Snippet: Consequences

["buffythebushkangaroo" <buffythebushkangaroo@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

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Anne-Lise.

--

"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 amongst 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.

*

End Snippet.