AN: I am in a serious writers block. Everything I have written lately has come out in a block-ish form. There isn't any real rhythm to my story and I'm ashamed. Right now I have a Willow/Spike, Dawn/Spike/William, and Dawn fics in the making. I've basically given up on blood connections. I'm too lost on it and I have no one to converse out the kinks. Eh, whatever. I was just giving you an update.

So here's my story. Just a drabble. It came out better than what I have in the making because it was started a while ago. So yeah, that's basically all you need to know.

Enjoy.

Smile.

What a foolish word. What an even more foolish action. She nonchalantly wondered if her brain still understood the movement. The quick uplifting edges of the mouth. The separation of the lips to show teeth. It was a voluntary movement. One could chose to raise their facial muscles in a way to resemble a smile. A smirk. A grin. But the action seemed pointless. And just plain stupid.

Why would someone would actually want to smile was beyond all of her reasons. She, personally, hadn't smiled in weeks. Months, even.

But it wasn't as if she had something to smile about, anyway. Life for Dawn lately had been-for lack of a better term-shitty. It seemed like the world was imploding in on her. Everything forcing itself in, until she has no room to breathe. And then waiting to erupt. To just fade into herself.

It was nerve racking, to say the least.

And she hated those people who just told her to smile. Because it will all get fucking better if you just raised your lip muscles and showed teeth. Yeah right. And she was the Prince of bloody England. Things wouldn't get better. She was positive that they'd continue to get worse until she died. Which, if she had a say in it, won't be too long anyway. Especially if she continued to live the way she was doing. Like a friend once told her, "Live fast. Die pretty." And, boy, was she following that advice.

Because she was tired of being responsible and looking after everyone. From now on, they're going to have to keep an eye on her. And they were going to have one hell of a time too. Because from now on she's going to live like life is going out of style.

Comments/Questions? R&R