Inell's Fanfiction Archive

Willow was still sitting on the front porch when she heard a small squeak. Looking up, she forced a smile. "Hey you."

Dawn smiled as she shut the door behind her and moved to take the empty seat beside the redhead. She sat down, her eyes looking out at the darkness on the street in front of them. "I was wondering where you were hiding."

"I've just been sitting out here thinking," Willow said, as she smiled at her best friend's little sister.

"Oh," Dawn said, looking at the redhead. "Buffy does that sometimes. Disappears and then I find her out on the back porch just looking at the trees. She's been doing it more since Mom died."

"Yeah, I've found her out there a couple of times," Willow said with a small smile. "It's my fault, her sitting outside."

"How so?" Dawn asked, looking at the redhead with curiosity. She always loved to hear about the times before she was around, often feeling left out when something was mentioned that she didn't remember.

"There was this time after she and I became friends that she stayed over with me, at my parent's house. She woke up that night and found me sitting on my balcony and I told her that I did my best thinking outside. She told me a couple of years later that she always did her best thinking outside, said that she'd blame me for making her try it except that it worked out so well for her," Willow said, laughing softly.

"Trust Buffy to blame someone for getting her to think," Dawn said with a smile. "Guess she wasn't used to it until she met you."

"That's tacky, Dawn," Willow scolded, giving the girl a look.

"Sorry, Wills," Dawn said, smiling sheepishly. "So, what were you thinking about?"

"Nothing important," Willow said, her smile fading slightly.

"You know, Buffy told me something after Mom died that I'm going to pass on to you right now. Talking helps," Dawn said, giving Willow a smile.

"I appreciate that but I don't think it will help me right now," Willow said with a sigh.

"It's about Spike, isn't it?" Dawn asked as she ran her fingers over the arm of the chair, not looking at Willow as she spoke.

"What?" Willow looked at Dawn and faltered, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Last week, I couldn't sleep. I heard the door open and thought you might be going downstairs so I peaked out my door. I saw him leaving your room," Dawn said, looking up with a worried look. "I didn't mention anything because I knew it wasn't my business. But, you look so sad right now. I just thought I'd let you know that I know about Spike and you, if you want to talk."

Willow laughed softly, "I don't know how I thought I could hide it from either you or Buffy. I can't talk about it to you, though, Dawn."

"Why not?" Dawn asked, annoyed. "It's because I'm young, isn't it? You don't think I'd understand about you having sex with Spike."

"Just drop it, Dawny," Willow said, sighing.

"All of you treat me like I'm a child," Dawn whined. "I knew about you and Tara, why can't I know about you and Spike? I know about sex. I mean, not personally, but come on. I don't like seeing you this unhappy, Willow. Please talk to me?"

"There's really nothing to say," Willow said, looking at the trees. "Spike and I have a strange relationship at the moment. I let something silly get to me and I got depressed. Started thinking which sometimes isn't good. I didn't mean to be so droopy."

"Not droopy, just sad," Dawn said with a sigh. "Is he the reason you were crying this morning?"

"It's not Spike's fault. It's really nothing," Willow said, moving her hand over her face. "I'm honestly over it. Put away and forgotten. See? I'm smiling."

"It's not reaching your eyes," Dawn said softly, chewing on her lip. "It made you cry for hours so it couldn't have been nothing. We're friends, aren't we?"

"Yes, we're friends," Willow said, shaking her head. "I can't sit here and talk to you about my sex life, Dawn. It's just a bit weird."

"Do you love him?" Dawn asked, smiling. "I think that's kind of cool. My two favorite people getting together."

"There is no 'together' so I wouldn't get your hopes up," Willow said softly. "He doesn't even like me, much less love me. It's just about sex."

Dawn frowned, "I thought that you were only supposed to have sex if you were in love. That's what people are always telling kids my age. No sex unless your partner means something to you."

"When you grow up, things sometimes get more complicated," Willow whispered.

"How complicated can it be?" Dawn asked, making Willow fidget from her stare. "I know you, Willow. You're not the slutty type. Buffy, I can see it. You, nope. If you're having sex with Spike, you must love him. You do love him, don't you?"

"I doubt Buffy would appreciate you easily seeing her as a slut," Willow said dryly, ignoring Dawn's question.

"I didn't say she was a slut, I just said I could see it from her before I could see it from you," Dawn clarified, actually getting along rather well with her sister and not wanting to ruin it with her big mouth.

"Thanks," Willow said with a sincere smile.

"You're not going to tell me that you love him, are you?" Dawn asked, frowning. Brightening, she said, "You didn't deny it. I knew you loved him. He has to love you. Who wouldn't? Wow, this is neat. You and Spike. Finally something good happens around here."

"Yeah, something good," Willow echoed softly, knowing it was pointless to argue with Dawn. Let the girl think she and Spike were in love. What harm could that do? Dawn had been through so much lately, Willow didn't have the heart to ruin the girl's beliefs. She watched Dawn smile and chatter on about her and Spike and how neat and cool their being together was, her green eyes moving to look back at the trees as she listened with half an ear as she again became lost in her thoughts, silently counting the minutes until Spike would be in her arms.