August 4 - Wallowing in Grief
Twisted Shorts August Fic-a-Day Challenge - Day 4
Title: Wallowing in Grief
Author: hermione2be
Rating: PG/FR13/K+
Crossover: BtVS/Batman
Disclaimer: I do not own any of BtVS/Angel or Batman/DC Universe people, places, or ideas. This fiction is done simply for pleasure and I receive no profit.
Summary: Dawn is sent to relatives after Buffy dies.
Notes: No real adherence to a specific incarnation of the Batman universe. If anything, probably the animated series (any of them). Inspired by ChaosCarlos’s Challenge 6863 on TTH.
Seasons: Post “Gift”
Characters: Dawn, Robin (Dick Grayson), Bruce Wayne
Word Count: 746
Dawn clenched her eyes tighter, trying to squash the need for tears. She feared they would ruin the rich fabric beneath her cheek. For a month she had been in Gotham under the care of her mother’s cousin…the only one that remained. The Scoobies had no luck getting the Buffy-bot fixed and none of them, even Giles, could stand in the way when social services started searching for a relation. Her father had been out of the country for over a year and could not be reached, as he hadn’t been for mom or Buffy’s funerals.
She became a ward of Bruce Wayne in a matter of three days. Between the blood connection, his billionaire status, and the fact he already had a clean record with social services do to his existing ward, Dick Grayson, it had taken very little time for her to be transported to Gotham. And secured in the Wayne manor.
For a girl who wasn’t really real, losing the life she knew and those who knew her, had been more than she could handle. The grief she already suffered from after Buffy’s sacrificed had manifested into a depressive state that stole her energy and amplified her pain. More than anything she felt alone. After the first week she stopped answering the Scoobies’ phone calls as it just made things worse.
A sharp knock at the door broke the silence. She ignored it. Every time they tried only three times and then left her alone.
This time, however, the door opened with a jerk. Dick stepped in and stared at her. He frowned and crossed his arms. “Are you really going to keep this up?”
Dawn glared at him, but it lasted only a moment. She put her head back down, too tired to really put in the effort.
He walked across the room and stopped at the side of her bed. He was only a year or so older than her, but there was a seriousness about him that looked too familiar. She squeezed her eyes closed, an image of Buffy’s broken body at the base of the tower. She shook herself, trying to get rid of the memory.
“You don’t understand,” she told him weakly.
“Both my parents died when I was eleven,” he said. “Bruce took me in. For a circus kid…this was a big change.”
She barked out a laugh. “Don’t think my dad is dead, just too busy in Spain screwing his secretary to come back for me.” She reminded herself that she had never actually met Hank Summers. But that didn’t stop the little voice in her head: The monks changed mom’s memories, probably what killed her. Buffy’s death is completely your fault. Maybe you should just have the Powers turn you back into energy before you destroy anyone else.
“Just go away,” she ordered tiredly.
“Not going to happen,” he told her. “What would your sister say if she saw you like this?”
Dawn shot up and snapped, “Don’t talk about her.”
A ghost of a smile touched his lips. “You have fire. That will help.”
“Help what?” She demanded.
“Learning to cope.”
“How do I cope with causing my sister’s death?” she sneered. “Do I just get over it? Do I just get up every day and not think about her?”
Dick looked momentarily shocked. “You honor her memory; you don’t disgrace it by slowly killing yourself.”
“The world needed her a lot more than it needs me.” She sat down on the edge of the bed, her adrenaline rush ending.
“Then become someone worth her life,” he suggested then turned and left her room, shutting the door
Dawn considered his words. Buffy had said “the hardest thing in this world is to live in it.” But she hadn’t told her how to live in it. As much as she hated to admit it, she was not living up to what Buffy or mom or the Scoobies would expect her to. Maybe it was time to get up, to put on her armor and brave the world. For Buffy, for her mom, for the Scoobies. And just maybe for herself.
88888888
Bruce watched as Dawn wandered around the manor from the Bat Cave.
“Did you find out how her sister died?” Dick asked from behind him.
“No,” he admitted with a scowl. “Sunnydale Police cited a city-wide ‘disturbance’ of which Buffy Summers was only one of forty-three deaths.”
“She’s got survivor’s guilt.”
“Don’t we all.”
Title: Wallowing in Grief
Author: hermione2be
Rating: PG/FR13/K+
Crossover: BtVS/Batman
Disclaimer: I do not own any of BtVS/Angel or Batman/DC Universe people, places, or ideas. This fiction is done simply for pleasure and I receive no profit.
Summary: Dawn is sent to relatives after Buffy dies.
Notes: No real adherence to a specific incarnation of the Batman universe. If anything, probably the animated series (any of them). Inspired by ChaosCarlos’s Challenge 6863 on TTH.
Seasons: Post “Gift”
Characters: Dawn, Robin (Dick Grayson), Bruce Wayne
Word Count: 746
Dawn clenched her eyes tighter, trying to squash the need for tears. She feared they would ruin the rich fabric beneath her cheek. For a month she had been in Gotham under the care of her mother’s cousin…the only one that remained. The Scoobies had no luck getting the Buffy-bot fixed and none of them, even Giles, could stand in the way when social services started searching for a relation. Her father had been out of the country for over a year and could not be reached, as he hadn’t been for mom or Buffy’s funerals.
She became a ward of Bruce Wayne in a matter of three days. Between the blood connection, his billionaire status, and the fact he already had a clean record with social services do to his existing ward, Dick Grayson, it had taken very little time for her to be transported to Gotham. And secured in the Wayne manor.
For a girl who wasn’t really real, losing the life she knew and those who knew her, had been more than she could handle. The grief she already suffered from after Buffy’s sacrificed had manifested into a depressive state that stole her energy and amplified her pain. More than anything she felt alone. After the first week she stopped answering the Scoobies’ phone calls as it just made things worse.
A sharp knock at the door broke the silence. She ignored it. Every time they tried only three times and then left her alone.
This time, however, the door opened with a jerk. Dick stepped in and stared at her. He frowned and crossed his arms. “Are you really going to keep this up?”
Dawn glared at him, but it lasted only a moment. She put her head back down, too tired to really put in the effort.
He walked across the room and stopped at the side of her bed. He was only a year or so older than her, but there was a seriousness about him that looked too familiar. She squeezed her eyes closed, an image of Buffy’s broken body at the base of the tower. She shook herself, trying to get rid of the memory.
“You don’t understand,” she told him weakly.
“Both my parents died when I was eleven,” he said. “Bruce took me in. For a circus kid…this was a big change.”
She barked out a laugh. “Don’t think my dad is dead, just too busy in Spain screwing his secretary to come back for me.” She reminded herself that she had never actually met Hank Summers. But that didn’t stop the little voice in her head: The monks changed mom’s memories, probably what killed her. Buffy’s death is completely your fault. Maybe you should just have the Powers turn you back into energy before you destroy anyone else.
“Just go away,” she ordered tiredly.
“Not going to happen,” he told her. “What would your sister say if she saw you like this?”
Dawn shot up and snapped, “Don’t talk about her.”
A ghost of a smile touched his lips. “You have fire. That will help.”
“Help what?” She demanded.
“Learning to cope.”
“How do I cope with causing my sister’s death?” she sneered. “Do I just get over it? Do I just get up every day and not think about her?”
Dick looked momentarily shocked. “You honor her memory; you don’t disgrace it by slowly killing yourself.”
“The world needed her a lot more than it needs me.” She sat down on the edge of the bed, her adrenaline rush ending.
“Then become someone worth her life,” he suggested then turned and left her room, shutting the door
Dawn considered his words. Buffy had said “the hardest thing in this world is to live in it.” But she hadn’t told her how to live in it. As much as she hated to admit it, she was not living up to what Buffy or mom or the Scoobies would expect her to. Maybe it was time to get up, to put on her armor and brave the world. For Buffy, for her mom, for the Scoobies. And just maybe for herself.
88888888
Bruce watched as Dawn wandered around the manor from the Bat Cave.
“Did you find out how her sister died?” Dick asked from behind him.
“No,” he admitted with a scowl. “Sunnydale Police cited a city-wide ‘disturbance’ of which Buffy Summers was only one of forty-three deaths.”
“She’s got survivor’s guilt.”
“Don’t we all.”