SERIES : Death Was Her Gift
PAIRING : Dawn POV, no pairing
RATING : PG14
SPOILERS : "The Gift"
DISCLAIMER : I do not own these
characters.
=====================================================================
"BUFFY!"
I shrieked. But it didn't do any good and by the time I got down there… *I* did
it. *I* killed my sister. Her body was broken. She looked sad and in pain and
*I* did this. She seemed to have a smile on her face, or at least a look of
peace and I didn't understand why. Didn't it hurt? If it hurt me, it had to
have hurt her.
Summers
blood. That's what she said. Mine was the same as hers. "It's just like
mine." That's what she said. I guess she was right. One Summers is good as
another. Except I'm not real and it's not fair that she's gone and I'm here.
I slept
at Willow and Tara's place last night but I don't need their pity. The night
before, I was at Anya and Xander's. The night before, at Giles'. But none of it
does me any good. I should be dead. It should be *me* down… there… beneath Buffy.
But
apparently this is a gift. Hers to me. But I don't want it!
Buffy
always said that no matter what she bought me for my birthday, I always wanted
to return it. She said I was impossible to shop for because she never knew what
I wanted. She said I was the perpetual returner and the annoying sister.
What I
wouldn't give to hear those words again! Because I don't want this… gift. So I
guess I am what she said.
"Oh,
Buffy…" I whisper. "Why'd you do that? It was *my* job."
"It
won't matter soon enough." I turn around and look up. Vampire. But I don't
try to run or scream. Let him come. Let him drink the key right out of me.
Maybe it'll bring Buffy back. Maybe then I won't be the key and she'll be
alive. Maybe she'll forget all about her sister and be able to move on with her
life.
"Sad
little girl." He says as he grabs me. I don't fight. I don't care. I'll
die over Buffy's grave. Even if she doesn't come back to life, at least we'll
all be together again, right? All three of us Summers women, the way it should
have been.
"DAWN!"
I hear him scream and before I know it, the vampire is dust and I'm on the
ground. "What are you doin' out here, Luv? It's dangerous. There are too
many demons." I look at his eyes. He's scared for me, petrified. But I
don't care.
"Let
them take me."
"Don't
say that." He says as he puts his hand out.
"What's
the point? Nothing matters."
"You
do."
I look
up at him and say, "No, I don't. I'm a key! For destruction! To end the
world! I don't matter! I kill people!" I scream as I stand up. I look over
at him but he just stares back at me and I sigh. "You wouldn't
understand."
"Wouldn't
I?" He asks. "I’m a killer, Nibbler. A vampire. Also built for
destruction. But there's a difference between us, Luv. I didn't matter! *You*
did. Big Sis gave up her life so *you* could have yours, because you matter to
her. You think she'd want you to die to some lowlife vamp? On her grave,
nonetheless?"
I see
his eyes start to get red. Spike's going to cry. "You really loved
her." I say.
"That
didn't matter. It doesn't matter. I know she never loved me. I know she never
could." He pauses for a moment and for just a brief moment, I wish I could
lie to him. I wish I could tell him that Buffy *did* love him, just to give him
that. But we both know it'd be a lie. "But it doesn't matter," he
continues. "All that mattered was you. You know what she said? She knew
she wasn't going to make it. She told me to protect you and I said I would,
with my life, until the end of the world and I'm going to do that."
"Why?
She's dead. You could kill us all. There's no slayer to stop you."
"I
made a promise. Sometimes things happen and you can't change them. You can't
stop them and you just have to deal. Sometimes, doing what's right hurts the
most. Picking up the pieces and moving on is where it's at, Luv."
"But
I've got no one left." I whisper, tears flooding my eyes.
"Bullocks!"
I feel his hand lift my chin and I can tell he's fighting back the tears. Spike
cries. That entire idea is as foreign to me as the idea of Buffy being truly
dead. "You've got Rupert and the witches and the little boy and ex-demon.
And you've got your dad… and you've got me."
"You?"
"Until
the end of the world, Kiddo." He smiles a little. "Now let's get you
some grub. I think ice cream is appropriate tonight." He extends his hand
and I take it.
"Can
we go home, tonight?"
"Sure
thing, Luv."
We walk down the street towards Revello Drive, my hand in
his. Some of what he said makes sense, some is still sinking in. Buffy *did* sacrifice
her life so I could have one. Perhaps he's right. I shouldn't throw that in her
face. I shouldn't waste mine because I'm the only Summers left.
Maybe for once, I should prove that I'm not the annoying
little sister she said I was. I'm the key. I'm living energy and I'm filled
with Summers blood. So I guess in a way, Buffy lives in me. Maybe that's the
real gift.
And I wouldn't wanna return that for anything.
~El Fin~
Onto the next part : One Single Moment
Back to the Home of Death Was Her Gift
|
|
||||||||
|
|