Family
“The first person to come in here is the first person I kill!” The shout emerged from behind a door, decorated with letters spelling out ‘Dawn’s Room.’ “I mean it, first come, first killed!”
“Dawn, come on, open the door, let’s talk about this.” Buffy begged. Oh, she wouldn’t admit that that was what she was doing, but Xander knew that tone of voice well. Had needed to use it often enough. She was definitely begging.
The whole thing started when Buffy wouldn’t drive Dawn to the party she wanted to go to. Then Dawn had gotten angry, she said some things. Then Buffy said some things, and then the things escalated to flying objects and harsh words. Now Dawn had locked herself in her room.
Xander had watched it all safely from the kitchen, where he still was. He listened to Buffy beg some more, and Dawn yell some more, and then slipped out the back door. He was pretty sure no one would notice he was gone.
“What’s going on in there?” Spike materialized out of the darkness. Of course he did.
“I think it’s a sister thing. They have to yell at each other to show they care or something.” He made a vague gesture to indicate the ‘something.’ Spike just nodded sagely.
“Siblings, can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em.” He paused for a moment, as if considering something. “Actually, you can live without ‘em, probably a lot easier too.” There was something in Spike’s voice as he said that.
“Speaking from experience?” Xander asked.
Spike grimaced, “yeah.”
“Life or unlife?” Meaning before Spike was a vampire, or after.
“Unlife. Was an only child in life, always wanted a sibling. A little sister of brother to look after. Or an older one who would look after me.” Spike snorted, as if at his own naivete. “Then I got turned, learned what a pain brothers really are.”
“I thought it was just you and Dru?”
“Nah, was also this git named Penn. He used to piss me off and rile me up on purpose, then get me in trouble with Angelus.” Spike’s expression darkened, remembering.
“Not pleasant memories?”
“No.”
Upstairs Dawn had finally let Buffy in, and there was crying and apologizing all around.
“I never wanted a brother or a sister,” Xander confessed.
“You’re a smart bloke.”
“Maybe. Maybe I just didn’t want anyone else to have to put up with my parents.” Xander thought about it. “If I could have had a family like Buffy has, maybe I would have wanted siblings.”
Spike was quiet for a moment. “They love each other, even through the tough stuff.”
“Yeah,” Xander agreed.
“You Scoobies are like that, through thick and thin, one for all and all for one and stuff.” Spike observed.
Xander thought, “yeah.”
Spike seemed to waver before making his next comment. “That’s more family than a lot of people get.”
Xander smiled. He thought of Willow, Buffy and Giles. He thought of Dawn, Tara, and Anya. He even thought of Spike. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
He turned around to go back into the house, Spike followed behind him.
“Dawn, come on, open the door, let’s talk about this.” Buffy begged. Oh, she wouldn’t admit that that was what she was doing, but Xander knew that tone of voice well. Had needed to use it often enough. She was definitely begging.
The whole thing started when Buffy wouldn’t drive Dawn to the party she wanted to go to. Then Dawn had gotten angry, she said some things. Then Buffy said some things, and then the things escalated to flying objects and harsh words. Now Dawn had locked herself in her room.
Xander had watched it all safely from the kitchen, where he still was. He listened to Buffy beg some more, and Dawn yell some more, and then slipped out the back door. He was pretty sure no one would notice he was gone.
“What’s going on in there?” Spike materialized out of the darkness. Of course he did.
“I think it’s a sister thing. They have to yell at each other to show they care or something.” He made a vague gesture to indicate the ‘something.’ Spike just nodded sagely.
“Siblings, can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em.” He paused for a moment, as if considering something. “Actually, you can live without ‘em, probably a lot easier too.” There was something in Spike’s voice as he said that.
“Speaking from experience?” Xander asked.
Spike grimaced, “yeah.”
“Life or unlife?” Meaning before Spike was a vampire, or after.
“Unlife. Was an only child in life, always wanted a sibling. A little sister of brother to look after. Or an older one who would look after me.” Spike snorted, as if at his own naivete. “Then I got turned, learned what a pain brothers really are.”
“I thought it was just you and Dru?”
“Nah, was also this git named Penn. He used to piss me off and rile me up on purpose, then get me in trouble with Angelus.” Spike’s expression darkened, remembering.
“Not pleasant memories?”
“No.”
Upstairs Dawn had finally let Buffy in, and there was crying and apologizing all around.
“I never wanted a brother or a sister,” Xander confessed.
“You’re a smart bloke.”
“Maybe. Maybe I just didn’t want anyone else to have to put up with my parents.” Xander thought about it. “If I could have had a family like Buffy has, maybe I would have wanted siblings.”
Spike was quiet for a moment. “They love each other, even through the tough stuff.”
“Yeah,” Xander agreed.
“You Scoobies are like that, through thick and thin, one for all and all for one and stuff.” Spike observed.
Xander thought, “yeah.”
Spike seemed to waver before making his next comment. “That’s more family than a lot of people get.”
Xander smiled. He thought of Willow, Buffy and Giles. He thought of Dawn, Tara, and Anya. He even thought of Spike. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
He turned around to go back into the house, Spike followed behind him.