Footsteps
could be heard pounding the pavement behind her. She quickened her step. But
the footsteps got faster too. The girl sped up almost at a run now. She kept
glancing over her shoulder, but could see nothing. She finally thought she had
lost whoever had been following her but then they came back faster than ever.
She could see the safety of her home in front of her now and so began to run.
She looked over her shoulder and ran into someone or she thought maybe that
should be something. She turned her head cautiously afraid to look at what she
had been stopped by. She could see her home it was almost in her reach now. Her
head was facing front now but still unwilling to discover what was in front she
kept her eyes tight shut.
“What you running for Lil Bit?
Big sis Buffy gonna get mad at ya cos you’re late home or something?”
“Spike.” Relieve washed over her
as she realised it was Spike who had stopped her, she knew now that she could
be miles from home and she would still be safe. Spike would never let anything
hurt her.
“What’s wrong?”
“Something was following me.”
What could only be described as either brotherly or fatherly concern washed
over Spike’s usually annoyed features.
“You alright?” She could only
nod.
“Well best get you into big
sister Buffy while I look round for a bit.” He put his arm round her shoulders
and began to walk with her the few yards to her home. He could feel her
shivering.
“Sure you’re alright Niblet?”
“Yes.” Dawn and Spike went inside
the Summers’ home and Dawn instantly knew something was wrong. Buffy was
shouting. Buffy hardly ever shouted even at her, let alone Willow who was the
only person who could be here. Dawn looked at Spike the fear re-establishing
itself on her face. Spike left Dawn and was about to go into the dining room
and then to the kitchen but as he was just entering the dining room a voice
that was usually even greeted them with false cheeriness.
“Hey Dawnie, you’re home already.
I thought you were staying out later.” Only then did she notice Spike.
“He didn’t have to bring you home
did he? You didn’t run off again.”
“No!” Spike winced at the tone of
Dawn’s voice.
“Just saw Dawn down the street
coming home and since I was coming here too decided to walk with the niblet.”
Dawn seemed more relaxed now and didn’t seem to notice the hesitation and fake
normalness Willow was omitting.
“Dawn can you go and get
the…the…the… blue silk scarf you borrowed?” Dawn’s face broke into a smile.
“The blue one?” Willow nodded.
“Tara’s favourite?” Willow looked slightly taken aback but nodded again.
“You’re going to see her, has she called does she want to make up?” All fear
and nervousness about Buffy shouting and being followed had disappeared from
Dawn as she ran up the stairs, however Spike was not as easily distracted. His
intense stare made Willow extremely nervous.
“Why did you need to get rid of
the niblet? What’s Buffy shouting at? Why isn’t she on patrol? What’s wrong
with you, you’re nervous and jumpy?” The questions were flying from Spike’s
mouth and he realised he was acting as if he cared. But that was the problem he
did, he cared a lot about both the Summers women.
“Buffy is talking to her dad on
the phone and she’s just mad and Dawn was mentioned so I figured she wouldn’t
want Dawn to overhear anything look what happened the last time Dawn discovered
something.”
“No! I won’t let you, ever!”
Buffy slammed the phone down but knew that wouldn’t be an end to it but why sit
anything up yet, she didn’t want to upset Dawn not until she had to. So Buffy
let it lie and made up something she felt was believable to tell Willow and
Spike.
Dawn was sat on the stairs and looking longingly at the door. She was grounded again for being late. She desperately wanted to talk to Spike, he understood. He was her best friend out of the Scoobies. But was he really a Scooby. No she didn’t think he was mainly because he wouldn’t want to be put in the group, in fact he would hate being given the same label as Xander. There was an unexpected knock and Dawn thought it had to e Spike he was the only one who came to the house unexpectedly. She ran to the door knowing not to leave him out there for too long or he would burn and be furious with them.
“Dad!” Hank Summers grabbed his
youngest daughter into a big bear hug.
“Dawn, my little baby.” Dawn
pulled out of the hug. Buffy came through from the kitchen.
“Who’s at the door Dawn?” Buffy
practically collapsed at the sight of her father, she knew it wouldn’t end but
hadn’t believed he would make the effort to drive from LA to Sunnydale.
“Buffy.”
“Hank.” Surprised at the
sharpness in her voice Buffy turned towards the kitchen knowing what was to
come she had to get Dawn out of here. Hank was shocked not only by the sharp
way Buffy addressed him but the fact she had called him Hank. Never before had
his poor behaviour warranted such a cold greeting. Dawn stared at Buffy and
knew that something was wrong, she felt the tension and the undercurrent
between the father she had once been completely devoted too and the sister she
had once hated. It seemed funny to dawn how her feelings had changed, the
father was now almost a figment of her imagination. He never called or wrote.
Never acknowledged either of their existences. She knew Buffy had called him a
thousand times while mom was sick and about the funeral and still he returned
no call, sent no flowers he didn’t even show up out of respect. She didn’t
really feel anything for her father now but even though Buffy annoyed her and
felt she was being treat unfairly by her she realised she gave Buffy the hero
worship that had once been given to her father.
“Dawn come in here for a second.
Hank you can go and sit in the lounge, if of course you can even remember where
that is.” Hank reached out to touch Dawn’s shoulder but she jolted away from
him as though his touch could burn her. Wearily he went and positioned himself
in the seat in the lounge where he felt he would get most attention and
respect.
Dawn stepped into the kitchen,
she wanted to ask Buffy what was wrong and why she was acting so cold. Dawn
understood that she could hate their father but to go as far as to call him
Hank she didn’t understand.
“Spike called he needs some blood
that he left here and his blanket, take them to him.” Dawn knew that it wasn’t
a request it was an order. Buffy noticed the hesitation and in an effort to
cheer things up she tried a joke.
“If you check the rules and
regulations of groundings you will find that you can leave the house if you are
running an errand for your wonderful, beautiful but busy big sister.” Dawn
tried to manage a smile at her sister’s attempt at cheering her up but since
she couldn’t see her face she didn’t know if she managed it.