Secrets Better Left Open.
(BecomingII)

Summer days were long and Dawn watched as the sun set.

Her mother would return soon and she'd confess. There were stakes and stains of blood and dirt. Anything to make her stop believing that Buffy was a murderer.

Buffy had never fooled Dawn. Willow's whispers were loud and the danger under Xander's jokes too evident.

She heard voices outside. Talk about bands, drums and singers. Buffy had never touched a drum. This was serious. Dawn hid in the kitchen and kept silent.

Buffy and the stranger discussed and planned.

Their mother didn't understand.

An ultimatum.

Then Buffy was gone.