Glances

Summery: After Sunnydale, a chance encounter bring Dawn and RJ back together, and memories when she lived in Buffy's shadow resurface.

I stood there, staring at the Sunnydale landmark my sister had placed there just five years ago. Once we had gotten to LA, everyone had heard of the yellow school bus that had escaped falling into the pits of Hell. We were welcomed by the thousands, almost all of Los Angeles, and had to be escorted to Wolfram and Hart by a SWAT team. We met up with Angel and his neat little team, who now owned a branch of an evil law firm. Go figure. But that was when my life really started.

Angel and Buffy had this huge fight, both types, that pretty much ended her relationship with Angel forever. She never told me why though. I have a sneaking feeling it was about Spike. When she and Angel fight, it's almost always about Spike. Anyway, we were about to pack up and leave, when I decided I wanted to stay. And Buffy's reaction was not of the good kind.

I told her why I wanted to stay. I had said it was because I wanted to be there when Cordy woke up, and that I hadn't wanted to miss anymore school then I already had. Although the real reason I wanted to stay was buried deep, I knew she knew. I wanted desperately to get out of the shadow I had been behind for the longest time. Her shadow. And so I stayed.

That's how I got here today. 21, fresh out of college and demon studies training. I was ready to become a Watcher, or maybe work for Angel. I had no idea what I wanted to do, or where I wanted to be now. I could be anywhere in the world. Yet, the place I chose to be was at the Sunnydale crater. I reread the memorial mark that stood in front of me.

Sunnydale
Here lie the memories of many,
The deaths of most,
And the pity of the rest.
So we dedicate this memorial,
To the town from Hell,
In hopes that some should follow in our footsteps,
And Save The World,
So that more will follow...
-The Scooby Gang

I wondered if anyone had come back, to see what had befallen the town, other then my sister and every other Slayer with, or after her. They had started something grand, and left the memory here for everyone to see.

The School, each year, took senior Slayers here for graduation. They held a ceremony, like normal graduations, but then, after that, they would swear to protect the world and keep it safe. It was like becoming and old fashioned knight, swearing to only take life when it was evil, and to protect people at all costs, even death. I once saw Faith roll her eyes at this, but I know she really took it seriously.

I remembered everything that had happened among the rubble of my former home. Somewhere down there was my house, with my pictures, diaries and everything I held dear. When the town had collapsed, it had left me with nothing. No pictures, clothes, money. I had nothing to remember my mom by. She was still down there, well, her body was. That was what had affected me the most after Sunnydale caved.

So I took one last look at Sunnydale, and left, leaving a small prayer for the next person to come and visit our small, little memory of a town where tings weren't always exactly what they seemed.

As I sat in my car, waiting for traffic to pick up, I looked at the city that I now thought of as home. Los Angeles, L.A., with its blaring lights, horrible traffic, and occasional apocalypse, was the ideal home for someone like me. Someone living the fast life.

Unlike Sunnydale, this wasn't a one Starbucks town. It was a busy, bustling, city. It was unlikely that you would know the person you saved or the vampire you staked, and even more unlikely for people to remember you when they wake up the next morning. Or so I had thought. There was this one time I had staked a vamp while he was after a girl, who was around my age, which at the time was 19. She had turned out to be the coolest person, and we became friends, and partners against evil, much like how my sister had done. Even though that was the only time that had happened, I didn't lose my faith in people, and hoped they gave a silent thanks the next morning.

As I dwelled on the past five years in L.A., the traffic had finally begun to move. I was overjoyed at the mere thought of finally getting to my apartment, since I had gone to Sunnydale after being in San Francisco for a week. I drove through the streets of the city almost aggressively, but not really. I could not wait to get home.

I gave my keys to the valet guy and grabbed my bags from the back seat. I practically ran to the familiar double doors of my building, smiling at Aaron, the doorman that I had befriended when I had moved in. He had reminded me of Giles, I guess. Then I though I saw someone familiar out of the corner of my eye, so I turned my head. And stopped in my tracks, bags falling to the floor.

"Whoa..." My breath quickened, and my stomach did flips. All I wanted to do was get out of there, but I was glued in place. With my head spinning, I found it hard to think or anything else except who I saw. Part of my Sunnydale past...

Sunnydale High, standing in all its glory...
Sitting on the benches, watching the football players with my sister...
Seeing RJ...
Bronzing with RJ...
Seeing Buffy, with RJ...
Almost killing myself for RJ...
Watching that stupid jacket crackle and burn in the fire, knowing my feelings had been real. Not love, but real feelings...

RJ was part of my past. One of the only good things about Sunnydale. Then, when Sunnydale High shut its doors and fell into the crater, I gave up on ever seeing him again. Since then, I had moved on, but deep down, those stupid feelings were still there, just waiting to come back up again.

Now he was here, in my building, standing in front of me. Just, right there. Same future football star look, just stronger, more confident, with longer, sexier hair. And all those stupid feelings came rushing back in full force. How fun.

"Hey, don't I know you?" As his voice reached my ears, the imaginary glue melted, leaving me blank for a few seconds. Thankfully, I made it look like I was thinking.

"I don't know. Maybe. A name could help though." Way to be smooth, Dawn. I thought. I tried playing it cool, not wanting to sound 16 again. I hope it worked.

"RJ. I'm positive I know you from somewhere..."

"Ok, I remember now. Sunnydale High. I'm Dawn." My eyes light up unknowingly as he smiles.

"Dawn? As in Dawn Summers, Buffy's little sister?" And it hit me. Hard. I was back in Buffy's shadow. Great.

Should I continue? Should I not?

I had this sitting on my desk for half a year, I think. I don't have anything else done, and I just had to post this because it was calling me.

Anyway, even if you don't think I should continue, review anyway. Everything's welcome.