The Taken Care Of Series

Dawn's Letter

Taken Care Of Series – Part 6

Title: Taken Care Of Series – Dawn's Letter

Author: Bek Allen

Chapter: 6/16

Feedback: Yes please. Although, flames will be given to my cat to play with as she sees fit.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, Buffy and Co. are all credited to Joss Whedon and that crazy lot. ‘Little Women.' Is owned by Louisa May Alcott, and the Alcott foundation in the USA. Like I said, only sue if you're desperate enough to want one incredibly insane cat.

~*~*~*~

As she sat between Giles and Dawn at the head of the table, waiting for Mackenzie and her father to arrive, Buffy reflected on the past two weeks. They had gone by slowly with minimal activity, both Slaying and other wise. Wesley, Gunn and Lorne had shown up sometime in the week before her birthday, bearing the last of Dawn's belongings that wouldn't fit in Xander's car. Dawn was now re-enrolled in the new Sunnydale High, built in the opposite end of town to that of its predecessor, away from the Hellmouth. Giles was now a permanent resident in the Summers-Rosenberg household, as Dawn had dubbed it; they had turned the attic into a spare room until more suitable arrangements could be made. And life in general, was beginning to look up for everyone.

Buffy now owned the house outright. The day of her twenty-first birthday, Giles and Anya had accompanied her to the bank with the paper work the Lawyers had sent out, all the bills had been paid and Buffy had managed to get a place in UC Sunnydale, studying to become an elementary teacher. She grinned as she looked around the dining room as she relished in the thought that one of her mother's many dreams for her, had come true. Buffy owned her own house, and was surrounded by family. Sure, it wasn't the kind of family Joyce had planned out for her, but it was still a family nonetheless.

Buffy sighed and looked at the clock once again. Mackenzie had rung and said that she was running late due to a troublesome client, but her father had rung and assured Dawn that he would be on time. Belinda had already arrived, and was now sitting down the very end of the table, her eyes drifting from where Spike and Willow stood in the darkened corners around the room, talking about ‘Passions' and the image of witches portrayed in shows of the like, to Xander, Anya and Tara who were discussing the ever impending wedding, before they finally came to land on Buffy. That fact that Buffy and Giles were holding hands was not lost on Belinda Adams. She looked up to their faces and shrugged it off to him having been close to Joyce at one time or another and was just now, an old family friend.

“Buffy?” Dawn nudged her shoulder gently.

“Hmm? What is it?” Buffy looked up to where Dawn had slightly inclined her head. There stood Mackenzie, her smile filling Buffy with warmth, and slightly to the side of her, stood their father, his demeanour gruff and annoyed with being called away from L.A.

“Mackenzie, hi.” Buffy smiled cheerily and rose in her seat, extending her hand to the young woman as she came to where Buffy and Dawn were sitting.

“Hello Miss Summers.” She smiled brightly again and shook Buffy's hand. “I trust everyone is here?”

“Buffy, please. And yes, allow me to introduce you to every one.” Buffy motioned for Mackenzie to take the seat to her right, as everyone else began to move towards the table. Hank had moved to where Buffy was sitting and waited to claim his place at the head of the table. When Buffy looked up at him with bright eyes, he knew that he wouldn't be sitting at the place of power.

“Spike, will you please show my Father where he will be sitting this morning?” She looked to the bleach blond vampire and gave him a smug little smile.

“Sure thing Buffy.” He smiled back and led Hank to his place at the other end of the dinner table where he was to sit next to Belinda.

Buffy smiled again and looked to Mackenzie. “Well, time to introduce you to everyone.”

Mackenzie nodded, “Yes, then we shall get down to business.”

“Well, first off, this here is Dawn.” She placed her hand on Dawn's head and ruffled her hair lightly. “And this is Mr. Rupert Giles.” Giles gave a slight nod of his head and extended his hand to the young woman. “To your right we have Willow Rosenberg, William Barret and Belinda Adams.” Each one nodded and smiled in response to their names, “And, to my left, we have Anya Jenkins, Tara Maclay and Alexander Harris. And, finally, Mr Hank Summers at the end of the table there.” Buffy pointed to where Hank sat, seething in his anger towards his eldest daughter and the man that sat on her left. “Everyone, this is Mackenzie Turner, mom's lawyer.”

“Pleased to meet you all.” Mackenzie smiled and pulled her briefcase up onto the table in front of her, unlocking it and pulling out a file of papers. “Now, I'm sure Miss Summers has told you the reasons as to why you are here, the last will and testament of Ms. Joyce Summers.”

“Look, I don't know what kind of stunt my ex-wife decided to pull, but shouldn't this have been done last year?” Hank snapped at the young girl.

“Mister Summers, I assure you that Joyce was not in any way, pulling a stunt.” Giles spoke up in defence of the poor girl who shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Her and I had spoken many a-time during her stay in the hospital for her tumour and her wish was to make sure Buffy was able to stand on her own two feet after her death before she came into her inheritance. She also wanted Buffy to be recognised as an adult by the law before she received her trust fund.”

Mackenzie smiled gratefully. “Yes, thank you Mister Giles. Now, if we could continue on with the reading, I'll be happy to answer any questions at the end.”

Buffy nodded and gave her father a patented glare that made him close his mouth and sit back in silence.

“In the case of Dawn Summers, Joyce has asked that Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg, Alexander Harris and William Barret take over as her legal guardians until she is twenty-one. As unusual a request, it is still bound by the law, as long as each one agrees. If not, then Dawn will be given the choice to remain in the custody of Buffy Summer or Hank Summers.”

“I'll do it, Buffy you know I'll do it.” Willow spoke up and looked between Buffy and Dawn.

“Same here Buff, anything for the Dawnster.” Xander nodded emphatically.

“Spike?” Dawn looked up hopefully towards the vampire.

“Anything your Mum wants Niblet, she'll have it.” Spike smiled and nodded.

“She can't do that!” Hank stood up, causing his chair to topple backwards. “I am not leaving my daughter in the care of strangers. This is just preposterous.”

“These people are my friends, our family. They have been a part of our lives for the past six years. More of a part then you were for the first fifteen years of my life. Now sit down, or I will have Xander, Rupert and Spike throw you out.” Buffy turned her turbulent hazel eyes on him, her voice unnervingly calm.

Hank straightened his chair and sat down heavily and waited for Mackenzie to continue.

“Thank you Buffy.” Mackenzie smiled at the small blond. “The four of you will have to sign some papers before I leave.”

“Sure thing.” Buffy nodded and motioned for Mackenzie to move on.

“In regards to the house, which, is now under Miss Summers' name. Joyce has stipulated that as of now, it is yours to do with as you see fit. You can sell, lease, sub-let, renovate, and re-decorate. The decision is yours Buffy.”

Buffy nodded again. “What about the gallery?” She nodded to where Belinda had sat quietly for the last forty-five minutes.

“Ah yes.” Mackenzie pulled another file out of her briefcase. “Ms Summers, as proprietor of The Sunnydale Gallery of Prehistoric, Modern and Post Modern Art has left it to Mister Rupert Giles, known curator of The British Museum, librarian of Sunnydale High School and Proprietor of The Magic Box. The job of Assistant, currently being held by Belinda Adams, remains until Mister Giles can find someone else, should he feel the need to.”

Belinda sighed and opened her mouth to speak, but said nothing. She looked again to Buffy and Giles who had turned to each other with shock written across their faces.

“Again, there is more paperwork for you to sign Mister Giles. And, if you should choose to be excused from this acknowledgement in Ms Summers' will, the gallery will be turned over to Miss Belinda Adams.”

Giles nodded and squeezed Buffy's hand gently. “When will these papers need to be signed Miss Turner?”

“This afternoon, after we are through here.”

“Very well.”

“And, finally, Ms Summers asked that these be given out to each of you before you leave here today.” She produced a stack of cream envelopes from her briefcase and began handing them around. Buffy watched as Mackenzie offered one to Dawn, Hank, Giles, Willow and Tara, Anya and Xander and finally Spike. “I'm sorry Miss Adams, but, the only thing regarding you was the Gallery. And, as Mister Giles seems to have accepted the conditions of the will, your business here is done. Thank you for coming.”

Belinda stood up and nodded her thanks before leaving as quietly as she came.

“Is that all?” Hank asked, rising from his seat.

“Yes Mister Summers, I'm afraid that is all I have concerning you. The rest is just some paperwork for the others to sign.”

“Very well then.” He tucked his letter into his jacket pocket and walked to the head of the table and leant down to kiss the top of Dawn's head. “You can call me anytime Dawnie. Mary-Anne and I always have our door open for you.” Turning, he walked out of the kitchen and out of the front door. The house was silent until the scream of rubber hitting pavement filled the dining room.

“Well, that was… productive.” Dawn whispered from her place at the table, her hands clutching her envelope tightly. “Can I be excused Buffy?”

“Sure sweetie, why don't you just go up to your room while we sign these papers okay?” Buffy patter her sister's knee and motioned for her to go.

Dawn nodded, leaving the adults to sign papers and organise the last of the official documents that would make Dawn legally dependent on her family. As she bounded up the stairs, she realised she was still clutching the envelope Mackenzie had given her. As she entered her bedroom, she turned on her reading lamp and pulled her purple fluffy bunny from the shelf she had returned him to when she awoke in the morning.

Carefully, she tore the envelope along the edge, slipping the pieces of folded paper out and opening them up to read. Her mother's familiar handwriting glared up at her from the pristine ivory sheets of paper. Dawn grabbed a tissue from the box on the edge of her desk and began to read.

“To My Dearest Dawn,

Hello Sweetheart. I know this may seem quite a shock to you, it's okay. Really, it is quite all right. By now, Buffy, Xander, Willow and Spike have agreed to be your legal guardians, until you turn twenty-one. And, I suppose I should explain that to you. Before I went in to have the tumour removed, I organised all of this, as Buffy would of explained to you in the past two weeks.”

Dawn nodded to herself, and continued reading.

“I wanted to know, that, in the event that something went wrong and I didn't make it, that you would be one hundred percent safe. And, I know, it's unusual for a child to have four legal guardians, but, under the circumstances of yours and Buffy's life, I felt that it was for the best. Each of them provide the strength to protect you, and each one of them have the knowledge you will need to make it as a wonderful young woman.

I know that none of them can ever replace me in your heart, but please, give them a chance. The four of them are bound to make mistakes, but do give them a chance Dawnie, especially Spike. He promised me that he would take care of you. He was going to try so hard to be a role model for you, he loved us very much.”

Dawn could feel the pain in her mother's heart as she wrote the words down on the paper.

“Things will be okay Dawnie, you'll see. Everyone will look after you, not so much your father, but that is to be expected. But Spike and Xander and Buffy and Willow and the others will help turn you into the marvellous woman I know you can be. And remember Dawnie, I am always with you, and I am always, always proud of you.

Take care my little pumpkin belly.

Love Always,

Mom.”

Dawn refolded the letter and placed it back in its envelope before sliding it between the pages of the last Christmas present she received from her mother. Gently, she fingered the cover of the leather bound copy of ‘Little Women.' She smiled as she remembered what her mother had said the Christmas morning she had opened it.

“Remember how we used to snuggle up and read this before you went to bed Sweetie?” Joyce had whispered to her after Dawn had flung herself into her mother's arms.

Dawn's response was a muffled cry and a nod.

“Well, this is not a first edition, but it's still old. Look after it okay?” Joyce pulled back and wiped Dawn's brow with a tender hand.

A soft knock on her bedroom door pulled Dawn back from her memories. “Uh, yeah?”

“The lawyer wants to see you one more time Niblet.” Spike stuck his head in the door and folded his cocky smile. “What's wrong Pet?” He walked in and sat on the edge of the young girl's bed. “Don't tell me that you're having second thoughts about us lot being your guardians?”

Dawn shook her head and wiped her eyes, “I just read Mom's letter.” She looked at Spike and smiled before throwing herself into his arms. “I couldn't think of anyone better to be my parentals then you guys. Thank you.”

Spike grinned to himself and gently rocked Dawn in his arms as he settled her on his lap. “Well, I made a promise to a lady, a very wonderful lady. And, I loved her very much.”

Dawn pulled back and looked at him quizzically. “You loved mom, not Buffy, didn't you?”

“With all my un-dead heart.” He locked his gaze with Dawn's so she could see the truth behind his words. “They all assumed I was in love with Buffy.” Spike shook his head. “I wasn't.”

“But the bot?”

“Ah, the bot. Well, I asked for it to be a Joyce bot, maybe give something back to you and the Slayer, sadly, Warren got it all wrong and made it into Buffy. I think it was because of the picture I took in for him to use.”

“Oh.”

“Well then, we'll talk about this another time. This lawyer wants to see you, and best not keep her waiting.” Spike pushed Dawn off his lap and gave her a hug. “I also think it best not to tell big sis about your startling new revelation.”

Dawn nodded. “C'mon then, down stairs to see this Lawyer and our new ‘recognised by the law' family.” She giggled and picked up her purple bunny as she skipped out of her bedroom and downstairs.

~*~*~*~

“And here she is now.” Buffy turned toward the brunette bouncing down the stairs.

“I don't have to call you Mom right?” She looked at Buffy and screwed up her nose. “Because that would seriously be of the wiggy.”

“Nope, but you can call me ‘O' Gracious Queen and Empress to All lesser beings like myself.'” Buffy grinned and burst into giggles along side Dawn.

“I can see you will be in very good hands Miss Summers, your family is one of many great people who love you unconditionally.” Mackenzie extended her hand to Buffy as the sisters, still giggling, walked her to the door. “Please, keep in touch. If you have any trouble with anything we talked about, if your father tries to fight this, let me know.”

“We will. And, thank you again Mackenzie, you have no idea how much this means to my family and me.” She shook her hand and smiled as the tall girl bounced down the stairs and across the lawn to her waiting sports car.

“She was nice.” Dawn smiled at Buffy as the car pulled away from the curb and drove off down the street.

“She is.” Buffy nodded.

“Well, now what? I mean, it's only just after midday.” She stepped back to allow Buffy to close the door.

“Well, Spike is going down to the basement before he burns to death.” She raised her voice a little to be sure she was heard by the blond vampire who had returned to standing in the shadows of the dining room. “I don't know about you, but I could so smell the beginnings of barbecued vampire.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Spike waved to Dawn and everyone before disappearing into the basement.

“Well, we are going out to the store.” Willow motioned between Tara and herself. “We need to get supplies for the Big Buffy Birthday Bash for tonight.”

“I'm going for a walk over to Weatherly park. Clear my head, maybe stop by the gallery.” Giles moved to the hall and handed out coats to everyone who was getting ready to leave. “I'll be back soon.”

“Anya and I are going to go over to the shop, we'll meet you all there just after sunset?” Xander fumbled around his pockets for his car keys before Anya sighed and passed them to him from her purse.

“Yep. Everyone, Magic Box after sunset, so around half past five.” Buffy nodded. Then, group patrol and me and Dawn have to do our thing before we come home and celebrate my being twenty-one.” Buffy nodded and waved as everyone disappeared in separate directions.

“You wanna talk Dawn?” Buffy asked as she closed the door.

“Nah, but, hey, you could read to me. Please? I know I'm fifteen and I can read by myself, but, Mom used to do it.” She looked pleadingly at her sister.

“Fine.” Buffy smiled. “Go upstairs and get your book and meet me on the couch.”

Dawn flew up the stairs and was back down in a matter of seconds, wrapping their mother's afghan around them, Buffy smiled as she recognised the book. Opening up the cover pages, she began to read.

“Chapter One, Playing Pilgrims. ‘Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents,' grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

‘It's so dreadful to be poor!' sighed Meg.”