Not Just an Annoying Little Sister Chapter 4: Always, a buffy: the vampire slayer fanfic

I think I might end it here. Should I carry on? And if I do, carry on in this story, or make a new one?

Two updates in one day! You lucky, lucky people!

Buffy's POV

"Angel?

"No. No, you can't do this to me! You said you were gone, I know you were gone – you can't just come back. You broke up with me remember! You left me, and it's killing me. I can't … I can't do this anymore, Angel. I need you … you're part of me, and you're not here. No! No, no, no, no! You have to just go. Just go before … before …"

"Before what, Buffy?" He just stood there, with that adorable look on his face, the one when I can't do anything but stare at him. Looking down, I answered him in a child's voice, scared of the dark.

"Before I can't let you go a second time."

"I'm not going anywhere, Buffy. Not unless you want me to."

Unknowingly, I repeated the words I had said when he broke up with me. My voice was trembling, and barely audible, but I know he heard just as well as if I had shouted it. "Is this really happening?" I was like a little lost child, and he was my savoir, my Angel.

"Come here, Buffy." And just like that, I was pulled into his arms. Those strong arms that I know will always keep me safe. When he holds me, nothing else matters, because I know that my angel will be there to protect me, just as he always has.

"I was wrong, Buffy. And Dawn –"

"Dawn's here?"

"Hi! I'm your little sister who you didn't notice because you were paying attention to your boyfriend."

"Angel … isn't my boyfriend anymore, Dawnie."

"I thought you were my girl. Always." He was whispering too now, with me still in his arms. I held on to him like a lifeline, not knowing if he would still be here if I let go of him. But something broke in me when he said those words, and I couldn't hold back the tears that had threatened to fall any more.

"Always." I choked out the words, and then collapsed in his arms, knowing that if he as really there he would catch me, and if he wasn't, it was a dream and I would wake up.

Dawn's POV

I got out of the car, Angel still holding my bag, and went to stand just a little ways behind him. If I was right (and I knew I was), then she wouldn't even notice me unless I made a sound, and even then, she wouldn't bother to look at me. I couldn't decide what she would do. Stare in disbelief, yell at him so loudly that people on the other side of the world would hear, slam the door in his face, or collapse. Surprising me, she did none of the above. She just whispered his name, almost reverently, and then 'started' on him.

"Before what, Buffy?" I couldn't see his face, but something about it made her finish.

"Before I can't let you go a second time." She sounded like a lost child, so afraid of what would come next. She didn't want to say anything for fear of the consequences, and then Angel broke the silence once more, speaking in a soft voice that something inside of me wanted to be speaking to me. Buffy was so lucky to have someone like him. Someone who would always be there for her, but I don't think she sees it.

"I'm not going anywhere, Buffy. Not unless you want me to."

"Is this really happening?" I think she thought she was still dreaming. From the things she says when she's asleep, this was all that she had hoped for, and she couldn't quite figure out what was real and what was not. How none of her friends could possibly not see how broken she was inside is a mystery to me.

"Come here, Buffy. I was wrong, Buffy. And Dawn –" he pulled her into his arms, and just held her close. It was almost like a really bad romance novel!

"Dawn's here?" I didn't think she would notice me.

"Hi! I'm your little sister who you didn't notice because you were paying attention to your boyfriend." I said just the right words to get them together again. This would either make them or break them. If she accepted him as her boyfriend, things would be fine; if not, I don't know what would happen.

"Angel … isn't my boyfriend anymore, Dawnie." Oh no. This wasn't right. They were meant to stare at each other and kiss or something. Okay, so I don't really know exactly how the whole 'getting back together' thing would work. So sue me – I'm only 12! But still, this was not going well. And then Angel spoke again, and my fears were put to rest, but I was still holding my breath for them.

"I thought you were my girl. Always." He was whispering, but I could just about hear him. Obviously that was something they had between them; like an 'in' joke, but not a joke. He was being completely serious.

Buffy just clung to him, as if she was afraid he would disappear if she let go – probably still thinking it was all a dream. I waited with baited breath for her answer to the not-question, and hoped with all my heart that they would get a break (no matter how small), and everything would be okay again. I hate seeing my big sister so distraught. But up until now, I have only seen her break down twice.

"Always."

She choked out that single word, and then collapsed. And right then, I knew that they would be fine, and thought idly about going into the matchmaking business. Xander's not dating anyone …

Angel's POV

"Angel?" I stood there, and I was just so apprehensive. Everything could go very right, or very wrong from this point. I didn't know what she would say, or do, so I remained still. I was ready to duck, or to flee, or for her to collapse in my arms – not that I really thought she would. My Buffy, god that feels so right to think and I just wish I could say it. My Buffy. Mine. But she would never just collapse like that, even if what dawn had said was true. It was far more likely that she would –

– that she would star ranting at me, but I wasn't expecting her to stop. When she didn't carry on, I prompted her, even though my dead heart was telling me exactly what she was going to say.

"Before what, Buffy?" She looked down, as if she was ashamed.

"Before I can't let you go a second time." And then, my heart broke – figuratively speaking. She thought I was going to leave her again.

"I'm not going anywhere, Buffy. Not unless you want me to." I would never have come back if I was going to leave again. It would be too hard to leave her a second time. Then she spoke again, those very same words that I heard as I broke her heart just a few weeks ago. Already it feels like it was a lifetime ago that I held her for the last time at her prom. Her voice was trembling, and barely audible, but I heard it just as well as if she had yelled it in my face.

"Is this really happening?"

And then I just couldn't do it anymore, I had to hold her in my arms, and tell her that she was safe.

"Come here, Buffy." And then, nothing else seemed to matter, because she was with me again, and I knew somehow that everything would be okay. "I was wrong, Buffy." The words that no man wants to say. "And Dawn –"

"Dawn's here?"

"Hi! I'm your little sister who you didn't notice because you were paying attention to your boyfriend." I had to smile, but on the word 'boyfriend', I faltered, knowing that what came next would define our future relationship.

"Angel … isn't my boyfriend anymore, Dawnie." And then I froze. I looked down at her, and remembered what I had asked her after the whole Faith fiasco.

"I thought you were my girl. Always." I was whispering, scared of what the response might be. She clung even tighter to me, and I'm pretty sure that if I had circulation, it would be completely cut off by now. And then something happened to her, and it was just like after she destroyed the Master's bones. She spoke one word, and then buried her face in my shirt, crying. Her legs gave out, and I caught her in my arms, rejoicing inside. She was still my girl.

"Always."

So. The end?