

"The tiniest thing. He might have said that you came on a little strong."

"Oh, my God! I'm the pushy queen of slut town."

"No, honey, honey, not at all. No, no. It's just.. you know, lay back a little. Let him come to you."

"I'm just scared that while I'm laying back, some other girl's gonna come and sweep him up."

"But we have inside info. We know he doesn't like being swept. He likes to be the sweeper. Dawn, you're gonna come out the winner here, with me looking out for you."

"Yeah, I guess so. Thank you." Dawn said, hugging Buffy. "So, um.. Am I off the whole grounded for life thing?"

"Not really."

"What!?"

"For now. I'll let you go out, but only when Angel, Conner, or me is with you."

"Oh. Well, that kind of works. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Dawn bounced upstairs happily.

"What was that all about?" Angel asked.

"Hmm? Oh! Well, he seemed like a good kid. Dawn is just a little pushy. It wasn't R.J.'s fault at all." Buffy said.

"What!?"

"Oh Angel, don't get so upset. I'm going to bed. Night." Buffy flounced up the stairs.



"What are you wearing!?" Angel asked incredulously.

"An outfit. I felt like wearing this old skirt today." Buffy twirled showing off her black satin shirt and short schoolgirl skirt. "You like?"

"Only if we're playing dress up."

"Oh! Look at the time, gotta go!" Buffy ran out the door and sped off in the convertible, leaving Angel with the van.

When sixth period rolled around, Buffy bounced into R.J.'s math class. "Sorry to interrupt, but we need to see R.J. Brooks down in the guidance office." R.J. got up and followed Buffy to an empty classroom. She let him in first and then shut the door behind her.

"There's no one here." R.J. said.

"Yeah, there is. There's one of you, and there's one of me." Buffy walked up to him, touching his back. "You were the one in math class. Tell me what that adds up to." Buffy pushed R.J. back onto a desk gently. "I've always been fascinated by football. So, what's it like to lead a team?"

"The thing of it is: the time. Nobody gets how much time goes into it, with practices and games."

"I totally get it. I was kinda juggling some stuff when I was in high school, too.. which was also very recent. Principal Snyder was always on me."

"I still say Wood's the worst. You haven't seen the way that guy rides me. I wish somebody'd get him off my back."

"Yeah, that would be cool."

"And sometimes, I didn't even do anything wrong.." Buffy grabbed R.J. by the collar and kissed him passionately. They kissed for a moment, then he pulled back. "You're like a teacher!"

"Not really."

"And aren't you married?"

"Does it bother you?"

"Not so much." They kissed again and leaned back on the desks.



Dawn ran out of the building and sat down outside on the edge of a large planter. She started to cry when she looked down and saw Xander's work boots and Angel's black boots standing there. They both seemed concerned and sat down beside her.

"Dawn? What's wrong?" Angel asked.

"Is this.. Did that guy in the jacket.." Xander asked.

"Uh! I don't even want to hear his name anymore!" Dawn cried.

"I just called him 'that guy in the jacket.'"

"That's what I used to call him in my head before I knew his real name!"

"Dawnie, honey, you seem extremely perturbed. Maybe I should go get Buffy.." Angel said.

"No! I don't ever want to see her again."

"I thought that was about that guy in the.. um, that guy with the thing." Xander said.

"No, it's about both of them."

"What do you mean?" Angel asked.

"Find out for yourselves."

Angel jumped up and ran off. Xander followed him. Angel followed Buffy's scent to an empty classroom. Xander caught up to him and opened the door.

"Buffy, I think Dawn needs y.. Uuh!" Xander said.

Buffy was straddling R.J.'s hips while he was lying on top of a desk. Her top was pulled half off, baring her shoulders. R.J. was still fully clothed and wearing his jacket. They didn't get up when Xander and Angel walked in.

"Xander! Angel, hi. This is R.J." Buffy said innocently.

"Hey, guys. It's called knocking." R.J. said.

"I'm sorry. It's just: checkout time was an hour ago. We were hoping to make up the bed. Also, it's a classroom, you chowder-head! Now get off the boy, Buffy. We're going home." Xander said.

Buffy hopped down and fixed her shirt. She breezed out as if Angel hadn't just walked in on her and another guy. Angel's face was nothing but a mask of hurt and fury. Xander didn't really know what to think. All he knew was to keep Angel from killing the boy in the classroom.