Chapter 2.

The next thing Dawn knew she was being woken up by her father.

"Dawn, we're here"

"Huh" it took her a moment to realize they were outside her father's apartment. "Oh okay" She took her seatbelt off and reached around to grab her bag out of the back seat and stepped out of the car. Taking the headphones off her ears, she put them in her bag while following her father upstairs. Unlocking the door he motioned for her to go in.

"Hank, Sweetie, is that you?"

Spinning around Dawn saw what her fake memories told her was her father's secretary standing in the doorway to the kitchen dressed in an apron.

Turning back to her father who had just shut the door she asked "Dad, what is Cyndi doing here?"

"She lives here Dawn" Hank replied walking over and putting his arm around Cyndi.

Cyndi turned to face him. "You haven't told her yet, have you?"

Hank shook his head "I thought it would be best to tell her together"

Dawn dropped her bag and crossed her arms over her chest. "Tell me what exactly?"

Sharing a look with the woman in his arms, Hank turned to face his youngest daughter "Cyndi and I are getting married"

"Excuse me?"

"I asked Cyndi to marry me, and she said yes" Hank said his tone indicating he didn't want a fuss made about it in front of his fiancé.

"Fine, whatever, I'm going to my room"

Grabbing her bag off of the floor she walked down the hallway to where she knew the spare room was, having spent the summer after their first year in Sunnydale here with Buffy. Shutting the door she was thankful to find a lock. With a quick twist of her wrist, the door was locked. Dumping her bag and grabbing the phone she dialed the number to her home in Sunnydale.

Putting it to her ear she sat on the bed and waited for someone to answer.

"Hello, Casa de Summers, Xander Harris speaking"

"Hey Xander" Dawn said grinning at the thought of the Scooby meeting that was for sure happening in her living room. "How is everything at home, any creepy monsters you need me to come home and research, please say yes"

Xander laughed "Nope, sorry Dawnster, just your run of the mill vamps tonight, why, you not having a good time at dear old dads?" Looking at his watch, he noticed it was only 9:30. "It can't be that bad, you only just got there right?"

Dawn sighed, "Yep, I just walked in the door five minutes ago, and found out dad only brought me here to tell me he was getting remarried, to his secretary no less."

Xander winced "Ouch, that sucks, you want me to get Buffy, she'll wanna here this and I don't wanna be the messenger, least your two hours away, she can't kill you."

Dawn laughed "Yeah thanks Xan."

Laughing himself he answered. "No problem Dawnie, and if you wanna come home, I gotta work at the site tomorrow, but I can come get you after work, you just let me know ok."

"I will, again thanks Xander"

"No problem, Dawnarino, I'll just go get your sister."

Putting the phone down, he headed into the lounge room to find Buffy.

"Who was on the phone Xand?" Buffy asked as soon as he stepped into the room.

"Dawnie, Buff, she wants to talk to you."

Standing up Buffy headed for the kitchen and grabbed the phone "Dawn?"

"Hey Buff, you'll never guess what dad just told me?" Dawn said throwing herself back on the bed so that she was lying down.

"What" Buffy grinned. "He's getting that stick out of his ass and giving us all his money"

Dawn laughed at that thought, but immediately sobered again when she remembered the truth.

"No, he's getting remarried" Dawn pulled the phone away from her ear when a loud thud echoed through the receiver. Putting it on the other ear she could hear her sister fumbling with the phone on the other end.

"Excuse me!"

Dawn laughed lightly, "Yeah that exactly what I said"
Then it seemed to all hit her at once, and tears filled her eyes. "He's getting married again Buffy, to someone who's not mom" She nearly sobbed into the phone

"Oh sweetie" Buffy's heart went out to her little sister, even though their mother was gone, they both felttheir father wasn't meant to fall in love with anyone else, and the same went for their mother when she was still alive, both Buffy and Dawn hadn't liked Ted, granted he was an evil robot but still, he was another man in their mother's lives, and both of them, but especially Dawn had held on to that tiny sliver of hope that maybe some day their parents would get back together. Neither of them had even contemplated what it would mean for their father now that their mother was gone and it was only now that Dawn's hope was completely shattered. "I'll be up their tomorrow ok, I'll see if Xander will drive me up there, I have a double shift at the Doublemeat tomorrow but I'll leave soon as that's over, unless you want me to come tonight?"

Dawn wiped the tears from her eyes. "No, Buffy its ok, I can wait till tomorrow but promise you'll come."

"I promise, and Dawnie, you know you can call Angel whenever you want and I'm sure he'll come and get you and you can stay there"

knock knock

Dawn cleared her throat. "Uh yeah" she called out.

"Dawn dinner's ready, will you come out and eat with us." Hanks voice answered from the other side of the door.

"Yeah, um I'll be out in a minute" She called back

"Ok Dawn, don't take to long don't wanna let it go cold"

"Yeah whatever" Dawn mumbled before turning back to the phone, "Sorry Buffy, dad wants me to go have dinner"

"Ok sweetie, but remember what I said about Angel, he really wont mind."

"I will, bye Buffy."

"Bye honey"

Hanging up the phone Dawn headed to the bathroom, she didn't wanna walk out there and have them know she'd been crying. Satisfied that they couldn't tell she took a deep breath and left the room.

End Chapter 2