With Dawn safely out of the house
Buffy knew she had to face her father, she also prayed Spike wouldn’t say
anything to give Dawn reason to think Buffy wanted to get rid of her. After
taking several deep breaths Buffy moved into the lounge. She saw him seated in
a chair and knew from past experience with him that from the position he took
and how he was seated he meant business. But Buffy was stronger than him in so
many ways, being the Slayer had taught her how to handle herself in most
situations but this was a situation that she just had to dive into and figure
out later.
“Why are you here?” her voice
sounded strange to her, it was almost and animalistic growl.
“We both know the answer to that
Buffy.”
“What did you think coming here
would achieve?”
“I had hoped that you would
simply…” Buffy knew what was coming, she was furious and indignant that he
would, could even think that, she could feel heat rising up her neck and felt
like she would explode at the audacity of the man she had once loved so much. He
was her father but he certainly wasn’t her dad.
“Help her pack her bags and wave
you off. Are you completely stupid? Did you really think that I would do that?
Did the conversation we had mean nothing to you? Were you even listening?” Hank
felt like a naughty little child being chastised by a teacher or a parent, he
wouldn’t let that happen. He stood. Buffy knew what he was trying to achieve
and straightened her back and rose to her full height. He was still easily
taller than her but…no she thought. She refused to use her Slayer abilities to
get her out of this. Hank had known that she wouldn’t give up this easily but
felt it was worth a try. He had a piece of paper burning a hole in his back
pocket. He felt sure that even the threat of such a thing would be enough.
“Buffy I am her father and she
belongs with me.”
“Belongs with you, a father who
has had no contact with her in the last 4 years, whereas me her sister has been
here through everything. I looked her when mom was sick. While mom was
recovering I looked after both of them. I had a few weeks off then mom died. I
became the mom, laying down the rules going to parent teacher day. I was her
everything. Do you have any idea how hard it’s been?”
“Exactly and now when I offer to
relieve the burden you refuse.”
“Dawn is not a burden! Where were
you 6 months ago when I needed help, well guess what we have a nice little
routine going here and it works? I said how hard it’s been, I never said it was
hard anymore. We still have a few kinks and bumps to smooth out but I have
something that you can’t give her. Love. You don’t love anyone except yourself.
Don’t think I don’t know where you were when we needed you most, sunbathing and
drinking sangria with your 20-year-old secretary. When are you gonna grow up.
Stay any longer and you might start hitting on my friends, hell you might even
start hitting on Dawn’s friends. Deep down she knew she was fighting a losing
battle after all he was her father how could she compete with that.
“Buffy I’ll go to court over
this. Who do you think will win a young girl with no source of income or her
father a man who has money to throw around.”
“You never threw any our way
before why now?”
“Cos she’s my daughter she
belongs with me.”
“Don’t tell me the next woman you
have your eye on is a babysitter.”
“You’ll never take her. You will
have to go through me first.”
“Buffy you can come too, you
don’t have to stay and be separated.”
“My life is here, not LA. So is
hers. Even in court it won’t be as easy as you think it is. I do have a source
of income. I have a job and my boyfriend has a job too. And we have a lodger,
who is perfectly safe as she’s my best friend. Besides Dawn is established
here, she’s doing well in school. All her friends are here. One more thing in
my favour she’s not a little kid, she’s almost an adult she can make her own
decision about where she wants to be.” Buffy was almost at boiling point.
“Buffy I want my daughter and
will take her if I have to.” That was it if this arrogant self-assured man
thought he could just barge into their lives after 4 years and take control he
was seriously mistaken.
“Get out of my home now.” Hank
stood his ground, refusing to let his daughter beat him.
“I SAID GET OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Buffy screamed at him. Hank flinched but made no move to leave. Buffy had never
wanted to hurt a human, even Snyder, this much. But she knew she could kill him
and so tried to keep her temper under control, she knew if this conversation
continued she wouldn’t be able to stop herself. She calmly went to the front
door and opened it, she then returned to Hank.
“The
door is open just walk through it.” Hank stood firm. Buffy calm as ever now
crossed the room to pick Hank up by the collar of his extremely expensive silk
shirt and lifted him off the floor, Hank was surprised was an understatement
flabbergasted by his daughter’s display of strength so much so that what she
was doing didn’t register until he felt the ground beneath him and realised she
had thrown him out, literally.
Hank
was still sat in his car an hour later when Buffy glanced through the window to
see if Dawn was coming. By the time if got dark he was gone but Dawn still
wasn’t home. She was concerned but not overly worried because as Willow had
pointed out Dawn was probably still with Spike as it had been over 2 weeks that
she’d been allowed out other than school. Plus she still had a crush on him.
But Buffy became deathly worried when Spike showed up to return Dawn’s bag that
she had forgotten. With the all the Scooby gang already at the house when Spike
got there panic reigned supreme.
“Okay
we should split into groups and search town go to all the places she’d g. we
should have someone to stay here though in case she comes back and to check
round all her friends houses.” It was only then Willow realised Buffy was just
sat silently in a chair watching everything that was going on.
“Buffy?”
The time that Dawn had disappeared before Buffy had become catatonic and Willow
feared the same would happen now.
“Don’t
bother she won’t be found here.” The whole group stopped their organisation
plan and stared at her.
“Don’t
worry the niblet’s probably just got taking to one of her mates we’ll find
her.”
“No you won’t. Last week when you came in with Dawn and I was on the phone shouting and I said that it was someone trying to scam us, I lied. It was my father and he called to tell me he wanted Dawn in LA. He came earlier, that’s why I sent Dawn on that little “errand.” He wanted her to go back with him. I told him to go. He said he’d quite willingly go to court over it, as he’s her father he’d probably get custody so. I threw him out because he wouldn’t leave. He was just sat in his car for ages and then I looked out and it was g one. Now I know why he suddenly went.”