Chapter 13:
Dawn looked out the window at the city lights whizzing past, or at least, she looked out of a a chip in the
black paint.
Spike and Buffy were taking her back to Sunnydale until they'd figured out Buffy's 'bad vibe'.
Spike had tried to tell her that it was probably Connor that she'd had the bad feeling about, but Buffy was
adamant that Angel's son was 'a nice boy' and it wasn't him.
When Spike had start muttering about castration again, buffy had been forced to bring up the nookie-free
month threat to shut him up.
Dawn thought back to Connor, he hadn't been happy about her leaving, but he figured he could survive a
week. He'd made her promise that she'd call him every night and also made her leave half of her clothes at
the hotel just so he'd be sure she'd come back.
Cordy had told him that it was now clear to her that broody-clingyness must be a genetic trait and explained
that when she'd gone away for the weekend a couple of months ago, Angel had been motivated to figure
out how to use his mobile phone and messaged her ever half an hour.
When she stopped replying he'd driven in broad daylight to where she was visiting an aunt, convinced she
had been kidnapped by a demon.
Her aunt had been *slightly* disturbed by the smoking blanket routine.
Connor had, off course, denied any clingyness, then spent an hour delaying dawn's departure.
*******
Spike glanced in the rearview and saw that Dawn was asleep. "So buff, you really think poof's kids alright
then?"
Buffy sighed, "yes Spike, "poofs" son is nice. I've met him a couple of times, and he's very well mannered
for some one raised in a hell dimension."
Spike frowned. "I dunno… seems a sneeky little bugger if you ask me…"
"Spike, you and I both know you just don't like him 'cause he's Angel's son and does things with dawn
that I don't want to know about."
Spike shuddered, "I won't fill you in on the details then."
"Details? How do you know details!?"
He shrugged, "well, not details exactly, but I can *smell* him *all* over her. She still stinks of him." He
frowned and shook his head, "disgusting…
Buffy held a hand up, "No spike. That's enough. So more info. I'd like to retain my image of Dawn as a
sweet innocent little girl."
Spike grunted. "We'll have to stop for some fuel soon."
Buffy squeled, "OooOh! I can get some 'sustaining travel snacks'!"
Spike raised an eyebrow, "I could do with a bite myself.. hee hee.."
Buffy rolled her eyes, "no spike. Don't do the vamp humor, please."
"what!? It's funny!!"
******
Dawn must have dozed off on the trip because when she woke up they were half way home stopped at a
service station.
"Buffy? Spike?"
The front door was open.
That;s weird, Spike got out? It's the middle of the day!
Dawn got out and stretched.
"Guys?"
no answer.
She sighed and headed into the station shop.
There was only one other car in the station. Dawn glanced at it then kept walking.
She froze and turned.
the car! It's windows are blacked out!!
Sure enough it was an old mustang, the kind that looked really cool but was usually owed by a middle aged
man.
that's really weird. I gotta go tell Buffy and Spike!
She raced off towards the shop. Then heard a voice yell out to her.
"Dawn!"
It came from the car. Who's in there??? What other nice vampire do I know!??!
She paused and contemplated weather she should find Buffy or go and see who was in the car.
"Dawn! Come over here!.. you know I can't get out."
It was a man's voice. Not Spike's though.
She slowly crept towards the car. "Who's there?"
There was no reply.
Dawn stopped a few feet from the car. She could hear music coming from it. She recognized it as a song
that had blasted from Gunn's rooms late at night. She couldn't remember who it was by, but she
remembered the name cause it was funny "you think I ain't worth a dollar but I feel like a millionaire."
Was it some friend of Fred and Gunn's then?
The song was turned down and that voice spoke again, "Hey Dawnie. Long time no see. Hop in the car
and we'll catch up."
"You want me to get in your car?"
"Well, I can't exactly get out can I ?"
"um.. I guess not.."
"So, how's Connor and Liam?"
"Connor?.. he's fine.. but..liam??"
"yeaahh.. liam? You know, your.."
Dawn cut him off, "who are you!?"
there was a pause, "You don't remember me?"
"no…"
"oh."
Dawn saw a blur dash past her, leather jacket pulled over his head. Buffy called out, "Dawn! Comm'on!
Let's go!"
Dawn waved, "Coming."
She looked at the blacked out window of the car for a minute, "um. Bye I guess." Then turned and headed
back to the car, were a smoking Spike was munching on Twinkies with relish.
******
Dawn looked around her old room. The posters had been pulled off the wall before she left, now hanging at
the Hyperion. The closet was empty save her old stuffed toys, but Buffy had made her bed up and left the
window open too air out.
"well. Here I am. A whole whopping week (and a half) later. go the independence Dawn."
That night Spike, buffy and Dawn had down some research then headed around the grave yard looking for
clues. Zilch.
When they got home buffy had said what Dawn was thinking, "I wish Willow, Zander and the others were
still around."
Spike nodded, "yeah. It was a real pity what happened to them. Red was always good to me.. when I was
crazy and all."
Dawn felt tears prick her eyes. Willow and the others had ended up in a car crash. Zander had hung around
in hospital for a few hours, long enough to crack some jokes about the irony of being killed by a drunk
driver after all the things they'd faced, then he'd died as well.
Dawn closed her eyes tight. It wasn't fair. They shouldn't have died like that.
Spike pulled Buffy into a hug, "I know sweet. I always thought you and your friends would go out in a big
bang. An antichrist or something, I spose that's all the conciliation you got. At least they died cleanly.
Nothing'd hold them back from getting up where they belong."
Dawn found herself smiling, It's weird the way *spike* of all people knows the right thing to say at times
like these.
Buffy took a deep breath. "Thanks spike, I know they're happy up there, after all I was." She paused,
remember her time in heaven, "I just miss them."
