Thanks to the Reviewers:
GiGi13: Thanks for reviewing.
Logan: Those little moments in the series inspired this fic! Thanks for reviewing.
Laura: Sorry to make you wait for more, but I went on hols :). I hope you like the chapter
Jazzy: Thanks for the review and I hope you like the chapter.
Dawniekey: Best story you've seen? I'm flattered! I hope you like this chapter as much as the last.
A/N: This story focuses on Buffy's memories of Dawn; the ones that we would've seen on TV if Dawn had existed then. So basically, it's Dawn put in the scenes that were shown and some 'missing scenes'. It may not make total sense if you haven't seen the episodes on TV, but I'm trying to get around that.
CHAPTER 3: ANGEL
Buffy ran over to the front door. She struggled with her key; the three vampires were still chasing them. She got the door open. "Get in! C'mon!" She invited her companion in.
They both rushed inside and Buffy slammed the door on one of the vampire's hands. The vampire withdrew its hands and peered in the window.
"It's alright. A vampire can't come in unless it's invited." Angel assured her.
"I've heard that before, but I've never put it to the test." Buffy sighed with relief.
"Buffy? Is that you?" A little girl appeared at the top of the stairs. "Oooh! You're in trouble!" She cooed.
"Go away Dawn!" Buffy retorted going into the kitchen and hoping that Dawn wouldn't follow them, but she did.
"You promised Mom that you'd be here for when Janice's mom dropped me off! And you were out with..."
"Angel." Buffy supplied.
"Really?" Dawn said with a grin.
"Yes; why, is there something wrong with that?"
"No, not at- why is he bleeding?" Dawn said looking at the wound on his chest that one of the vampires had given him.
Buffy looked back at Angel remembering the main reason why they had retreated. "Oh...I'll go and get some bandages, just...take your jacket and shirt off."
Buffy went to get the first aid kit with a sharp glare at Dawn to stop whatever smartass response that she knew was coming.
Angel looked up at Dawn uncomfortably. "Hey."
"Hi. My sister's too dumb to remember introductions; I'm Dawn." Dawn held out her hand as she'd seen her mother do before.
Angel smiled slightly before taking her hand and shaking it. "Angel."
Dawn grinned. "You have really cold hands." She commented getting herself a drink. Angel stiffened. "So how'd you hurt yourself?" Dawn asked, oblivious to the vampire's discomfort.
"Some guys attacked your sister and I stopped to help."
Dawn looked alarmed. "Is she alright?"
Angel could have kicked himself. This kid didn't know about the slaying gig and he'd scared her. "She's fine; she's very capable of looking after herself. She didn't even need me really."
Dawn looked relieved. "So are you and my sister going out?"
"Dawn!" Buffy exclaimed from the doorway. She held up the first aid kit. Angel turned away modestly and removed his jacket. Buffy looked up from where she was opening the bandages. She stared at him as he removed his top.
Dawn kicked her shoe from where she was standing behind her and mocked her sister by staring goggle eyed at Angel's back. Buffy glared at her as Angel turned around. "Err, nice tattoo" she said referring to the bird like snake on his left shoulder.
Dawn rolled her eyes and went into the living room to watch TV. Buffy began to wind the bandage around Angel's chest. "I was lucky you came along... How did you happen to come along?"
Angel smiled down at her. "I live nearby. I was just out walking."
"So you weren't following me? I just had this feeling that you were.
Angel smiled again. "Why would I do that?"
"You tell me. You're the mystery guy that appears out of nowhere. I'm not saying I'm not happy about it tonight, but. . . if you are hanging around I'd like to know why."
"Maybe I like you."
They were interrupted by Dawn groaning in the doorway. "Would you get a room."
"Dawn!" She was only ten years old- she shouldn't be implying things like that. Buffy comforted herself by reasoning that Dawn didn't really know what she was saying; she was just copying something she heard off the TV.
Buffy heard the front door open and quickly went to intercept her mother. She pulled her mom into the house quickly and closed the door, still worried about the three vampires.
"Hi! What are you doing?"
"There's a lot of weird people outside at night . . . I just feel better with you safe and sound inside."
"Hey Mom!" Dawn came bounding into the hallway.
"Dawn? What are you still doing up? You should have been in bed ages ago."
"Come on Mom; it's only ten o'clock! Janice goes to bed way later than me! Besides I had to wait for Buffy to-"
"-to make her a snack! Dawn was hungry so I said I'd make her a snack." Buffy interrupted quickly. "You must be beat, Mom."
"I am. We're a little gallery. You have no idea how much-" Joyce started tiredly.
"Well, then why don't you go upstairs and get into bed, and I can bring you some hot tea?"
"That's sweet! What'd you do?" She asked suspiciously.
"Can't a daughter just be concerned about her mother? I can make it when I make Dawn's snack."
Angel came out of the kitchen. "Hi."
"Hi" Joyce replied with a 'you'd better have a good explanation for this' look at Buffy.
"Oh! Okay. . .Um.. . Angel, uh, this is my mom. Mom, this is Angel. Uh, we ran into each other on the way home." Buffy explained.
"Nice to meet you." Angel said.
"What do you do, Angel?"
"He's a student." Joyce gave Buffy a disbelieving look. "Uh, first year community college. Angel's been helping me with my history; you know I've been toiling there."
"It's a little late for tutoring. I'm gonna go to bed, and, uh, Buffy?" Joyce hinted as she started up the stairs.
"I'll say good night and do the same!"
Joyce nodded "Dawn; I want you in bed in ten minutes. It was nice to meet you, Angel. Goodnight."
"'Night Mom." Dawn watched her mother go up the stairs. "Why'd you lie to Mom about being attacked?"
"What?"
"Angel told me these guys attacked you? Why didn't you tell Mom?"
"Oh, that. Well, it was just a prank, you know how guys are and they took it a bit too far. Don't tell Mom?"
Dawn sighed. "Okay. I always seem to be covering for you in one way or another. Now, where's my snack? You told mom you'd get me a snack!"
A couple of minutes later Dawn was munching on a sandwich in the kitchen.
"Good night! We'll hook up soon and do that study thing!" Buffy called out the door to 'Angel'.
"Come on!" Buffy said urgently to Angel dragging him upstairs before Dawn came out of the kitchen.
"Look, I don't wanna get you in any more trouble. . ." Angel said as the slayer pulled him into her room.
"And I don't wanna get you dead. They could still be out there. So, uh, oh. . .two of us, one bed. That doesn't work.Um, why don't you take the bed? Y' know, you're wounded..."
"I'll take the floor." Angel offered.
"Uh, no, that's not. . ."
"Oh, believe me, I've had worse."
"Okay. Um, then why don't you check and see if the Fang Gang is still loitering and, um, keep your back turned while I change?"
Angel looked out the window. "I don't see them."
"Good." Buffy said after a minute. "You can turn around now. I'm gonna get Dawn up to bed."
Angel nodded and Buffy walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
"Dawn, bed now!" She ordered.
"Fine, fine, I'm going. There's no need to be so snippy." Dawn said as she went up the stairs.
"You know, I'm the Chosen One, it's my job to fight guys like that. What's your excuse?" Buffy said to Angel when she went back into her room.
"Uh, somebody has to."
"Well, what does your family think of your career choice?" she asked, reaching up into her wardrobe for a spare pillow.
Angel looked away. "They're dead."
"Was it vampires?"
"I-it was."
"I'm sorry."
"It was a long time ago."
"So, this is a vengeance gig for you."
Angel changed the subject swiftly. "Y-you even look pretty when you go to sleep."
"Well, when I wake up it's an entirely different story."
Buffy handed him a blanket from her bed. "Here. Sleep tight."
He laid the blanket down on the floor next to her bed and lay down while Buffy got into bed. "An-"
They were interrupted by Buffy's door being flung open and Dawn bursting in. "Buffy, can I borrow your... Oh."
Buffy leapt out of bed and shut the door swiftly. "Dawn-"
"What's going on?"
"I can't send him away, he'd injured! Please don't-"
"I know, I know; don't tell Mom. What aren't you telling me?"
"Nothing! Please Dawn, trust me. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"You owe me, like, massive!" Dawn said as she went back to her own room.
Buffy got back into bed and sighed in relief. She was gone, but sooner or later both Dawn and her mom would find out the truth. "Angel?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you snore?"
♥
Joyce Summers opened the door expecting to see Buffy. Instead she saw a girl of about the same age wearing a tartan skirt and a white blouse. "Hello?"
"HI! I'm Darla, a friend of Buffy's?" The girl said.
"Oh! Nice to meet you."
"She didn't mention me coming over for a study date, did she?" Darla said in her human disguise.
"No I thought she was studying with Willow in the library."
"She is. Willow's the Civil War expert, but I was supposed to help her with the War of Independence. My family kinda goes back to those days." Darla said with a smile.
"Well, she's supposed to be home soon. Would you like to come in and wait?" Joyce offered, not knowing that she had just invited a vampire into her house. "Would you like something to eat?"
"Yes, I would." Darla followed Joyce into the kitchen. Joyce opened one of the cupboards to look inside.
"Would you like something little, or something big?"
"Something big." Darla said as she grabbed Joyce. Joyce screamed as Darla plunged her teeth into her neck.
Dawn ran down the stairs. "Mom?"
Darla looked up. "Well if it isn't desert." She sneered.
Angel kicked in the back door. "Let her go!"
"I only had I little, there's plenty more. Aren't you hungry for something warm after all this time? Come on Angel, just say 'yes'!"
Darla shoved the unconscious Joyce at Angel before grabbing Dawn and exiting the house swiftly. The smell of blood caused Angel to morph into his game face as he looked down at Joyce's open wound.
"Hey! I'm home!" Buffy called as she entered the kitchen.
Angel looked up at Buffy, Joyce still in his arms. "Buffy!"
Buffy surveyed the scene. Using all her slayer strength she picked Angel up and threw him through the window. "You're not welcome here. You come near us and I'll kill you."
♥
Joyce was talking to Giles in the hospital, not knowing that her oldest daughter was trying to kill the vampire that she thought had hurt her at that very minute. "I know she's trying. She's trying really hard. She's studying with Willow, she's studying with Darla."
"Darla? I-I-I don't believe I know, uh. . ."
"Her friend, the one who came over tonight." Joyce explained.
"Darla came to your house tonight? Sh-she's the friend that you mentioned earlier?" Giles stuttered.
"I must've frightened her half to death when I fainted. Someone should really check and make sure she's alright. And poor Dawnie! I must have scared her too."
"Dawn? But I-I thought she was with a f-friend?"
"No; she was so upset, poor thing. Janice wasn't in school today so she came home with me. Is she alright?"
"Y-yes she's fine. If you'll excuse me."
Giles hurried out the door to find Willow and Xander who were sitting outside the room. "We have a problem."
♥
Buffy and Angel were fighting in the Bronze. They stopped and he told her about receiving his soul.
"...I haven't fed on a living human being since that day." Angel finished.
"So you started with my mom?"
"I didn't bite her."
"Then why didn't you say something?"
"But I wanted to. I can walk like a man, but I'm not one. I wanted to kill you tonight."
Buffy put her bow down on the floor and looked back at Angel. She offered him her neck. "Go ahead." Angel made no move to bite her. "It's not as easy as it looks."
"Sure it is!" Came a new voice and Darla entered the room dragging Dawn who had her hands bound behind her back.
"Dawn!" Buffy whispered. "Let her go!"
"Yeah, okay. What kind of moron do you think I am? I would have eaten her already, but I thought I'd love to see the look on your face when I drain her dry and there's nothing you can do about it."
"Darla; let the girl go. She's nothing to do with this." Angel commanded.
Darla scoffed. "Do you know what the saddest thing in the world is?"
"That hair on top of that outfit?" Buffy suggested.
"To love someone who used to love you."
Buffy looked at Angel. "You guys were involved?"
"For several generations." Darla replied smugly.
"Well, you been around since Columbus, you are bound to pile up a few ex's. You're older than him, right? Just between us girls, you are looking a little worn around the eyes."
Darla smiled, seeming not to mind Buffy's insults. "I made him. There was a time when we shared everything, wasn't there Angelus? You had a chance to come home, to rule with me in the Master's court for a thousand years, but you threw that away because of her. You love someone who hates us. You're sick. And you'll always be sick. And you'll always remember what it was like to watch her die. You don't think I came alone, do you?"
"I know I didn't." Buffy responded, kicking the bow up into her hands.
"Hmm, scary." Darla pulled out two pistols and aimed them at Buffy and Angel. "Scarier!" She shot at Angel sending him into a pillar.
"Dawn get away from her!" Buffy shouted, retreating behind a pool table.
Scared as she was, Dawn started to back away from the blond vampire who was now way more interested in killing her sister anyway.
Darla continued to shoot at Buffy whilst she managed to fire a couple of shots from her crossbow at the vamp.
Dawn backed up against the wall, her hands still tied behind her back. She jumped as she felt a hand clamp over her mouth and pull her to the side. She looked up and sighed in relief; Xander. He put his finger to his lips to signal that she should be quiet and led her out a side door to safety.
Once they were outside, Xander untied her hands and gave the shaking girl a hug. "Are you ok?"
Dawn nodded. "What was that?" She asked, her voice trembling.
"That was a vampire." An older, British voice replied. "I'm Mr. Giles; the Sunnydale High librarian.
"Hello." Dawn said shyly. She heard another gun shot come from inside. "Buffy! We have to help her!"
"She'll be fine, Dawnie." Willow said. "She's really strong."
"Yes; in every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer."
Dawn looked confused. "Huh?"
♥
"So vampires are real?"
"Yup. And demons too."
"And Angel's a vampire?"
"Yup- but a good one."
"And you kill vampires 'cause you have all these super powers?"
"Yup. And it's a massive secret."
"Okay." Dawn said slowly. "When did all this start?"
"About a year ago. There really were vampires in Hermery's gym; that's why I burned it down."
Dawn nodded, surprisingly, things made more sense this way. "I won't tell anyone; I promise."
"I know you won't." Buffy said pulling her little sister in for a hug before going back to her Chinese Takeaway.
"Don't you get scared?" Dawn asked quietly.
"Honestly? All the time. But having people to talk to; Xander, Willow and even Giles really helps."
"I guess you really are a freak then." Dawn stated, but not unkindly.
"I guess. But I can kick your butt anytime, so watch your mouth." Buffy threatened.
Dawn giggled. "You've got sauce all over your chin."
Buffy grinned sheepishly wiping her face on a napkin. "Maybe I should give up eating with chop-sticks."
Dawn laughed again. "Maybe; you're just trying to show off anyway!"
"Oh really?"
"Yesssss! Buffy stop! Stop it!" Dawn cried out as Buffy started tickling her.
Buffy picked up the chop sticks and put them in her mouth so it looked like they were fangs. Dawn shrieked and ran off. Buffy gave her a head start before chasing after her. "I'm the slayer; I'm going to get you!"
And to anyone looking in from outside, it would look like your average siblings chasing each other round their house. For a moment, no matter how short, they were a normal family.
♥♥♥♥
Another chapter done. I estimate that I'll probably spend another two or three chapters on season one before moving onto season two. I'm still taking requests of what episode you want to see in this fic, so just put any suggestions and how you'd like to see them done in a review or an email and I'll see if I can put it in.
Next Chapter: Nightmares
Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please Review!!!