"So then my mom goes off on me about how I'm supposed to watch Dawn and
make sure she's shielded from stuff that might upset her." Buffy said.
"Like dead shop keepers." Angel said.
"She didn't see him! A foot maybe. A dead foot. Which is bad, okay, but, hello, I see dead stuff all the time. You don't see mom shielding me."
"So.. You want your mother to give you space to be the slayer and shield you from it at the same time?"
"Thank you, logic boy. Did I mention this is a rant? Sense has no place in it."
"I'm getting that. What's the deal, Buffy? You've seemed really.." Buffy stopped Angel with a hand. They both tensed and then Buffy sighed.
"Trash can. From a distance it looked kinda.."
"Tense."
"Not really. More, round and squat and.."
"Uh uh. Back to what I was saying before we were rudely attacked by nothing. You've seemed really tense these past few days."
"Well, yeah. We have a new vampire gang in town. You were there."
"No. I mean, domestically tense. You're on Dawn's case a lot."
"I guess. It's just.. I know it's always been this way.. She's the baby. But, for some reason, it's really been getting to me lately. She's always around."
"Well, yeah. You're her idol, Buffy."
"Idol? I don't think so. Unless she likes to spill stuff on her idol's new leather pants and.."
"You know what I mean. You have super powers, and college, a studly yet sensitive fiancé.."
"And a pesky life-or-death job I can't quit or even take a break from."
"She doesn't get the sacrifices. She's a kid."
"Which is what bugs! She gets to be a kid, and she acts like it's the biggest burden in the world. When, sometimes, all I want to do is curl up in mom's lap and not worry about the fate of the world. I'd like to be the one who's all protected, who's waited on hand and foot."
"You're her older sister Buffy. Do you know what I would give to have my sister back?"
"God, I'm sorry. I'm being insensitive girl here. But you're a guy. It's not like your sister could steal your clothes or wear your jewelry or ruin your favorite sweater."
"Well actually.."
"What?"
"I remember one time when Kathy was younger, my mother had just bought me this new silk shirt for my birthday. I was so happy because every time I went by the store, I was either too drunk to remember that I wanted it, or my father was complaining about how I never did anything to deserve it."
"I forgot you and your dad were never on great terms."
"Yeah, but anyways.. I got so mad at Kathy when I came in the next day and she was trying to hide the shirt from me because she had dropped dark blue paint all over it."
"Paint?"
"Yes, Buffy, we had paint back then."
"No, I meant.. Your sister painted?"
"She'd always wanted to grow up and become famous. Like DiVinci. I yelled at her for it and it upset her so much. Of course I didn't mean to yell at her. It was just that I was so mad at her for it."
"I bet. If Dawn had spilt paint all over my new red silk top that I got last week, I would probably stake her multiple times."
"Not my point Buffy. My point is: I forgave her. I apologized and forgave her because she was my sister and I loved her. Just like you love Dawn. One day you're going to look back on all this stuff and laugh because you realized that it was all so stupid."
"And speaking of Dawn.. I think we better head back. Xander must be dying to get out of there."
"We have a problem." Xander said as he opened the door for Buffy and Angel.
"What's Dawn done now?" Buffy asked.
"Well.. It's not really Dawn's fault."
"Then what is it?" Buffy asked, hopping up on the kitchen counter.
"Harmony wants to kill you."
"What?"
"She's the one that's been gathering forces to try to kill you. She came by earlier looking for you."
"Harmony wants to kill me?"
"Yeah."
"And she's got a gang?"
"Pretty much."
Buffy looked over at Angel and they both burst out laughing. "Har-Harmony has mi-minions?"
"Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction."
"I'm sorry.. I just.." Buffy started to laugh harder. "Harmony has minions!"
"And Ruffles have ridges. Buffy, there's actually a more serious side to all this.."
"I hope so. I'm having trouble breathing." Buffy laughed, tears forming in her eyes. "Like what?"
"Well.. She did come here to kill you."
Buffy started to laugh again. Angel tried to stop laughing while saying, "Buffy, c'mon. They've killed once that we know of. She could be a threat to you."
"Especially now that she can enter your house anytime she wants." Anya said. Buffy and Angel both stopped laughing and looked over at Anya then Xander.
"What?" Buffy asked.
"Uh, yeah, actually, she.. Harmony.. kinda happened to sorta get an invite." Xander said.
"You can't invite her in. Only someone who lives here can.." Buffy realized who had done it. "Where is she?"
"In her room. I think she's still pretty freaked out." Anya said.
"DAWN!"
Xander blocked Buffy's way. "Buff, it was an accident. She didn't mean it."
"Oh, well, that makes it all right then, doesn't it?"
"No, but believe me.. Nobody feels worse than her right now."
"I don't care. She should know better."
"Buffy, calm down. It was an accident, I'm sure." Angel said. Buffy marched up the stairs and headed towards Dawn's room. Angel grabbed her arm and turned her towards her bedroom. Xander followed them in and Angel shut the door. "Buffy, you need to calm down. She's just a kid."
"It was an accident Buff." Xander said. "It just came out."
Buffy sighed and started to pack weapons into her Slayer's bag. Angel watched her as she grabbed her coat. "Lot of weapons for somebody you weren't sweating twenty minutes ago." He said.
"That was before I found out my sister gave Harmony a backstage pass to kill us in our sleep." Buffy said.
"Buff, I left word with Willow. She'll come, do a return engagement of her uninvitation spell, probably still has the stuff from last week, and, bang- boom, you're back in the Fortress of Solitude. All better." Xander said.
"No, not all better, Xander. It's not like she hasn't grown up in this house, knowing the rules. Especially the biggie, Numero Uno: Do NOT invite bloodsucking dead people into our home. Sorry Angel."
"It's ok." Angel said.
"I mean, please, I'd never have Harmony over here when she was alive."
"Okay, granted, it was Dawn's bad, but like Angel said, she's just a kid." Xander said.
"Will everyone stop saying that? I was a kid when I met my first vampire and, somehow, I remembered the rules."
"You had to, it was your job." Angel said.
"It was common sense. But nobody expects even that much from Dawn, do they? No, Dawn has to be coddled and protected from the big bad world. Well, you know what? We're turning Dawn into a little idiot whose going to get us all killed!" Buffy paused and looked Angel in the eyes. "She's got to be more careful. I can't be there to watch over her twenty-four hours a day. I just can't."
"I know." Angel grabbed Buffy into his arms and hugged her tight.
A loud noise came from downstairs and Xander, Buffy, and Angel ran out of Buffy's room and pounded down the stairs. They ran into the kitchen and found the back door open.
"What's that door doing.." Buffy started.
"Anya!" Xander said. He ran to Anya, who was barely conscious on the floor, and propped her up in his arms as Buffy looked out the door.
"Vampires.. they took.." Anya said woozily as Angel grabbed a chair and helped Xander put Anya in it.
Angel looked at the bleeding bump on her head. "That head wound looks bad. We better get her to a hospital."
"Took her.."
"Easy, An. Don't try to talk." Xander said.
"Dawn.."
"What? Anya, what about Dawn?" Buffy asked.
"She ran out.. Took her.. Vampires." Anya passed out.
"Oh God. Oh God." Buffy ran out the back door.
"Buffy!" Angel called after her.
"Take care of Anya!" Buffy called back.
Angel stood in the kitchen, looking through a book, when Buffy and Dawn walked into the kitchen. He smiled as Buffy gave him a quick kiss on the lips and Joyce came through the front door.
"Sorry it ran so late. Everything go okay?" Joyce asked.
Dawn looked worriedly at Buffy, who said, "Yeah. Got the vamps, and we, uh, watched some TV."
"Well, at least one of us is supposed to be in bed by now."
Dawn went, kissed her mother, and looked at Buffy as she went upstairs. Buffy returned the look for a moment, then turned to Joyce as she opened the fridge.
"So how was the exhibit?" Angel asked.
"It was great. That little gallery is a lot of work."
"Maybe Angel and I could help you next time you have a big opening." Buffy said.
"That would be nice. What are you two doing tomorrow?"
"Well, Giles bought the Magic Box and he's setting it up. Angel and I promised that we would help out a little."
"Could you watch Dawn for me? I have a meeting in LA."
"I guess. As long as she doesn't get in the way."
Dawn sat in the corner, writing in her journal the next day at the Magic Box. Buffy, Angel, and Giles were looking about the place. Much of the inventory was gone or in boxes. The place had a transitory look.
"Giles, are you sure about this?" Buffy asked.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Giles retorted.
"Well, apart from the fact that magic shop owners in Sunnydale have the life expectancy of a Spinal-Tap drummer, have you ever run a store before?"
"I was a librarian for years. This is exactly the same, except that people pay for the things they never return. This will give me focus, help me increase my resources and keep you lot from tramping about my flat at all hours. There may even be space for you to train in the back."
"Boy, you've really thought this through." Angel said. "How bored were you last year?"
"I watched 'Passions' with Spike. Let us never speak of it."
"Well, let's look at the back." Buffy said. She and Angel followed Giles towards the back room. Buffy stopped and went back out. "Don't break anything." She headed back in then popped back out again. "Don't touch anything." She went back, then came back out. "What you're doing there is fine. Not moving. Do that."
"Buffy!" Angel said.
"Coming!" This time Buffy went back and stayed back.
"Like dead shop keepers." Angel said.
"She didn't see him! A foot maybe. A dead foot. Which is bad, okay, but, hello, I see dead stuff all the time. You don't see mom shielding me."
"So.. You want your mother to give you space to be the slayer and shield you from it at the same time?"
"Thank you, logic boy. Did I mention this is a rant? Sense has no place in it."
"I'm getting that. What's the deal, Buffy? You've seemed really.." Buffy stopped Angel with a hand. They both tensed and then Buffy sighed.
"Trash can. From a distance it looked kinda.."
"Tense."
"Not really. More, round and squat and.."
"Uh uh. Back to what I was saying before we were rudely attacked by nothing. You've seemed really tense these past few days."
"Well, yeah. We have a new vampire gang in town. You were there."
"No. I mean, domestically tense. You're on Dawn's case a lot."
"I guess. It's just.. I know it's always been this way.. She's the baby. But, for some reason, it's really been getting to me lately. She's always around."
"Well, yeah. You're her idol, Buffy."
"Idol? I don't think so. Unless she likes to spill stuff on her idol's new leather pants and.."
"You know what I mean. You have super powers, and college, a studly yet sensitive fiancé.."
"And a pesky life-or-death job I can't quit or even take a break from."
"She doesn't get the sacrifices. She's a kid."
"Which is what bugs! She gets to be a kid, and she acts like it's the biggest burden in the world. When, sometimes, all I want to do is curl up in mom's lap and not worry about the fate of the world. I'd like to be the one who's all protected, who's waited on hand and foot."
"You're her older sister Buffy. Do you know what I would give to have my sister back?"
"God, I'm sorry. I'm being insensitive girl here. But you're a guy. It's not like your sister could steal your clothes or wear your jewelry or ruin your favorite sweater."
"Well actually.."
"What?"
"I remember one time when Kathy was younger, my mother had just bought me this new silk shirt for my birthday. I was so happy because every time I went by the store, I was either too drunk to remember that I wanted it, or my father was complaining about how I never did anything to deserve it."
"I forgot you and your dad were never on great terms."
"Yeah, but anyways.. I got so mad at Kathy when I came in the next day and she was trying to hide the shirt from me because she had dropped dark blue paint all over it."
"Paint?"
"Yes, Buffy, we had paint back then."
"No, I meant.. Your sister painted?"
"She'd always wanted to grow up and become famous. Like DiVinci. I yelled at her for it and it upset her so much. Of course I didn't mean to yell at her. It was just that I was so mad at her for it."
"I bet. If Dawn had spilt paint all over my new red silk top that I got last week, I would probably stake her multiple times."
"Not my point Buffy. My point is: I forgave her. I apologized and forgave her because she was my sister and I loved her. Just like you love Dawn. One day you're going to look back on all this stuff and laugh because you realized that it was all so stupid."
"And speaking of Dawn.. I think we better head back. Xander must be dying to get out of there."
"We have a problem." Xander said as he opened the door for Buffy and Angel.
"What's Dawn done now?" Buffy asked.
"Well.. It's not really Dawn's fault."
"Then what is it?" Buffy asked, hopping up on the kitchen counter.
"Harmony wants to kill you."
"What?"
"She's the one that's been gathering forces to try to kill you. She came by earlier looking for you."
"Harmony wants to kill me?"
"Yeah."
"And she's got a gang?"
"Pretty much."
Buffy looked over at Angel and they both burst out laughing. "Har-Harmony has mi-minions?"
"Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction."
"I'm sorry.. I just.." Buffy started to laugh harder. "Harmony has minions!"
"And Ruffles have ridges. Buffy, there's actually a more serious side to all this.."
"I hope so. I'm having trouble breathing." Buffy laughed, tears forming in her eyes. "Like what?"
"Well.. She did come here to kill you."
Buffy started to laugh again. Angel tried to stop laughing while saying, "Buffy, c'mon. They've killed once that we know of. She could be a threat to you."
"Especially now that she can enter your house anytime she wants." Anya said. Buffy and Angel both stopped laughing and looked over at Anya then Xander.
"What?" Buffy asked.
"Uh, yeah, actually, she.. Harmony.. kinda happened to sorta get an invite." Xander said.
"You can't invite her in. Only someone who lives here can.." Buffy realized who had done it. "Where is she?"
"In her room. I think she's still pretty freaked out." Anya said.
"DAWN!"
Xander blocked Buffy's way. "Buff, it was an accident. She didn't mean it."
"Oh, well, that makes it all right then, doesn't it?"
"No, but believe me.. Nobody feels worse than her right now."
"I don't care. She should know better."
"Buffy, calm down. It was an accident, I'm sure." Angel said. Buffy marched up the stairs and headed towards Dawn's room. Angel grabbed her arm and turned her towards her bedroom. Xander followed them in and Angel shut the door. "Buffy, you need to calm down. She's just a kid."
"It was an accident Buff." Xander said. "It just came out."
Buffy sighed and started to pack weapons into her Slayer's bag. Angel watched her as she grabbed her coat. "Lot of weapons for somebody you weren't sweating twenty minutes ago." He said.
"That was before I found out my sister gave Harmony a backstage pass to kill us in our sleep." Buffy said.
"Buff, I left word with Willow. She'll come, do a return engagement of her uninvitation spell, probably still has the stuff from last week, and, bang- boom, you're back in the Fortress of Solitude. All better." Xander said.
"No, not all better, Xander. It's not like she hasn't grown up in this house, knowing the rules. Especially the biggie, Numero Uno: Do NOT invite bloodsucking dead people into our home. Sorry Angel."
"It's ok." Angel said.
"I mean, please, I'd never have Harmony over here when she was alive."
"Okay, granted, it was Dawn's bad, but like Angel said, she's just a kid." Xander said.
"Will everyone stop saying that? I was a kid when I met my first vampire and, somehow, I remembered the rules."
"You had to, it was your job." Angel said.
"It was common sense. But nobody expects even that much from Dawn, do they? No, Dawn has to be coddled and protected from the big bad world. Well, you know what? We're turning Dawn into a little idiot whose going to get us all killed!" Buffy paused and looked Angel in the eyes. "She's got to be more careful. I can't be there to watch over her twenty-four hours a day. I just can't."
"I know." Angel grabbed Buffy into his arms and hugged her tight.
A loud noise came from downstairs and Xander, Buffy, and Angel ran out of Buffy's room and pounded down the stairs. They ran into the kitchen and found the back door open.
"What's that door doing.." Buffy started.
"Anya!" Xander said. He ran to Anya, who was barely conscious on the floor, and propped her up in his arms as Buffy looked out the door.
"Vampires.. they took.." Anya said woozily as Angel grabbed a chair and helped Xander put Anya in it.
Angel looked at the bleeding bump on her head. "That head wound looks bad. We better get her to a hospital."
"Took her.."
"Easy, An. Don't try to talk." Xander said.
"Dawn.."
"What? Anya, what about Dawn?" Buffy asked.
"She ran out.. Took her.. Vampires." Anya passed out.
"Oh God. Oh God." Buffy ran out the back door.
"Buffy!" Angel called after her.
"Take care of Anya!" Buffy called back.
Angel stood in the kitchen, looking through a book, when Buffy and Dawn walked into the kitchen. He smiled as Buffy gave him a quick kiss on the lips and Joyce came through the front door.
"Sorry it ran so late. Everything go okay?" Joyce asked.
Dawn looked worriedly at Buffy, who said, "Yeah. Got the vamps, and we, uh, watched some TV."
"Well, at least one of us is supposed to be in bed by now."
Dawn went, kissed her mother, and looked at Buffy as she went upstairs. Buffy returned the look for a moment, then turned to Joyce as she opened the fridge.
"So how was the exhibit?" Angel asked.
"It was great. That little gallery is a lot of work."
"Maybe Angel and I could help you next time you have a big opening." Buffy said.
"That would be nice. What are you two doing tomorrow?"
"Well, Giles bought the Magic Box and he's setting it up. Angel and I promised that we would help out a little."
"Could you watch Dawn for me? I have a meeting in LA."
"I guess. As long as she doesn't get in the way."
Dawn sat in the corner, writing in her journal the next day at the Magic Box. Buffy, Angel, and Giles were looking about the place. Much of the inventory was gone or in boxes. The place had a transitory look.
"Giles, are you sure about this?" Buffy asked.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Giles retorted.
"Well, apart from the fact that magic shop owners in Sunnydale have the life expectancy of a Spinal-Tap drummer, have you ever run a store before?"
"I was a librarian for years. This is exactly the same, except that people pay for the things they never return. This will give me focus, help me increase my resources and keep you lot from tramping about my flat at all hours. There may even be space for you to train in the back."
"Boy, you've really thought this through." Angel said. "How bored were you last year?"
"I watched 'Passions' with Spike. Let us never speak of it."
"Well, let's look at the back." Buffy said. She and Angel followed Giles towards the back room. Buffy stopped and went back out. "Don't break anything." She headed back in then popped back out again. "Don't touch anything." She went back, then came back out. "What you're doing there is fine. Not moving. Do that."
"Buffy!" Angel said.
"Coming!" This time Buffy went back and stayed back.