Taking Charge.

[dawnie_summers_]

This is pathetic. Really pathetic.

I'm in Italy - Rome. I should be ecstatic, bouncing off the walls. Enjoying all the amazing fashions and food, just in general happy to be living in freaking Europe at 17, right

Comments

[the_xand_man_]

Nowadays, Xander just hasn't been a happy camper.

"Uh huh... yeah... I know Mr. Springfeild..." I muttered with a sigh, checking the clock for what I'm pretty sure was the hundereth billionth time I've looked to see when I can take the next batch of Tylenol. Still another forty minutes, and the crap has already worn out on me. I'm going to write an angry letter.

... If I can ever get off the phone.

Working for a construction company isn't new business to me, but I didn't expect them to, y'know, like me this much. So to speak. It's kind of wiggy. And between missing Anya, and missing blonde-slayer-who-will-not-be-named... I'm pretty much screwed socially. So if I had to hack a guess, I'd say the reason why they're so fond of me is because I'm a regular worker bee who doesn't say no to anything extra.

Well gee, what else am I going to do, talk to the best friends and people I love that are completely not here? A guy tends to look a little nutty when he's sitting talking to himself. Just a little.

I heard a click that signaled call waiting on the other line. Oh thank you, angels have answered my prayers. "Mr. Springfeild, I'll call you back in a jiff." I switched over on Mr. Bald-N-Angry before he could say anything else.

"Xander here."

[dawnie_summers_]

"Hey Xander, it's Dawn." I replied when he answered.

I wasn't too sure, but he sounded a little stressed. Maybe it would cheer him up a little to hear a friendly voice. Of course, if he doesn't like my idea, me asking about it is likely to undo it all over again. I'm just gonna have to cross my fingers and hope for the best.

"I didn't catch you at a bad time, did I? Because I can call back later...it's not a big deal." I told him, hoping he'd stay on the line.

[the_xand_man_]

"Hey Xander, it's Dawn."

Dawn? Why is she... is something wrong with Buffy? Wait, why would she be calling me if something's wrong with Buffy? Buffy's in Italy. Now I'm Confused Xander, ontop of Pounding Migraine of Doom Xander. This is not making for a good day.

"Dawn hey..." I was about to ask if something was up, when she as her next question.

"I didn't catch you at a bad time, did I? Because I can call back later...it's not a big deal."

"What? No. Just... work related stress... the usual. Is everything okay?" Please let everything be okay, there isn't exactly anything I can do about it if it isn't, and feeling helpless isn't a forte I'm fond of.

[dawnie_summers_]

"Everything's fine, Xander...breathe." I insisted, smiling slightly over how panicked he sounded. Not that I wanted him to sound panicked, because generally a bad thing, but panic equals caring.

"You know, I think maybe you worry a little too much." I smirked, "I'm fine, and as far as I know Buffy is too...but I wouldn't really take my word on that, since, you know, I almost never see her. I get why that is...Slayer stuff, but sometimes, I swear, I saw her more when we had a house full of potientals..." I trailed off slightly for a moment. I was being completely whiny, and that's the last thing Xander needed to hear if he was all stressed out. "I guess it was just easier to deal with the MIA sister when there were other people around to notice that I'm there."

This would be easier if I could just out and out say, 'Hey Xand, mind if I come stay with you for a while?' but when has anything about my life ever been simple?

"Okay, I'm not even sure any of what I just said really makes any kind of actual sense."

[the_xand_man_]

"... I guess it was just easier to deal with the MIA sister when there were other people around to notice that I'm there."

Okay, need a moment to decipher the Dawnie babble. Either she's looking for me to lend an ear -- something I'm always happy to do, or she's trying to feel me out as far as getting her out of there. Why else would she be calling me?

"Good. I'm glad everything's fine." I relaxed a bit. "Like I said, it's been a long past... well... while." I shrugged, sitting down in a chair with a sigh.

"Okay, I'm not even sure any of what I just said really makes any kind of actual sense."

"No I got it. Okay well, I got most of it. Buffy's been anti-social because she's been taking care of all the new slayers. And I'm sensing that Giles and Will aern't around so much." Use the force... Oh God, that was an Andrew moment. I'm now disgusted with myself. "But I'm also guessing at there's something you want to ask me that you're not asking.'

[dawnie_summers_]

I nodded slightly, even though I knew he couldn't see me. God he was good. It was kinda creepy. Definitely would be if I wasn't so used to him doing that constantly, anyway.

"Yeah...not that it's really all that well thought out or anything...just, I know being here is supposed to be some amazing experience that anyone would totally envy, but here's the thing: it's really freaking lonely. Will and Giles...are like, never here. Off in some random part of the world tracking down new slayers. So that leaves me pretty much by myself. And there's only so much fun to be had exploring Rome all by yourself with no one to talk about the stuff you're seeing or doing with....and I need to stop rambling." I laughed nervously. Why couldn't I just ask him. Because I was terrified of his response. Duh.

I took a deep breath. Had to get it over with. "Anyway, to sort of sum up that ramble...out of curiosity, would you mind terribly if the littlest Summers came back states' side and stayed with you until graduation?" I questioned. "I won't get in your way...you'll barely even notice I'm there, I promise...I just...if Buffy's this busy, I might as well be graduating from an American school where I actually have a slim chance of making some friends that understand me, right? And being where there's someone who might notice that I actually exist every few days is a nice bonus."

[the_xand_man_]

"... I might as well be graduating from an American school where I actually have a slim chance of making some friends that understand me, right? And being where there's someone who might notice that I actually exist every few days is a nice bonus."

Woah woah woah, back up. Stay here? I looked around my appartment, thinking it wasn't exactly very teenage girl friendly. And she wants to stay here? "Dawn..." I had absolutely no clue what to say.

"I don't know. I mean, I haven't had anyone around here for a while, and..." Lame excuse Harris, come up with something better. "I don't know." Yeah, that was loads better. "Okay, let's put it this way. Me guy, you teenage girl." Cavespeak, this is getting good. "I'm not sure this'll work. It's not about you getting in my way, because you won't be either way, I'm just not sure you'd be comfortable here."

I sighed. "Does Buffy even know you're asking me about this?"

[dawnie_summers_]

"Not yet." I admitted, "Kinda saw no point to the huge fight if you were gonna say no." I pointed out. This so wasn't going the way I hoped. Not that I'd expected him to be all super excited, but I wasn't expecting him to wig entirely on me.

"And Xand? Why exactly is it you're so convinced I wouldn't be comfortable there? You're practically my big brother. Besides...didn't Buffy pretty much tell you to take me and never come back before the battle with the First to keep me safe? Kinda would have had to deal with the you guy, me teenage girl factor at some point." I sighed slightly, my mind spinning...trying to figure out what his huge issue with this was, what had changed so much in the few months since Buffy and I went to Italy.

[the_xand_man_]

I sighed, and glanced at the clock again. Because you're going to keep reminding me of Buffy, that's why. "I know." I leaned back in my chair. "Okay, this is how we're going to work it." And maybe if I'm lucky, I won't have to deal with any emotional drama or become Angsty Xander.

"Talk to Buffy. I want to hear what she thinks. If she's okay with you coming back here, I'll let you stay, no problem." That should satisfy her enough, and she should know I'd leave it up to Buffy anyway. It's not exactly my call.

[dawnie_summers_]

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I answered automatically. "I'll talk to Buffy as soon as I can, and I'll get back to you with what she said...unless you'd rather hear it directly from her, because in that case I can have her call you after I talk to her about it."

Half the challenge was basically done. Xander said he's okay with it, on the condition Buffy is. Now comes the real work. Convincing my sister that me living in LA when she's in Rome is actually a workable concept...

Right...this is so not going to work.

"Anyway...thank you again, Xander. I should probably let you get back to work or whatever it was you were doing before I interrupted."

[the_xand_man_]

"Actually the interrupting was an okay thing, and just trust me on that." I smiled a little, and looked at the clock. Fifteen minutes. Yay. "And don't worry about having her call me, just let me know what happens after you talk to her."

I sat up and got another click, meaning another call was coming in. "I'll talk to you later Dawnie." I hit the button, only to be greeted by Mr. Springfeild all over again.

Crap. "Yes Mr. Springfeild, I'm sorry, I know I cut you off..." The clock needs to move faster. Right now.