Dawn smiled when she came home to find Andrew sitting on the couch watching television. The last few hours at school had been excruciating as she'd begun to miss him more and more. "Is Buffy home?" she asked.

Andrew looked up at her and smiled. "Nope. You've got me all to yourself."

"Good." Dawn walked over and sat beside him on the couch. "I missed you today," she said as she leaned in to kiss him.

"I missed you, too," Andrew replied when they broke apart.

Dawn snuggled up beside him. "What are you watching?"

"Uh, Star Trek. I'll turn it off." Andrew reached for the remote, but Dawn grabbed his hand, stopping him.

"No, it's okay. Finish your show."

"It's a tape. I can watch it later. You don't have to suffer through it."

"I'm not suffering. I want to watch it."

"I think we should just turn it off."

"What's wrong?" Dawn asked, frowning.

"I…it's just…I…" Andrew sighed. "I don't like being a geek in front of you."

"What, do you think if you watch Star Trek around me I'll stop liking you?"

Andrew looked down. "Maybe."

"Andrew, I've seen you at your geekiest. I've seen you play Dungeons and Dragons while wearing a hooded cape. I've found your Dragon Ball Z fanfiction. I know you've attempted to construct a functional lightsabre. Honestly, you don't have to hide what you like from me or try to act like someone else. You can be a complete and total geek around me, and I'll still want you. You're a good man, and I like who you are."

Andrew looked at her, awe in his eyes. He reached out, stroking her hair. "bangwI' SoH."

"What was that?"

Andrew blushed, looking away from her again. "Just me being geeky."

Dawn rested her head on his shoulder. "As long as you didn't tell me I have a freakishly large head or something, I'm fine."

Andrew chuckled. "No, I didn't say that."

"So what's going on in the episode?" Dawn asked, turning her attention to the television.

"Kirk's trying to convince the people of the planet Organia to accept the Federation's help with the Klingons."

"Oh. Where are the Klingons then?"

"There," Andrew said, pointing to the screen.

Dawn frowned. "That's what Klingons look like? I thought they were all about the long hair and battle gear. And with really bumpy foreheads—like vampires on steroids. Those guys look like extras from a Kung-Fu movie."

"The ones with the foreheads are the later Klingons. These are the original Klingons. This was their first appearance on the show, and the make-up people were going for more of a futuristic Ghengis Khan."

"Oh. So how did they explain the change in Klingon appearance?"

"Um, they didn't really. There was one episode of Deep Space Nine where they had to go back in time, and Dax asked Worf why the Klingons looked all different, but he just mumbled something about how his people didn't like to talk about it. It wasn't really a satisfactory answer to a seriously puzzling question of genetics, but at least there was an acknowledgement of the continuity issue." Andrew frowned. "I just totally over-geeked you, didn't I?"

"No, you didn't. I was interested—hence the whole me asking the question thing."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Look, maybe your other women would've freaked on you for being a geek, but that would make them shallow, skanky bitches. I don't want some jock. I want you. You're smart, and you're funny, and you have a personality." She reached up, playing with the curls of his hair. "And you're cute, too. I couldn't ask for more in a boyfriend than what I have with you."

"You make me feel so lucky. Like I don't really deserve this, but I'm getting it anyway."

"You deserve to be happy. And the way you make me feel—it's one of the most wonderful things to ever happen to me."

"I'm always afraid I'm going to mess everything up."

"Well, don't think that way, because you're not—especially by just being yourself."

"So even if I spent the next several hours ranting about how the prequels can never measure up to the original Star Wars trilogy, you'd still want me?"

Dawn giggled. "Yes. Although I might start to wonder if you still want me if you can sit beside me for several hours and do nothing but talk."

"Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure having you close could distract me from just about anything—even Star Wars." He gave her a crooked grin. "So, you wanna make out?"

"Um, let me think about that for a moment…yes."

Andrew pulled her into his lap, situating her so she was straddling his legs. His hands rested on the small of her back at first, but as their tentative kisses became deeper, his hands wandered up, dipping beneath the hem of her shirt to feel her bare skin. Dawn alternated between gripping his arms and playing with his hair. She moaned into his mouth when his hips lifted slightly off the couch, and he pressed against her intimately.

When the broke apart to breathe, Dawn looked at him, her eyelids hooded and her lips swollen. "Still think I don't want you, geek boy?" she asked with a wry smile.

"I don't know. I think I might need a little more convincing."

"That can be arranged," Dawn replied, moving in to kiss him again.

Even though Andrew and Dawn managed to make it to opposites sides of the couch before Buffy walked through the door, Dawn felt herself blush as she had the sudden fear that Buffy would know exactly what they had been doing.

But she didn't. If anything she seemed…preoccupied. Buffy went into her bedroom without a word to the pair on the couch, only to come out a few minutes later with a bag thrown over her shoulder. "Are you going somewhere?" Dawn asked.

"I…I have to. Giles…his seers… There's a problem in L.A."

"What kind of a problem?" Andrew asked.

"I…I don't know. Something about Angel, and…and an apocalypse. I'm going to England to gather the Slayers. The seers think we're going to be needed."

"Oh god, Buffy—how bad is it?" Dawn asked.

"It'll be okay, Dawnie," Buffy said, trying to give her sister her best comforting smile. "I'll stop it like I always do, and then I'll come home."

Dawn got up and walked over to Buffy, worry clear on her face. "What's going on? It's…it's not the First again, is it?"

"I don't think so. The seers weren't completely clear on what it was, just that the Slayers are going to be needed."

"Do you want me to come?" Dawn asked.

"No. I want you as far away from it as possible. And before you complain, it's not because I don't think you're capable. I just…I don't know what we're dealing with, and I'd be able to fight better knowing you weren't in the thick of it, okay?"

Dawn nodded. "I can understand that."

"Good."

"Does Giles want me coming back to England?" Andrew asked.

"He did, but I convinced him to let you stay here," Buffy said. "I'd rather not leave Dawn completely alone. I figure if this thing does get out of hand, at least there's strength in numbers, right?"

Andrew's eyes widened in surprise. Buffy wanted him around her sister? Maybe she wouldn't be as adverse to their relationship as they'd previously thought. Not that now would be the time to push it…"We'll hold down the fort here," he said.

"Good," Buffy said. "I'll feel safer knowing you two are both here. But if things get bad—get to Giles, all right?"

"We will," Dawn said. "Are…are you going to see Angel?"

"I don't know. The seers think this is all connected to Wolfram and Hart, so I may be going there to kill him—again."

Andrew shifted nervously, wondering if maybe he should drop the whole "Spike's alive" bombshell. He didn't. "Angel didn't seem too evil when I was there," Andrew said. "A bit…single-minded, but not so evil—other than the fact that he is, you know, the CEO of an evil law firm hell-bent on unleashing the apocalypse."

"And it's that last part that worries me," Buffy said. She turned to Dawn, gripping her sister's arms. "I love you, Dawn. And I'm not saying that completely in an 'I might die' sort of way. I just…I just don't say it to you enough. You're the most important person in the world to me. I need you to know that."

Dawn felt tears stinging her eyes. "I love you, too, Buffy."

Buffy hugged her then, as tightly as she could without crushing Dawn. "Be careful, Dawnie."

"I will. You, too, Buffy. No more jumping off towers, okay?"

Buffy chuckled nervously, wanting to break the tension. "You got it." Reluctantly, she pulled away. "I'll call you as soon as I can, let you know what's going on."

Dawn nodded. "Okay."

"Well, I guess I have a world to save—again. Andrew, I'm trusting you with my sister. Remember that."

Andrew hoped he didn't look as guilty as he suddenly felt. "I will."

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Buffy promised, hugging Dawn one more time. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Buffy."

As soon as they were alone in the apartment again, Dawn went over to Andrew, burying her face against his chest as she cried. Andrew stroked her hair, trying to soothe her. "It'll be okay," he said softly. "Buffy's done this whole apocalypse thing before."

"Yeah, and two of them have killed her," Dawn replied.

"But she has all the Slayers to back her up," Andrew said. "She'll be fine, Dawnie."

Dawn looked up, her face tearstained. "You promise?"

"Yeah, I do."

"I want to go lie down for a bit."

"Okay," Andrew said, moving away from her.

"I, um, sort of wanted you to come."

"Oh. All right." Andrew stood, following Dawn into the bedroom.

Dawn got into the bed, waiting as Andrew nervously joined her. She moved into his arms, and he held on to her, kissing the top of her head. They were silent for a while until Dawn finally spoke. "I had sorta hoped this wouldn't be our life anymore. That she wouldn't have to be the Slayer anymore."

"She's always going to have to be the Slayer."

"I know. I…I wish it was different."

"I know."

"I'm worried about her. I hate to think about her so far away, facing who knows what."

"It's what she does, Dawn. She'll be fine."

"Wish I could convince my belly-rumblin's of that."

Andrew tightened his arms around her. "I wish I could, too."

"You holding me is helping."

"Is it? Good."

"Don't let me go."

"I won't." Andrew kissed the top of her head again. "That I can promise you."

Dawn woke, feeling disoriented. It was dark outside, and she was still dressed in her school clothes. She frowned as she remembered what had happened. Buffy…apocalypse…and Andrew. She sat up, realizing he wasn't beside her anymore. When she saw he wasn't in the room anymore, she felt a sudden grip of panic, and hurried out into the main part of the apartment.

She found him in the kitchen by the stove. "There you are," she said, her fear melting at the sight of him.

He turned around. "Yeah. It was getting late. I thought you might be hungry when you got up, so I came in here to start dinner."

Dawn crossed her arms over her stomach as it growled. "Guess I am a little."

"Good. It'll be ready soon."

Dawn sat at the island in the center of the kitchen, watching as Andrew finished making dinner. Even with the thought of her sister facing another apocalypse hanging over her, something about this made Dawn feel warm inside. It was so calm, domestic. Like they were just a normal couple, having dinner together in their apartment. She liked that feeling.

"The chicken may be a little tough," Andrew said, stirring something over the stove. "Sorry if it is."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Dawn replied. "You're a good cook."

"I try."

A few minutes later, Andrew set two plates on the island, one in front of Dawn and one across from her. "How is it?" he asked as he sat down.

Dawn took a bite. "Good," she said as she swallowed. "Think maybe I could kiss the chef?"

"That could be arranged," Andrew replied, leaning across to comply with her request.

Dawn smiled as they went back to their dinner. Maybe things would turn out okay after all.

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