CHAPTER 1 --
“Mom! Where is my green sweater?”
Buffy stopped at the bottom of the stairs, “Did you check that garbage pile in the middle of your room? Really Dawn, you have to clean that up before it mutates, grows legs, and we have to name it!”
Long legs pounded down the stairs, revealing her daughter, “That was only that one time,” she huffed, swinging into the kitchen, green sweater in hand.
Buffy trailed her daughter into the room, “Did you remember everything?” she asked for the thousandth time.
“Yes!” Dawn answered, exasperated.
“Enough clothes?”
“Yes.”
“Pajamas?”
“Yes,” Dawn answered instantly, sitting down at the table and stuffing her mouth with pancakes.
Buffy paused, hands on her hips, staring her daughter down, “Toothbrush?”
Dawn froze, slowing lifting her eyes to glare at her mother, her jaw ticking in frustration. She halted in thought for a moment before dropping her fork and leaping around Buffy to retrieve the forgotten item.
As Dawn vaulted up the stairs, Buffy closed her eyes, leaning against the countertop for support. It was times like that, when Dawn was annoyed with her, that she reminded Buffy so much of her girl’s father it threw her for a loop every time. A steady knock at the door interrupted her daydreams.
Buffy threw open the door, Willow Rosenberg bounded through the doorway.
“Did I miss her!? I didn’t miss her did I!? I brought my camera and everything!”
Buffy smiled at her best friend’s excitement, “No, Will, she didn’t leave yet.”
Willow sighed, relieved, “Oh, good.”
Buffy was eternally grateful for the presence of Will in her and Dawn’s lives. Without Willow and her girlfriend, Tara, all Dawn and Buffy had was each other. And Willow had been with Buffy, and literally Dawn, since day one. Willow had sat with Buffy on the cold porcelain of the bathtub, waiting for the blue lines to appear on the home pregnancy test. They were sixteen at the time.
Dawn jumped down the stairs, toothbrush in her fist, “Aunt Willow!” she exclaimed, hugging her. “You came to see me off?”
“Wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Will replied. “Sorry Tara couldn’t be here, she had to see patients today.”
“That’s okay, she stopped by yesterday to wish me luck.” Dawn glanced at the clock, “Oh, crap, I better get all my bags together,” she yelled, fleeing the room.
With Dawn out of earshot, Willow pulled her friend aside, lowering her voice, “You don’t think that she might run into, you know, HIM while she’s there, do you?”
Buffy rolled her eyes, not admitting that she herself had entertained the idea when she had first reluctantly agreed to let her fifteen year old daughter go on the class trip to London, “Will, they wouldn’t even know each other if they did. It’s a huge city, I’m sure you don’t run into anyone twice. Besides, I don’t even know if he’s in London anymore.”
Willow didn’t seem the least bit deterred, “But wouldn’t that be weird though, they could be, like, eating in the same restaurant and not even know it! They could be sitting right next to each other . . .”
“Who am I sitting with?” Dawn inquired, slipping into the room and ending the conversation abruptly. Buffy sent a warning glare to her friend.
Willow fumbled, “Ah, the ah . . . Queen of England, ‘cause, you know, I hear she travels a lot,” she finished lamely.
The taxi pulled up the curb, honking twice. Buffy had fought tooth and nail to see Dawn to the airport, but her daughter insisted she was adult enough to get there herself, reasoning that with the new security laws, Buffy wouldn’t have been allowed very far into the building anyway. But she had gotten Dawn to agree to sharing a taxi with her best friend Janice, who was also going on the trip, under the false pretense of saving money. In all reality, it made Buffy feel better to know Dawn wasn’t completely on her own.
“There it is!” Dawn jumped excitedly. “Bye Mom! I love you!” Dawn wrapped her arms around her mother, returning the tight squeeze.
“Love you too, Dawnie.” Buffy let go of her daughter. “Call me as soon as you land and promise me you’ll stay with the group at all times! And if you get separated at any time, look for one of those guys in the big tall hats, okay?”
“Mom, I don’t think they’re allowed to talk to me,” Dawn replied, posing for Willow’s camera.
Buffy shook her head, “Doesn’t matter, at least I know they’re armed.”
After getting Dawn packed into the taxi, and double checking she had enough money for the trip, Buffy stood at the end of the lawn, watching the car as it pulled away down the road and disappeared.
Buffy sighed before turning around to go back into the house.
This was going to be the two most lonely weeks of her life.
Shutting the front door behind her, Buffy joined Willow, who had already poured them coffee, at the kitchen table.
“So, how are you?” Willow ventured.
“Lonely already,” Buffy admitted. “This is the first time Dawn’s ever been away from me, EVER.” Buffy sipped at her drink, “I’m glad she’s going though. Doing something I never got the chance to.” At the look on her friend’s face, she quickly continued, “Yes, Will, I know I had the chance to live there. Just drop it okay?”
“Just pointing out the obvious flaw in the remark,” Willow smiled, alluding to her friend’s ex and Dawn’s father.
TBC
squawks
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!