Chapter 21

"I'm sorry, Dawnie. Can't stay in this time. You'll have to learn to deal" Willow patiently tried to explain.
Dawn's eyes had a furious focus into hers.

"You can't do this to me, Will" She complained and crossed her arms.

"I'm sorry I waited this long to tell you, but you have got to face each other some day" Willow tried to lay her hand on the teenagers shoulder, but she turned away.

Don't want this
I'm not ready

"Come on now, Dawnie. Buffy took it pretty well, didn't she?" Willow tried to reason.

"How did you know about that?" Dawn narrowed her eyes. She saw that the witch became slightly nervous at the question.

"Well, it's.. Buffy and I"

"You're lying" Dawn cut her of.

Willow rolled her eyes. "Ok, I might have helped a little" she admitted.

"How could you! How could you even create the thought of Buffy approving me and Spike?"

"Don't make it such a biggie" Willow reacted slightly annoyed by now.

"It is a big deal!"
You liar

"Ok fine, how would you like me to undo it? You would never have been giving the gift that Spike wanted you to have!"

That gift. Still haven't opened it. Dawn realized.

"I thought that maybe, just maybe you'd feel loved at least by somebody. I thought that for once you could finally have what you wanted. I tried to do something for you, Dawnie"

"Why would you?"
I don't understand…

"Cause you're not alone like you always think you are. We do care about you. I do care about you. Spike loves you" Willow's eyes started to water. "And I could finally prove to Tara that me doing magic could actually do something good"

My head is about to explode, help me! Dawn calmed down. That moment to make matters worse the doorbell rang and it could only be one person.

Dawn shook her head and ran upstairs. Safe to her room. Where she hope she'd be safe.

"What happened?" She heard his voice from downstairs.

"Don't ask, Spike" was Willow's answer. "I need to get away"

So much confusion.
It's too much.

She heard the front door close and the sound of the television switching on.
Dawn laid there listening to the sounds. Eventually it was silent.
When she heard footsteps coming up the stairs she switched her bed light of.
She heard his breathing. She heard him sitting down in her chair. Felt his gaze focused on her. He was guarding her like a dog.
And she wanted nothing more than his arms around her safely.
But she couldn't permit herself to let him know that she was awake.
She wasn't quite ready.

For another confrontation.