With a Father's Love
By Teri
Summary: We know Xander has loved Buffy since he first saw her, but what if it was a different kind of love? Sound a little odd? You might be surprised how well the pieces fit. Come on, you know you are curious. Aren't you? Rated: PG
Disclaimer: As always, I am not associated with the owners or creators of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer.
Warnings: Hank/Joyce - Post-Chosen with some flashbacks
Chapter 11: Dawning of a New Age
Dawn saw the man in front of her and launched herself into his arms, much to the surprise of both men present.
Giles watched as she held him lightly, crying, and Xander pulled his arms around her, his own cheeks moist. Giles was perplexed. He had never heard Dawn even mention her father. When Buffy had been searching for him, she showed little interest and never seemed to care that Buffy could not find him. Giles had always found her maturity on the issue remarkable, as she never spoke ill of her father either. In fact, he recalled a time when she had said that he and Xander were all the father she ever needed, but now she seemed overjoyed to find this man whom to the best of her belief she had never actually met and in her memories had not seen since before her mother died.
"I can't believe you would disappear on us like that and not tell Buffy or me where you were!" She said as pulled back enough to look at him, but actually not letting go, "don't you know how much I love you?"
Xander – Hank, Giles had to remind himself, Hank, looked up at him as if asking him what he should say. Giles had no answer for him.
Xander looked down at Dawn and started to say something about being away on business and missing phone calls, but Dawn cut him off.
"Don't you dare, mister. I don't want to hear excuses. We have been worried sick. Three months! Three months, you have been missing and I find you here chatting with Giles unharmed, well," she glanced at his swollen cheek and nose, "mostly unharmed. You've got a lot of explaining to do!"
Xander backed-off and sat down. His head was spinning. He was sure his daughters would hate him if they ever saw him again, but now Dawn was holding him and upset with him. She said she loved him and missed him. He agreed, it had been the longest three months not being able to see his girls, wait, three months? She had said three months?
Giles was having similar thoughts, but managed to speak first, "Dawn, three months? Had you been in contact with your Father recently?"
Dawn looked up at him as if she had forgotten he was in the room. His comment took the wind out of her sails before glancing at her father; "did I say three months, Giles? I meant three years. It has been three years since Dad was in contact in any way. Three years was the last time his secretary Liz sent me a card for my birthday," she smiled at her father, "right, Dad?"
"You know?" Xander somehow managed to utter.
Dawn looked at him confused for a moment; "I know lots of things. I am College-Girl."
"She knows," Xander said to Giles as he looked at Dawn. He turned his gaze to his daughter, "you know?"
Dawn glanced over at Giles uncertain how to answer.
Xander realizing that she was trying to protect his secret explained to her, "he just figured me out. It's what that chat was about."
"Everything?"
"Everything."
"Oh – in that case," she smiled as she moved to sit on his lap and hug him some more. "I missed you so much. I was so worried. How come you left and why did you change your appearance again?"
"Dawn, just what do you know and HOW do you know it?"
"Mom told me when she was sick. It was the same time she was telling me I was a green ball of energy. I didn't really believe her then. When she was better, or at least when we thought she was better, I asked her about my father. At first, she would only tell me he loved me very much. I kept pushing about if he loved me why wasn't he here." Dawn felt Xander flinch so she squeezed his hand.
"She finally asked me why I was asking now and I told her what she said. She looked at me and asked me if she could trust me with the most important thing she knew. I told her she could. She told me about you and that someday you might need me as much as we've needed you. Mom told me she was scared she wouldn't be there when that time came and that she would depend on me to look after you if she couldn't. I've always tried to look after you ever since."
Xander took just looked at his daughter amazed.
"I've tried to look after you like Mom would have."
Xander held his daughter tightly, "you have Dawn, you have."
"Thanks," she paused and looked up at him with a smile before finishing her thought with a wink and a smile, "Daddy-Xan or is it Xander-Dad?"
Xander merely hugged his daughter closer. They both sat there in each other's arms. It seemed as though they were finally mourning Joyce together, mourning the lies, the secrets, and the time lost, and finally dealing together.
Giles watched for a moment before feeling like an intruder in a private moment and let himself out of the room. Dawn's actions over the years made more sense now. She had run into and pulled Xander from Anya during the final battle seeing him to safety. She was the one that defended him to Buffy every time she tried to distance him from the group, of course that was a two way street as he covered for her regarding the singing demon. Giles realized that her crush on Xander had disappeared around the time Joyce had become ill; yet, she still always managed to be sitting with Xander, watching TV with Xander, talking to Xander about school. Her actions all made sense now.
Xander Harris was Dawn Summer's father and she knew it. He was pleased for Xander that this first reunion had gone so well, but he didn't need to have Xander's gift to know that it wouldn't go so well with Buffy.
A little squishy I know, but the other "reunions" won't go so smooth, I promise (at least I'm not planning on it). Hope y'all enjoyed.
Teri
(May 15, 2005)
