| Dawnty's Inferno Part 6 Author: Jerri Cocke Summary: Dawn and Spike share a friendship that no one else would ever understand. Disclaimer: Joss owns all, I own none. I do try not to break them to badly before I return them. Distribution: If you have, take. If not, ask. Spoilers: The Body Feedback: It gives me a happy. "Daddy, Momma died this afternoon. I'm sorry I don't know how else to tell you. Dawn isn't taking it very well and," "Dad, what do you mean, `Who's Dawn?' You know, Dawn, 14, pain in the." "No, Dad, I guess I am just upset. No, I don't know what the arrangements will be yet." "Fine, I'll talk to you later." Oh, god what was she going to do now. How could their own father not know who Dawn was? Buffy snapped out of her funk, she needed to talk to Giles and she needed to talk to him now. She hit speeddial on the phone, waited impatiently, finally, "Giles, get over here, now, we've got a problem." "Buffy, is that you?" sleepily came the reply. "Duh, yes Buffy. Get over here! Big problem that is going to get bigger." "Give me 15 minutes. I'll be right there." somewhat more alertly. Meanwhile: Spike looked down at the woman who had become his first human friend, tears ran down his face. "Bloody hell, why'd you have to go and die. Who'll give me hot chocolate with those neat little marshmallows in it now. I'm sorry that I never told you how much you meant to me. I wish that I could go back and say it to you. I did care for you, Joyce. I'll miss you so much." He gently laid one hand against her cold cheek. "I promise that I'll protect Dawn from anything that could hurt her." He added quickly, "Even Buffy." He turned with a swirl of his duster and left the morgue, if he was going to teach Dawn to survive on the Hellmouth he needed to get a few things, and that meant he had to contact his grandsire. He knew that Angel would help him, reluctantly, but he would help. Back at Casa de Summers: "Giles, I talked to Dad. I don't know how or why, but he doesn't remember Dawn, at all. He has no idea that she exists. How am I going to tell Dawn that the only parent she has left doesn't know who she is?" Giles steepled his fingers in front of his face and thought. "Er, um, this is unexpected. I don't know how, but we know that we must tell her. I don't think we want another episode of her discovering a truth that we've withheld from her. I think that we should tell her first thing in the morning." "Yeah, but how? Giles I don't know how to do this. I don't know how to be the parent of a 14 year old. I need help. She sneaked out tonight, to walk in the park and think of mom she said, but," "That is not good. She could be in grave danger." "And I didn't know where she was, and I couldn't protect her. Giles, what am I gonna do?" Giles cleaned his glasses and thought, hard. "I will help you all I can Buffy, but I've never been a parent, either." "You've been more of a father to Willow, Xander and I then our own fathers, doesn't that count for something." Dawn turned over restlessly, she just couldn't sleep, she needed to- she didn't know what she needed, but she knew it wasn't here. She would have to wait for morning to go to the crypt, but she thought Spike might have the answers. She settled back against her pillows and closed her eyes, maybe she could sleep now. Spike hung up the phone, it had been a struggle but the poof was coming through with the green, now all he needed to do was call his supplier and arrange to pick up the training gear, and find a house or something. It wouldn't do for his kitten to be traipsing around the cemetery at all hours. He needed to be someplace where she would be safe. It was getting close to sunrise, time to head for the crypt, he could do something about a house tomorrow night. Dawn wandered into the kitchen, wearing her favorite Hello Kitty nightshirt, her hair was mussed and her eyes sleepy. She never looked around her, just headed straight for the fridge and the milk. She turned around to set the milk and juice on the island and saw, Giles and Buffy sitting at the table, staring at her. Oh no, this was not of the good. She stumbled to the table and took a seat. "Tell me." was all she had to say. "Dawn, I don't know how to tell you, but here goes nothing. I called Daddy last night and told him about mom. Dawn, he didn't know who you are. He doesn't remember you the way we do. I...." Buffy stopped helplessly as tears started to roll down her pretty little sister's face. "I love you. You are my sister. Don't ever forget that." Giles glanced at the blonde who was in such pain. He shared oceans of support with her in a single glance. His heart broke as he watched his slayer, tear apart the little girl's world, knowing that there was no choice. They had kept the truth from her before, with dire consequences. They could not do it again. "Dawn, I wish I knew what to say to make it better, but I can only say that I and all the gang care very deeply for you." Dawn looked at the couple sitting at the table. She could see the strength flow between them and she knew that she had no real place here. There was only one place that she could go for the support, she needed. "I have to get dressed for school," was her only comment, as she left the room. Buffy looked helplessly at Giles and leaned into his shoulder, accepting his strength. "I just don't know what to do." "You'll do as you always do, the very best you can, and your best is formidable." Minutes later they heard the door slam as Dawn left for school. "I hope she'll be alright. I'm worried about her, is going to school this soon of the good?'" "I think we must let her maintain as much normality as we possibly can. We just have to be here to support her, when the time comes." Dawn carefully slipped through the door of the crypt, careful not to let anymore light in then necessary. She moved to sit in Spike's armchair, remembering her mom perched on the arm of the chair with Spike on the other, talking about Timmy and debating Passions. She quietly sat and thought about not having a father. A father she loved so much and who didn't know she existed, literally. She glanced at the blond, asleep on the cyrpt. She did have someone who loved her unconditionally. She might not have Dad, but she had Spike, she could learn to live with that. |