Title: Sanrio Knights
Author: Acerbic
Time: Post Chosen / NFA
Rating: PG-13 (A swear word or two)
Part 6 – Power Corrupts
Gary, Indiana
June 2007
The phone rang just minutes after I'd sent the photos. It was Xander calling from London where it was mid-morning.
"Hi!" I exclaimed, turning slightly away from the others in order to hear better. Little social circles had formed as drink levels sank, and the lights inside the Starbucks had dimmed when it closed at midnight.
I'd been in orbit around Blake, hanging on his every word, while he and Sasha debated the politics of the war in Iraq. Ling Ling watched with smirking superiority, but refrained from offering up an opinion. And Spike and Peggy had squared off, forming a sexually charged subset off to the side. To the casual glance, it looked like they were hooking up.
"Xander!" I greeted him. "Wow, that was fast! Did you get the pictures?" The others went quiet, heads turning in my direction.
"Dawnie! Dawn Dawn Dawnie! Heya! Yeah, I'm looking at them right now! I see that you finally managed to slip a noose around Bleach Boy! Congrats! That makes you guys graduates of Xander's Hard School of Knocks!
I laughed hard. "Yeah, thanks! Isn't it great! I can't wait to tell Buffy." A strand of hair had strayed into my face, so I used the act of flipping it away as cover for stealing a glance at Spike who couldn't have missed the fact that he was being discussed.
Spike still had his attention glued to Peggy, apparently pretending not be eavesdropping. Really, their chemistry wasn't that startling, considering. Hello Kitty has a real talent for hooking guys and reeling them in. Sugar and flies; honey and bees. I was sorta surprised, though, in Spike.
I guess Buffy waited too long for Spike to come to her.
When we first learned of his resurrection in LA, I told her over and over again to just pick up the phone and call him, but Buffy insisted that he had to want to come to her. She couldn't chase him down and rope him into something before he was ready.
At first, Buffy was positive that he'd come back to her. She even dumped Romeo Valerius AKA The Immortal in a pre-emptive move to nix boyfriend rivalries in the bud. It was probably the first time that Romeo's ever been dumped in his archaic existence. The look on his face was classic. I loved every second of it.
Time passed and Buffy clung to her faith. (Not that Faith, you sick pervert! EWWW!) It was a year before she finally accepted Spike wasn't coming to her.
Still, I told her to go after him. You know. If you love something and set it free, and it doesn't come back to you, then hunt it down and beat some sense into him.
But you know Buffy.
Big sister always knows best.
Big sister knowitall.
Big sister all alone and lonely.
Stupid sister.
"…Sharon and I definitely want you there for the wedding. The ceremony's in Vegas at the end of the June," Xander said, suddenly yanking my attention back to the conversation.
"What! You're getting married!" I yelped, shooting up out of my chair and launching into the start of yet another happy-feet dance. "OH MY GOD! XANDER! CONGRATULATIONS!"
All of the others, were staring at me now, including Spike and Peggy. "Harris is gonna take another crack at tying the knot?" Spike asked into the lull. "What sort of demon is the lovely bride-to-be?" He quirked his scared brow like he does when he thinks he's being clever and cute.
"Tell Spike to shut up!" Xander snapped, having heard. "Sharon is Fey," he muttered in an outraged undertone, self-defending his wounded ego. "Completely different altogether."
Ears ever acute, Spike cackled like a hyena. "Good to know some things never change!"
Blake looked askance.
"Demon magnet," I mouthed. Ling Ling and Sasha were both nodding their heads yes. They were there when Xander got kidnapped by harpies and became the love-interest of a Gorgon.
"What's he saying?" Xander demanded, loudly broadcasting his insecurity. And still, Spike laughed.
"Oh hush you." I waved a hand in Spike's face. "When's the big day?" Grabbing for my bag, I dug for a piece of paper and something to write with. I wound up writing down the pertinent facts on the back of our Starbucks receipt, which I'd need for our expense report in order to get reimbursement from the Council.
Xander promised that invitations would go out, but I wasn't taking any chances. The Sanrio Knights and I moved around so much that our lifestyle could only be described as "transitory".
"Are you actually gonna make it down the aisle this time?" I demanded once I had it all down, recapping the pen. "I really like Sharon. I'm gonna get mad if you stand her up the way you did Anya."
I swear, the heat from Xander's blush was so intense that I could feel it through my cell phone on the other side of the world. "I'll be there," he declared, determinedly. He had backbone and commitment. Older and more mature.
"I love Sharon," Xander said. Then, "Besides, Willow's promised that I'll be spending time experiencing the true meaning of Ratdom if I'm not there with bells on."
Willow, in spite of being a fully reformed white witch, is still one of the scariest women alive. EVER. Even her best friends are (occasionally) afraid of her.
"Good," I said. Score one for Willow.
"Hey, Dawn, I need a favor," Xander said, quiet like, immediately capturing my full attention.
"Sure, Xand, what?"
"I need for the Sanrio Knights to undertake a top-secret mission for me," he said.
I bounced – verily over-eager and excited - beyond screechy exclamation. Bouncity Bouncity Bounce! A mission! Our first real mission! And a top-secret one at that!
"Go on," I urged. Go go go go go…
"Okay, listen up-" Xander gave a quick explanation of our proposed mission, which left me stunned and gasping.
"Xander Harris! You're planning to use Council resources and a Council sponsored field ops team for personal gain!" I scolded, secretly thrilled and SO PROUD of him.
"Yep, the privilege of power," Xander agreed, sounding very pleased and very smug. "It's gone to my head. I'm completely corrupt. So, will you do it? Pretty please with sprinkles on top?"
"Sure yes yep absolutely! You can count on it!" I gushed. I had all the details scribbled down on my Starbucks receipt.
There was a loud static pause. "Is Spike still there?" Xander asked, and it had the tone of a prepared question made to seem casual.
"Yes," I said, "Why?"
"No reason," Xander said, too quickly. Then, "There's this thing that the Council might have for him to do. Assuming that he sticks around."
I exhaled, tempted to query, but sensing that it was the wrong time to press. "Okay," I said instead, deliberately bored and vague. Like I'd barely paid attention to what Xander'd said about Spike, and might forget the second we got off the phone. Let Xander stew in his own juices for a while. It'd serve him right for trying to be clever.
The conversation wrapped up, and we said our goodbyes. As I got off the phone, I realized that a parallel development had taken place at the patio table. The Sanrio Knights had finished up their drinks, and were ready to go. They were just waiting on me.
Spike slid to his feet. "Probably should get going," he said. "Been nice meeting all of you." He gave me a hug, and started to walk off, moving with all the haste of a vampire turtle.
My heart froze in my throat. Just like that? He could leave?
I stood there staring after him, looking and feeling lost, just like a little girl of 14 who'd lost her mother and her sister, and all she had left in the whole wide world was one stupid, annoying evil chipped vampire.
"Go on," Sasha said, laying a hand on my shoulder. "Go get him. We'll wait at the van."
I glanced at the others, taking in their amused, affectionate expressions and knowing smiles. Without the matter being discussed, the Knights had arrived at a group consensus.
I didn't wait. I launched myself after Spike, sprinting to catch him before he could do that vampire-vanishing thing.
End Part 6.
