1

"Why, Buffy, must you suffocate me? I just want to go to Claire's party!" Dawn was trying to win over Buffy to let her go to Claire's Welcome Bash. Buffy was a little reluctant. She didn't want to let Dawn out of her sight because she had just been recently re-introduced to the world.

"Who is this Claire? I have never heard of her before." Buffy looked confused.

Dawn looked shocked, "How could you not know about Claire?!" As soon as she said that she got a little read in the cheeks. "She is this new girl, who even though I am not friends with her, she has invited me to her party."

"So then why is she inviting you? Sorry that came out a little mean." Buffy had to get back into the swing of life and knew that she had missed out on a lot.

"I don't know, but I want to go. And when I say this don't say something stupid, but all my friends are going. Their parents are letting them. PARENTS not SISTERS."

"Fine, but I need to more about this Claire so could you please fill me in?"

"Ok. She moved here about two weeks ago. I guess you were still a little out there not to hear. So anyway she is this really popular person and very rich. Her dad or whatever is really famous for creating something. I really don't know what. She lives on Oak Street. You know the really fancy one that you have to have good friends to get into. I think that she lives in the Chases' old house or Mansion whatever you want to call it." Dawn took a moment to let the information sink into her sisters head. "Ok. The party is at her house, actually block. It runs from seven to midnight on Friday which is five days from now."

"Ok, I think you can go, but let us see how you behave ok? I'm not so sure letting you break out into the party mode yet is such a good idea. I mean you do have some… uhem bad grades."

Dawn looked over at her sister hoping that the pleading look would change her mind. Of course she knew it wouldn't but it was worth a shot. She so badly wanted to go. She already knew what she was going to wear. She had the pink colored hip huggers and that new baby blue tank that she had just got from Willow. She dreamed about how she would wear her hair up in this new style she had just learned. She thought about the hottest guys swooning at the site of her.

Dawn was knocked out of these dreams by someone familiar sitting next to her. Every time she saw him her throat felt like it would be totally closed and she wouldn't be able to breathe. So when he said hi all that came out was a squeaky "eh."

Spike just had to laugh at this one, "Hey, Kid, what was that for?" Dawn just looked at Buffy and said "I'm going on the computer; I am supposed to be going to talk to my friends." Dawn left the kitchen and trudged up the stairs, and with every step she took she muttered "stupid."

Spike just sat there amused. He hadn't guessed that Dawn liked him just that she did seem a little spacey and he scared her. He loved scaring people since that was really all he could do now thanks to the government and a pretty chip in his head. "So, what's new today, Buffy?" Buffy just stared. She hated Spike so much. Not only because he was just a plain moron, or that he had tried to kill her numerous times, but that she out of all of her friends she trusted him the most.

"What d'you want, Spike?"

"Nothing. I just came by to see how my favorite slayer was doing today, is that so wrong?"

"It is when you talk to me." Buffy thought about how lame that come back was, but she didn't care she was too busy trying to hide the fact that she enjoyed his company.

"Oh, c'mon, Buffy, don't be like that."

"Be like what, Spike?"

"All grumpy like. I mean I know what happened and all was… different and horrifying but you have got to look past that, love." Spike looked pleadingly into Buffy's eyes.

Buffy had to let a smile out at that one, because no matter how annoying Spike could get he could find his way into her mind and just be sweet.

Dawn went into her room and turned on her computer. She prayed one of her friends would be on, but didn't think that they would be. When the system finally hooked up with the internet she checked her buddy list. –Nope. None of my friends who I so desperately need are on.- That's when Dawn heard the famous "You've Got Mail." She clicked on the icon that opened her mail box. She looked through it five pieces of junk, two from her friend and then one she didn't recognize. She first deleted the junk and then she moved onto her letters from her friends. The first one was from Janie;

Hey Girl! So can you come to da ParTay or what?

Please tell me you are going. I can see your face

Right now. All depressed. So just say yes please

Pretty please.

Love ya (even though I hate ya),

Janie.

Dawn replied;

I'm sorry but it isn't definite. Buffy might or might

Not let me go. It depends on how I behave. But I have to go

You know I do. I just got my really cute outfit and I can't

Waste it. I mean where am I going to wear it anywhere else but to the party?

Dawn sent the e-mail now more depressed just figuring out where the hell she could wear that outfit anywhere but to that party. –Ow, my head hurts.- Dawn opened up the other letter from Danny.

Hey so are you coming?

Dawn wasn't going to write the same thing to Danny because Danny was more sporty and gothic than outdoorsy and fashion freak who has to know the latest trends.

Idk. Depends on what B thinks.

She sent this letter and moved onto the mysterious letter. The letter was from VSWillow. Dawn wondered if it could be from Willow, but she would have gotten another e-mail saying that Willow did change her screen name. So instead of thinking about this too long she read the contents of the e-mail;

DAWN! YOU CAN'T GO TO THIS PARTY FRIDAY!

GOING TO BE SAFE THERE!

I JUST WANT YOU TO TELL BUFFY THAT I NEED

HER HELP AND SHE NEEDS MINE. PLEASE TELL

HER OF ANY WEIRD OCCURANCES AT SCHOOL

AND ANYTHING PRIOR TO THE PARTY!

After Dawn read the e-mail three times she decided that it wasn't the Willow she knew but someone else, and this someone else was freaking her out. She spent the next twenty minutes trying to figure out who else knew about her sister's abnormities, but she drew a blank. No one was coming to mind.