Salor Earth: Sorry to disappoint but this does have a few C/A moments, not many because this story wont really focus on pairings. It was essentially just a prequel to another story I was working on, but ended up becoming much longer than I intended.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Sorry, but any Angel/Hank interaction won't happen till the next chapter.
To everyone else who reviewed, Thank You.
Now on with the story.
Chapter 5
Dawn rolled over and buried her face in the pillow trying to stifle the sobs that were racking her body. She'd tried, she really did, but she couldn't sit there with them playing happy families. Watching her father and Cyndi reminded her of the times her mother was there instead, and every time Dawn thought of her mother all the pain would come back and overwhelm her again. All her hopes shattered again. Dawn was mature enough to know that none of this was Cyndi's fault and she could very well be a nice person if Dawn took the time to get to know her, but Dawn's heart wouldn't allow her that time. In the five minutes she'd been at the table her heart broke more every second. Not able to take it anymore she'd asked to be excused, and without waiting for a reply fled to her room. Locking the door she'd flung herself on her bed and ignored her father when he'd knocked on the door angry that she'd left and was being rude with Cyndi here.
Finally able to calm down and get control of her breathing she just laid there with tears silently running down her cheeks.
About ten minutes later she still hadn't moved when she heard a knock on the glass sliding door that led to a small balcony between the two bedrooms. Dawn jumped at the sound and her head instinctively swung up but thinking it was her father trying again she had every intention of ignoring him until she heard a voice call out.
Angel had found the place pretty easily and after looking around decided to see if she was in one of the bedrooms before actually facing Hank. If Dawn wanted to leave, he'd have to do it, but if she didn't it might be better if Mr Summers didn't have strangers knocking on his door late at night.
He climbed up a pipe on the side of the wall until he reached the fourth floor, and leapt from the pipe onto the small balcony that ran across the building. Looking into the bedroom on the left, he saw it was empty, heading on to the next one he saw that the curtains were almost closed but for a sliver of space that allowed him to peer in and see Dawn laying on the bed.
Knocking quietly he waited for her to open the door. He would have thought she was asleep if she hadn't lifted her head from the pillow, he waited but she just laid down again, knocking wasn't working he called out to her. "Dawn, it's Angel, will you open the door."
This time there was a response, she'd leapt off the bed and swung the curtains open, seeing that it was actually him she opened the door and flung herself into his arms, the tears starting all over again. Angel had to balance himself before slowly lowering them both the floor.
For awhile neither of them moved, Dawn taking comfort in Angels embrace and Angel just smoothing her hair down and whispering comforting words into her ear. But once her tears had subsided again Dawn slowly sat up and turned around to face him.
"What are you doing here Angel" She asked softly.
Angel smiled at her. "I got a call from Buffy saying you were in town, she told me a bit about the phone call you two had and I decided to come around and see how you were doing." He didn't wanna say anything about coming back with him. He wanted her to decide for herself.
"So you know about Dad then?" She asked.
Angel just nodded.
Looking down, she sighed. "I know I shouldn't be this upset, it isn't really that big of a deal but it just..." She couldn't finish.
"Shatters your dream." Angel finished for her
Dawn looked up at him and slowly nodded her head.
"I'm gonna tell you something Dawn, something that stays just between us alright. It's something that only two other people knew, and that's the way it needs to stay ok?"
Dawn nods again.
"Do you remember the first time Buffy came to visit me after I moved to L.A?"
"Yeah, it was right after me and mom came back from visiting Aunt Darlene for Thanksgiving. Buffy told mom she visited Dad but she told me she saw you too, only for about 5 minutes though."
"Well she really was here for 24 hours and in during that time I turned human"
Dawn's hand flew up to her mouth but she didn't say anything so Angel continued. "I still remember every little detail, once I found out it was real, I went looking for your sister, we'd split up to look for a demon that had attacked, the same demon that when it's blood mixed with mine made me human. And when I found her, she was walking along the pier and I walked out into the sunlight and she'd never looked as beautiful as she did in that moment, I walked up to her and we kissed."
Dawn could see he had lost himself in the memories for a minute there before he shook himself out of it.
"We had 24 hours together, those 24 hours were best time in my life"
Dawn waited a moment before speaking. "So why aren't you human now?"
When he looked up at her she could see the anguish in his eyes. "Because your sister and I, we don't belong to ourselves Dawn, we belong in the world fighting, I'm only telling you this because you need to understand that that was my dream, your sister, being human, and everything that entailed. And I've never felt anything that hurt as bad as when I told Buffy time was going to rewind and reverse the day" Even just talking about made a tear come into his eye. "When I told her our dream was about to end, and for her she wouldn't even remember, we held each other, as the seconds counted down, her hugging me so hard I thought I was gonna break and whispering into my ear that she'd never forget. And when the day rewound, I went from having her in my arms to her across the room, her not having any idea what had just happened."
Dawn now had her own tear falling down her face.
Angel took a deep unneeded breath. "When the demon attacked again, I killed it straight off this time and before I knew it, she was gone. And I cried Dawn, I cried more than I'd ever thought possible, everyone has dreams, and they'll change and grow as you get older but every time you realize that your dream is shattered and that all hope is gone, it's gonna hurt you more than you ever thought possible, every time."
Dawn smiled wryly. "Thanks Angel, that's something to look forward to"
Angel gave a low chuckle. "Your welcome, just don't ever feel bad for feeling bad ok?"
"Ok"
"Things change, and things get better, I never thought I would love again like I did Buffy, but I found love with Cordelia also, it's different sure, and I'll always love Buffy but it doesn't make my love for Cordelia any less, do you understand?"
Dawn nodded slowly, "I think so, it's like with dad and Giles, I'll always love dad cause he's my dad and he's always gonna be my dad. But it doesn't mean that I can't love Giles in same way. I'll always love my father, he's not in my life now, but I'll always remember when he was and the love I had for him. Where as Giles now fills that place in my heart."
Angel smiled "Exactly"
Dawn stood up and looked around the room, at her past, before turning back to Angel. "Can I please come with you tonight, Buffy said it was ok, and if it's ok with you I really don't want to be here, I've realized that this is now a piece of my past, and I kinda hope it will stay there, I don't need him anymore, both me and Buffy have moved on and it's obvious he has to. I think he only invited me up here because Cyndi asked him to."
"I would love for you to come Dawn, we've already ordered some ham, pineapple and anchovies pizza, which is just gross by the way-"
Dawn just poked her tongue out. "Is not"
"- and bought a whole lot of chocolate, but if you're feeling better I'll just tell Cordy she can have it"
"You will not" Dawn cried
Angel laughed and put his hands up in front of him "ok, ok, I wont"
Still sitting on the balcony Angel got to his feet. "So how do you wanna tell your father or do you not wanna tell him" Angel had decided he was going to let Mr Summers know anyway but wanted to see if his thought's on Dawn's new found maturity were right.
She stepped out on to the balcony again "As much fun as it would be to just leave." She grinned to show him she was joking, sort of. "I think it would be best if you just came to the front door pretending I called you. An older man walking out of his fifteen year olds bedroom late at night might just make have a stroke. Give me five minutes to freshen up and then ring the doorbell."
"Alright" Giving her a quick kiss on the forehead, he swung himself off of the balcony and landed gracefully on his feet four stories down.
Dawn glanced down at him. "Showoff"
She turned to head back inside but heard a soft "Always"
End Chapter 5
