Nothing Lost - August 31st
Twisted Shorts August Fic-a-Day Challenge - Day 31
Title: Nothing Lost
Author: hermione2be
Rating: PG/FR13/K+
Crossover: BtVS/SG1
Disclaimer: I do not own any of BtVS/Angel or Stargate people, places, or ideas. This fiction is done simply for pleasure and I receive no profit.
Summary: Dawn faces off with Buffy.
Notes: Nothing Clones Part 5 - Links Page
Seasons: Post-Series/Post-Season 7 “Fragile Balance”
Word Count: 1075
**Thank you to all the Mods and volunteers who make this possible year after you. And thank you to the writers for filling this page every August. And a lot of love to those who read and review and like, which keeps desperate authors going when the muse goes on hiatus the last 10 days of the challenge.**
Jon’s eyes swept back and forth between the two sisters. His fifty-plus brain noted that Dawn was not just an accomplished liar, but a pro. She had managed to get a slightly impartial member of the group to talk to. Oz had been unflappable, asking questions in an even tone that suggested he was either really laid back or really stoned or really did not care.
And Dawn, she had taken the entire performance to a personal level for the group, she had lashed out just enough to be able to be written off as a sign of her age. Yet, she had also managed to find something that needed to be said. She had anchored her lie in a kernel of truth. No, she had not gone looking for someone to help, through in a way Dawn had convinced Thor to save Jon’s life. It was instead, the truth of her own feeling about the group.
The lies hit the mark enough that some of those who had been in the room had not met Dawn’s eyes as they filed out. He knew there were some intense memories at Dawn’s words.
Buffy drew his attention as she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Dawn. “This was reckless,” she said.
“Isn’t my entire existence?” Dawn shot back.
Buffy’s eyes narrowed. “You need to think about how your actions affect others.”
“That is so rich coming from you.” She rubbed her face with both hands. When she removed them, she pinned her sister with a gimlet stare. “I didn’t get involved with the Immortal or Angel or Spike-”
“We’re not going to parade out my love life. It isn’t up for discussion.”
“Every major thing that has happened in your life: the Master, Angelus, Faith, Riley, your death, Willow going dark, Spike saving the fucking world, and the Immortal nearly blowing us all to Hell all happened for one reason.”
“Love,” Buffy whispered.
“My first date, my first kiss - vampire. Every person I get close to is a demon or dead or soon-to-be.”
“Dawn…”
“You are a hero. A bona fide, save the damn world, hero. And I…I cannot live up to that. I’m not you. I wasn’t destined to be a Slayer. I was created to be hidden and, if necessary, to die.”
“No. That’s-”
“You and I have never talked about what it meant. That I was created of you. That I was sent to you. We just wanted to get past mom’s death and survive Glory. Then there was the Tower and your death and you coming back and Willow… Then there was a house overflowing with other people. Followed by an attempt to run away from all this to Europe. So I need you to hear this. I’m not you. Whatever else happens, I cannot do this anymore with you and everyone expecting me to be you. I-I need a realistic bar to be set. Something I can possibly accomplish.”
Buffy leaned against the closest table. “I just wanted you to succeed. Not to have to make the same mistakes I did.”
“They’re her mistakes to make,” Jon said, drawing attention to himself.
Dawn grinned then sighed. “Buffy, you and the Scoobies did the best you could when faced with everything after Mom died. But I don’t need you to be my mother, I need my sister. Do you have any idea how hard it is to stop sharing things because I don’t want them to get back to you? I’m surrounded by your friends and your students and your little minions. I’m this close to being an adult, its time you started treating me like I know my own mind. I’m going to screw up and I’m going to piss you off and some days I’m not even going to want your opinion or presence. But I would like the option to be able to come to you about stuff.”
“I’ve always…You don’t understand how hard it is to see Giles as an equal or Faith,” Buffy told her. “Once I got used to rescuing you, I didn’t know how to do anything else.”
“After dying, I imagine everything else you did seemed small.”
Buffy nodded.
“Can we put all of that aside? Can we just be sisters?” She frowned as though her own words struck a chord.
“Okay… you go to school, graduate next year. And then you can do whatever you want.”
“And until then?”
“Make it to dinner a few times a week and keep up with the defensive training. And any kidnappings earn you one-on-one with all of the ‘minions’ for a week.”
“Fine. But in return I want a few minutes a day with my sister Buffy, not the head of the Council.”
“Fine.”
They fell silent, just watching each other.
“Are you two going to hug it out?” Jon asked.
“No,” Buffy said, then turned to gaze to him. “So what are you?”
“Excuse me?”
“I figure if Dawn found you, you can’t just be human, we don’t bring a lot of those home.”
“Not without them dying soon after,” Dawn agreed. “I think it’s the reason we’ve never gotten pets, we know that we can’t keep humans around so why make a pet suffer.”
Buffy nodded. “So, got a place to go, Jon?”
“I’m keeping him.”
“Didn’t we just discuss not having pets?”
“Hey!” Jon cut in, indignantly.
“I want to keep him,” Dawn argued. “He’s surly and odd. Kinda offbeat. I like him. Besides, legally he’s the Council’s problem.”
“How did you swing that?” Buffy asked.
“I know more about our contacts and workarounds when it comes to minors than anyone but Eliza. Besides, situation warranted it. If I’d left him, he would have died.”
“Something after him?”
“Not anymore.”
Buffy considered the two of them. “You’ve made with the smoochies.”
Dawn rolled her eyes, but her flaming cheeks gave away her thoughts.
“I’m so going to regret this,” she muttered. “Fine.”
“Great. I’m going to go get him setup in an available room.”
Dawn did not wait for a reply, she headed for the door and waved Jon to follow.
“Willow couldn’t get a lock on your position,” Buffy said as an afterthought. “Where exactly were you?”
“Spaceship,” Dawn called back.
“Dawn!” Jon hissed.
“Damnit, keep your secrets,” Buffy told her. “But I want you to remember this magnanimous act.”
Title: Nothing Lost
Author: hermione2be
Rating: PG/FR13/K+
Crossover: BtVS/SG1
Disclaimer: I do not own any of BtVS/Angel or Stargate people, places, or ideas. This fiction is done simply for pleasure and I receive no profit.
Summary: Dawn faces off with Buffy.
Notes: Nothing Clones Part 5 - Links Page
Seasons: Post-Series/Post-Season 7 “Fragile Balance”
Word Count: 1075
**Thank you to all the Mods and volunteers who make this possible year after you. And thank you to the writers for filling this page every August. And a lot of love to those who read and review and like, which keeps desperate authors going when the muse goes on hiatus the last 10 days of the challenge.**
Jon’s eyes swept back and forth between the two sisters. His fifty-plus brain noted that Dawn was not just an accomplished liar, but a pro. She had managed to get a slightly impartial member of the group to talk to. Oz had been unflappable, asking questions in an even tone that suggested he was either really laid back or really stoned or really did not care.
And Dawn, she had taken the entire performance to a personal level for the group, she had lashed out just enough to be able to be written off as a sign of her age. Yet, she had also managed to find something that needed to be said. She had anchored her lie in a kernel of truth. No, she had not gone looking for someone to help, through in a way Dawn had convinced Thor to save Jon’s life. It was instead, the truth of her own feeling about the group.
The lies hit the mark enough that some of those who had been in the room had not met Dawn’s eyes as they filed out. He knew there were some intense memories at Dawn’s words.
Buffy drew his attention as she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Dawn. “This was reckless,” she said.
“Isn’t my entire existence?” Dawn shot back.
Buffy’s eyes narrowed. “You need to think about how your actions affect others.”
“That is so rich coming from you.” She rubbed her face with both hands. When she removed them, she pinned her sister with a gimlet stare. “I didn’t get involved with the Immortal or Angel or Spike-”
“We’re not going to parade out my love life. It isn’t up for discussion.”
“Every major thing that has happened in your life: the Master, Angelus, Faith, Riley, your death, Willow going dark, Spike saving the fucking world, and the Immortal nearly blowing us all to Hell all happened for one reason.”
“Love,” Buffy whispered.
“My first date, my first kiss - vampire. Every person I get close to is a demon or dead or soon-to-be.”
“Dawn…”
“You are a hero. A bona fide, save the damn world, hero. And I…I cannot live up to that. I’m not you. I wasn’t destined to be a Slayer. I was created to be hidden and, if necessary, to die.”
“No. That’s-”
“You and I have never talked about what it meant. That I was created of you. That I was sent to you. We just wanted to get past mom’s death and survive Glory. Then there was the Tower and your death and you coming back and Willow… Then there was a house overflowing with other people. Followed by an attempt to run away from all this to Europe. So I need you to hear this. I’m not you. Whatever else happens, I cannot do this anymore with you and everyone expecting me to be you. I-I need a realistic bar to be set. Something I can possibly accomplish.”
Buffy leaned against the closest table. “I just wanted you to succeed. Not to have to make the same mistakes I did.”
“They’re her mistakes to make,” Jon said, drawing attention to himself.
Dawn grinned then sighed. “Buffy, you and the Scoobies did the best you could when faced with everything after Mom died. But I don’t need you to be my mother, I need my sister. Do you have any idea how hard it is to stop sharing things because I don’t want them to get back to you? I’m surrounded by your friends and your students and your little minions. I’m this close to being an adult, its time you started treating me like I know my own mind. I’m going to screw up and I’m going to piss you off and some days I’m not even going to want your opinion or presence. But I would like the option to be able to come to you about stuff.”
“I’ve always…You don’t understand how hard it is to see Giles as an equal or Faith,” Buffy told her. “Once I got used to rescuing you, I didn’t know how to do anything else.”
“After dying, I imagine everything else you did seemed small.”
Buffy nodded.
“Can we put all of that aside? Can we just be sisters?” She frowned as though her own words struck a chord.
“Okay… you go to school, graduate next year. And then you can do whatever you want.”
“And until then?”
“Make it to dinner a few times a week and keep up with the defensive training. And any kidnappings earn you one-on-one with all of the ‘minions’ for a week.”
“Fine. But in return I want a few minutes a day with my sister Buffy, not the head of the Council.”
“Fine.”
They fell silent, just watching each other.
“Are you two going to hug it out?” Jon asked.
“No,” Buffy said, then turned to gaze to him. “So what are you?”
“Excuse me?”
“I figure if Dawn found you, you can’t just be human, we don’t bring a lot of those home.”
“Not without them dying soon after,” Dawn agreed. “I think it’s the reason we’ve never gotten pets, we know that we can’t keep humans around so why make a pet suffer.”
Buffy nodded. “So, got a place to go, Jon?”
“I’m keeping him.”
“Didn’t we just discuss not having pets?”
“Hey!” Jon cut in, indignantly.
“I want to keep him,” Dawn argued. “He’s surly and odd. Kinda offbeat. I like him. Besides, legally he’s the Council’s problem.”
“How did you swing that?” Buffy asked.
“I know more about our contacts and workarounds when it comes to minors than anyone but Eliza. Besides, situation warranted it. If I’d left him, he would have died.”
“Something after him?”
“Not anymore.”
Buffy considered the two of them. “You’ve made with the smoochies.”
Dawn rolled her eyes, but her flaming cheeks gave away her thoughts.
“I’m so going to regret this,” she muttered. “Fine.”
“Great. I’m going to go get him setup in an available room.”
Dawn did not wait for a reply, she headed for the door and waved Jon to follow.
“Willow couldn’t get a lock on your position,” Buffy said as an afterthought. “Where exactly were you?”
“Spaceship,” Dawn called back.
“Dawn!” Jon hissed.
“Damnit, keep your secrets,” Buffy told her. “But I want you to remember this magnanimous act.”