L.A., 1993.
"Where is the Birthday Girl?" his voice boomed across the house.
"Daddy!"
Chocolate cake forgotten, Dawn jumped and sprinted towards her father. He welcomed her with a hug, picked her up and twirled her around until she begged to be put back down.
"What did you bring me?"
Joyce made to chide her youngest daughter but Hank shook his head. Instead he reached into his suitcase. "A birdie told me,". He winked at his wife. "that you wanted this one." He waved a book in front of her.
Dawn shrieked in delight and hugged her new book to her chest.
Sunnydale, 2001
Spike found Dawn in his crypt, cross-legged on his bed and scribbling madly on the notebook on her lap.
"What---?"
"Important Literature essay for tomorrow," she interrupted. "It's quiet here."
Noticing the book beside her, Spike laughed. "Just say that Jo was a fool," he chuckled.
"Huh?"
"For letting her beau go." He rolled his eyes. "That was stupid."
Dawn's head shot up. "You've read it?"
"Not much to do in the day."
Well, that made sense. And her essay was still a long way from being finished. "Any other thoughts?"
Spike smirked. "Beth took too long to die..."
Somewhere, 2003
Everybody was squabbling about their next step. Two weeks since Sunnydale collapsed and they still couldn't settle on a course. Three days ago Dawn had decided that she didn't really care.
She jumped when someone touched her shoulder.
"Sorry to scare you."
It was Xander. Dawn patted the space next to her but he shook his head. "I thought... I mean, we thought that maybe you needed something to distract you."
He took something from under his jacket.
"Since you lost your copy, we all pitched in and..."
'Little,' she read. Dawn didn't need to bring the other half out.