___________

She was sitting outside the apartment reading the book he'd let her borrow. A gift from his father, it was the only one he owned that was already translated into English (and if Dawn had noticed the snide remarks left by his father in the front of the book regarding his translating skills, she hadn't mentioned it).

Upon seeing him she closed the book and eagerly jumped to greet him. "Wesley! Hey!"

Face still and unemotional he looked down at her. "Dawn," he said quietly. "I need you to come inside with me."

Her change was almost immiediate. Her face fell and she looked at him for a long minute before she nodded. He held out his hand to lead her inside and she placed icy fingers against his palm.

Telling Dawn that her sister was dead was the most difficult thing he'd ever done. When her mother had passed away he'd still been in England. There were a few sentances proudly written by her former Watcher about Buffy not needing the standard three days of mourning the Watcher's Handbook allowed when her mother passed on but there was no mention of how her sister dealt with it.

When the tears and questions and sobbs finally ebbed, Dawn and Wesley sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity.

Finally Dawn spoke. "What happens now?"

Wesley sighed. Anything he said now would be final. "There'll be a funeral. The Council will pay for it, of course."

Her lips were white and she blinked back tears he didn't know she still had left in her. "And then?" her voice was pinched as she waited for the bad news.

"And then... I have a job in Boston. A new potential is waiting for me." A pause. "But that won't be for another week so there's plenty of time for you to checkout of Junior High and say goodbye to your schoolmates."

Dawn had ben sitting perfectly still, bracing herself for the Big Goodbye so it took her a few moment to realize what he was saying.

Turning her head slowly she looked at him. "I'm going with you?"

"Of course," he said. Reaching her, he held her hand. "We're in this together, you and I."