Consequences
by Anne-Lise
[reviews]
"Oh my God, Buffy!" Willow gasped as the Slayer became visible once more.
"Yeah," Buffy muttered. "I should go after them."
"No," Willow shook her head. "I mean... Your hair! Its so adorable!"
Buffy smiled. "We'd better get back home. Dawn was a little wigged earlier. Major bridge-building to do."
"Yeah... I don't think she likes me anymore," Willow sighed.
Buffy blinked. "Don't ever think that. She's had hard times." She shrugged. "So have we all, but we'll pull through."
"Its what we're always here to do," Willow sang cheerily, and badly out of tune." She gave Buffy a squeeze.
"Hey, gay girl," Buffy grinned. "Don't get no ideas."
Willow let go, but Buffy pulled her into a hug. "Not until later," she whispered.
Willow stared, wide-eyed.
*
Dawn stared into the mirror over her dresser. "Nobody pays much attention," she sang. "They misuse their time. Maybe it's better to mention, moments passing by... A secret to tell; I got something they don't have..."
In the doorway Spike lit up a cigarette with his lucky lighter.
"Yeah," he muttered, startling the young Summers. "You've got your sister."
"Is that all I am, all I'll ever be?" Dawn snapped. "Buffy's little sister." Tears leaked from the corner of her eyes. She grabbed her coat from the floor and made to barge out of the room.
"Hey," Spike moved to intercept her. "Where do you think you're going?"
Dawn stood her ground. "I'm going out."
"Not on my watch, little bit." Spike retorted.
Dawn slapped him. "You're not my keeper!" she screamed.
"Today I am." Spike pushed Dawn back. Dawn fell backwards, the push harder than Spike intended.
Dawn scrambled to her feet and kicked out at Spike. Her foot caught the side of his leg and he fell to the ground in sudden agony. Dawn fled.
On the floor, Spike grabbed his wounded leg and tried to massage the pain away. Dimly, he wondered how Dawn had managed to hurt him as badly as she had, or why his pushing her so forcefully hadn't caused the damn chip in his head to give him a jolt.
*
Buffy held Willow's hand in a tacit acknowledgment of whatever it was they were heading to. Neither of them had taken the time to fully analyse the depths of their feelings. Buffy found herself happy to try though. And happiness was something she decided she needed more of in her life. Maybe this would be a positive move. Maybe.
The front door was wide open, not a good thing.
"Stay here a moment," Buffy advised.
"You need my help," Willow replied.
Buffy gave her a look. "I'm trying to help you with the no magic, Will. But you have to help yourself, too."
Willow returned the gaze, levelly. "This isn't about abuse. This is about protecting Dawn."
"Okay..." Buffy turned back to the doorway, locking away her concerns in the face of her need to check on Dawn. "Dawn?" Buffy called out.
"She's gone," Spike said, lurching out of the shadows. "She kicked me and ran off."
Buffy stared. "But..." She trailed off as Spike slapped Willow, then rolled about comically on the floor obviously in a great deal of pain.
"Gah!" Spike rattled off a chain of expletives as he held his head.
Willow rubbed her cheek. "Explanation?" She demanded nastily. Buffy admired Willow's self-control. No pelting Spike with warty curses.
"I tried to stop her," Spike gasped. "Even to pushing her back into her room. But my chip didn't so much as give off a buzz. Then she kicked me really hard and ran off."
Buffy frowned.
"She's not completely human," Spike said.
Spike gave Buffy a slap. "Just like you aren't. Same blood, you see?"
Buffy rubbed her jaw. "You are so dead," she said.
*
Dawn wandered the streets looking for something to steal, when she heard footsteps approaching from behind her.
"Are you lost, little child?" A woman's voice called out to her.
Dawn looked around. "Not really, I... Who are you? Do I know you?"
The woman moved into the light of a streetlamp. She wore a black lace shawl over a red dress.
"I don't know... But Dru was lonely, and you seemed lonely too. Maybe we can be lonely... together."
Dawn backed away. "Didn't you used to be... I mean aren't you..."
The woman stopped. "Does Dru know you?" She asked. Then she pouted. "And I never even got a Christmas card."
"You used to be Spike's girlfriend, didn't you?" Dawn asked coming closer, fascinated.
"Spike... Spike went away." Drusilla looked down at Dawn sadly. She whimpered, then stopped, cocking her head to one side. "My, you look nice," she flattered. "Almost good enough to eat!" She giggled, and sprang.
Dawn screamed.
*
Xander spoke into his hand-held radio. "This is NightHawk, come in. Are you reading me? Over."
"I'm here, cookie-face." Anya replied.
Xander fumed as he heard giggles in the background noise behind his fiancee.
"No sign. Over."
He sighed and turned into Park Drive. Dawn was there. On the floor, with Drusilla bent over her, draining her blood.