Chapter the Second: In which plans are set in motion and a vehicle is
acquired.
Buffy hated hospitals. They were sterile and unfriendly. Ever since her cousin, Celia, had died in a hospital she could barely even stand the overly clean smell. And now Dawnie was there too. After Buffy had brought her sister down from the tower Dawn had managed to walk all of five feet before collapsing back into Buffy's arms. In the week since Dawn had only awoken once. The doctors said that there had been no permanent brain damage, just a case of shock and a matter of time before Dawn was well enough to leave. Walking through the children's ward to Dawn's room Buffy was glad she was coming with better news then usual. Rather then having to tell the girl that her favorite vampire was still MIA, she could at least tell Dawn that they'd finally get to see the world outside of San Fernando Valley. If only she'd just wake up.
Turning the corner, Buffy reached Dawn's room and saw her sister thrashing about on the small bed. Rushing to her sister's side, Buffy tried to hold Dawn down with out hurting her anymore. Without warning Dawn froze, her eyes shot open, and she let loose with a harrowing scream. The sound stopped as soon as it had begun, Buffy looked down at her sister's face, expecting to see her sleeping again. Instead her sister was looking back up at her.
"Hey Buff, when can I go home?"
Buffy spent another second just looking at her sister before she said "Right now," and smiled.
***
The ride back to 1630 Revello was peaceful. The doctors, having found nothing more wrong with Dawn, had released her with a stern warning to Buffy to bring the girl back should she show any signs of going back into shock. In the taxi, Buffy caught Dawn up on all the recent happenings. Dawn was understandably excited about getting out of the state of California for the first. She spent a few minutes hitting Buffy with a barrage of questions about the trip. After she had settled down, she began asking Buffy about how the rest of their merry band fared. Dawn was justifiably upset at hearing of Tara's departure. Buffy held her sister as she cried, asking why people had to keep leaving her behind. When Dawn had calmed back down Buffy told her about Xander and Anya's decision to get married and Willow's sadness at the loss of her girlfriend. Dawn's s response was to suggest a cookie baking session slash engagement party to cheer Willow up and celebrate Anya's big news. Buff smiled for a moment before she turned to Dawn again.
"Dawn," she asked, "how much do you remember from after the fight?"
"Not much," Dawn replied, "just coming down the tower and then everything gets really fuzzy. I know we won, but that's about it."
Buffy tried to find a way to tell her sister about Spike, she finally decided to tell her straight out. "Dawn," she said, "Spike's gone. He took off after the fight, we don't know where he's gone or if he'll come back."
"Kaktovik"
"Bless You"
Dawn laughed, "That's where Spike is. He told me he had to go see an old friend there. Said he'd come home if he could but it would be awhile. And he wants you to know that he's sorry."
Buffy looked at her sister in shock, "for what?"
"He said you'd know."
"Oh." Buffy looked confused for a second. "Wait. What? When did you talk to Spike? He was gone as soon as we made it off the tower. Just looked at me and left."
Dawn sat staring into space for a second, as if coming to a decision. She turned to her sister, "When I was. Asleep, he spoke to me. Kinda like in a dream, except that this was real. He told me that he'd always take care of me, just not right now 'cause he hat to take care of something else first." Dawn looked over at her sister; Buffy's face was caught in a look of surprise, then worry as she looked back at Dawn.
"He's okay though, not dust?" She asked.
"Yeah he's okay, insofar as Spike can be okay."
"And he came to you in a dream?"
"Yeah"
"Wiggy."
The sisters sat in silence as the taxi pulled up to their home. Just before Buffy unlocked the door she spun around to look at Dawn again.
"Where's Kaktovik?"
"I have no idea."
***
Willow laughed for the hundredth time that night. "So Professor Gerhardt's successor wouldn't even set foot in the Cultural Partnership Center?"
Her mother nodded, "He said it was haunted, something about Incan mummies with the kiss of death and vengeful ghosts come to wreak havoc on their oppressors. He is a rather. unique man."
"He sounds like it!" Willow said, smiling. Sitting back Willow listened to her parents talk about their work and their eclectic colleagues. She had already asked her mother about the Excursion, telling her that she was planning to spend the summer studying the like style in traditional native fish camps. Besides the keys, Willow's mother had given her some books on life in rural Alaska. Willow was thankful for the books, glad that she'd have something to read whilst Buffy went and played the strapping hero.
"Willow!"
Willow looked startled for a second and produced the eloquent, "Huh?"
Her mother repeated herself, "I asked who you were planning on taking along that you needed my Excursion instead of your fathers Accord."
"Well Buffy was going to come, she's never been outside of the state before, and she's bringing Dawn along to help her get over their mother's death. And our old school librarian was the one to actually set it up, so he was going to come along as well."
"Giles. Wasn't he a friend of the late Mrs. Summers?" Willow's father asked.
"Yes, dear," Her mother answered, "a very good friend of Joyce's."
Willow rolled her eyes at her parents' behavior.
Her mother turned to her again, "Buffy and Dusk are going as well?"
"Dawn mom, Buffy's sister is named Dawn."
"I thought Dusk was a rather odd name. But both girls are going? I didn't know Buffy was such a scholar."
"Actually," Willow said, "Buffy and Dawn are just going for vacation. Buffy thought it would be good for Dawn to just get away for a while; Dawn's actually going to be attending a High School while we're there. Buffy just wants to give Dawn a chance to grieve without everyone bothering her."
Willow's mother smiled. "Well that sounds wonderful. I hope both girls get a chance to work things out."
Willow smiled at her mother, and laughed as her father went back to telling stories about his college days in AX?.
Buffy hated hospitals. They were sterile and unfriendly. Ever since her cousin, Celia, had died in a hospital she could barely even stand the overly clean smell. And now Dawnie was there too. After Buffy had brought her sister down from the tower Dawn had managed to walk all of five feet before collapsing back into Buffy's arms. In the week since Dawn had only awoken once. The doctors said that there had been no permanent brain damage, just a case of shock and a matter of time before Dawn was well enough to leave. Walking through the children's ward to Dawn's room Buffy was glad she was coming with better news then usual. Rather then having to tell the girl that her favorite vampire was still MIA, she could at least tell Dawn that they'd finally get to see the world outside of San Fernando Valley. If only she'd just wake up.
Turning the corner, Buffy reached Dawn's room and saw her sister thrashing about on the small bed. Rushing to her sister's side, Buffy tried to hold Dawn down with out hurting her anymore. Without warning Dawn froze, her eyes shot open, and she let loose with a harrowing scream. The sound stopped as soon as it had begun, Buffy looked down at her sister's face, expecting to see her sleeping again. Instead her sister was looking back up at her.
"Hey Buff, when can I go home?"
Buffy spent another second just looking at her sister before she said "Right now," and smiled.
***
The ride back to 1630 Revello was peaceful. The doctors, having found nothing more wrong with Dawn, had released her with a stern warning to Buffy to bring the girl back should she show any signs of going back into shock. In the taxi, Buffy caught Dawn up on all the recent happenings. Dawn was understandably excited about getting out of the state of California for the first. She spent a few minutes hitting Buffy with a barrage of questions about the trip. After she had settled down, she began asking Buffy about how the rest of their merry band fared. Dawn was justifiably upset at hearing of Tara's departure. Buffy held her sister as she cried, asking why people had to keep leaving her behind. When Dawn had calmed back down Buffy told her about Xander and Anya's decision to get married and Willow's sadness at the loss of her girlfriend. Dawn's s response was to suggest a cookie baking session slash engagement party to cheer Willow up and celebrate Anya's big news. Buff smiled for a moment before she turned to Dawn again.
"Dawn," she asked, "how much do you remember from after the fight?"
"Not much," Dawn replied, "just coming down the tower and then everything gets really fuzzy. I know we won, but that's about it."
Buffy tried to find a way to tell her sister about Spike, she finally decided to tell her straight out. "Dawn," she said, "Spike's gone. He took off after the fight, we don't know where he's gone or if he'll come back."
"Kaktovik"
"Bless You"
Dawn laughed, "That's where Spike is. He told me he had to go see an old friend there. Said he'd come home if he could but it would be awhile. And he wants you to know that he's sorry."
Buffy looked at her sister in shock, "for what?"
"He said you'd know."
"Oh." Buffy looked confused for a second. "Wait. What? When did you talk to Spike? He was gone as soon as we made it off the tower. Just looked at me and left."
Dawn sat staring into space for a second, as if coming to a decision. She turned to her sister, "When I was. Asleep, he spoke to me. Kinda like in a dream, except that this was real. He told me that he'd always take care of me, just not right now 'cause he hat to take care of something else first." Dawn looked over at her sister; Buffy's face was caught in a look of surprise, then worry as she looked back at Dawn.
"He's okay though, not dust?" She asked.
"Yeah he's okay, insofar as Spike can be okay."
"And he came to you in a dream?"
"Yeah"
"Wiggy."
The sisters sat in silence as the taxi pulled up to their home. Just before Buffy unlocked the door she spun around to look at Dawn again.
"Where's Kaktovik?"
"I have no idea."
***
Willow laughed for the hundredth time that night. "So Professor Gerhardt's successor wouldn't even set foot in the Cultural Partnership Center?"
Her mother nodded, "He said it was haunted, something about Incan mummies with the kiss of death and vengeful ghosts come to wreak havoc on their oppressors. He is a rather. unique man."
"He sounds like it!" Willow said, smiling. Sitting back Willow listened to her parents talk about their work and their eclectic colleagues. She had already asked her mother about the Excursion, telling her that she was planning to spend the summer studying the like style in traditional native fish camps. Besides the keys, Willow's mother had given her some books on life in rural Alaska. Willow was thankful for the books, glad that she'd have something to read whilst Buffy went and played the strapping hero.
"Willow!"
Willow looked startled for a second and produced the eloquent, "Huh?"
Her mother repeated herself, "I asked who you were planning on taking along that you needed my Excursion instead of your fathers Accord."
"Well Buffy was going to come, she's never been outside of the state before, and she's bringing Dawn along to help her get over their mother's death. And our old school librarian was the one to actually set it up, so he was going to come along as well."
"Giles. Wasn't he a friend of the late Mrs. Summers?" Willow's father asked.
"Yes, dear," Her mother answered, "a very good friend of Joyce's."
Willow rolled her eyes at her parents' behavior.
Her mother turned to her again, "Buffy and Dusk are going as well?"
"Dawn mom, Buffy's sister is named Dawn."
"I thought Dusk was a rather odd name. But both girls are going? I didn't know Buffy was such a scholar."
"Actually," Willow said, "Buffy and Dawn are just going for vacation. Buffy thought it would be good for Dawn to just get away for a while; Dawn's actually going to be attending a High School while we're there. Buffy just wants to give Dawn a chance to grieve without everyone bothering her."
Willow's mother smiled. "Well that sounds wonderful. I hope both girls get a chance to work things out."
Willow smiled at her mother, and laughed as her father went back to telling stories about his college days in AX?.