Love Through Touch

Disclaimer: See Part 1.

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Dawn wandered back upstairs. The sounds had stopped over 30 minutes before and she was curious as to what was taking them so long to leave the room.

She knocked on the closed door "Willow? Tara? You guys ok in there?"

Willow opened the door immediately "Yeah Dawnie we're fine" She stepped away offering the teen admitance.

Dawn entered and looked around. The sheets were on the floor and Tara was currently rushing to pick them up "Hi Dawnie"

"Did we wake you with all the noise?" Willow asked. She crossed to the vanity and sat down running a silver brush through her hair.

"Yeah. And the hysterical laughter from Hyatt helped" Dawn leaned on the vanity next to Willow "I was actually wondering about something"

"What Dawnie" Tara sat on the now made bed brushing her hair from her eyes with her fingers.

"I was wondering if you could tell me what exactly you have planned for my sister and Hyatt" Dawn said outright "I want in, if it includes Hyatt staying around for a while"

"Oh it does" Tara said "We don't want her to leave either"

"Anyone who can rattle Buffy enough to pin her willingly to a mat for eight seconds, is great in my book" Willow babbled.

"She's a likable person" Tara concluded "She reminds me of Buffy that way"

"That's funny, she reminds me of you" Dawn crossed to her other favorite Wiccan.

"She reminds you of me how?" Tara scrunched up her face in what Willow affectionately called her 'you lost me' face.

"Well, she's really giving. She had presents for me before I even met her. Then she's humble" Dawn ticked off on her fingers.

"Yeah, she is like you that way. She's also really sincere" Willow nodded "And she has great taste in clothes"

"She has your taste in clothes" Dawn pointed out "But she's kinda like Buffy too"

"Yeah. She's brave" Tara sighed.

"And strong" Willow added.

"But-" Dawn started to say, then stopped herself.

"But what Dawnie" Willow asked when she noticed the sad look on Dawn's face.

"Yeah Dawn you can tell us" Tara wrapped an arm around the teen. ow jow joined them on the bed and held Dawn's free hand.

"I think she's scared. She didn't seem like she wanted to go home this morning" Dawn said finding something on the floor amazingly interesting.

"Like she's afraid of her family?" Tara asked.

"She reminds me of you that way too" Dawn conceded.

"Well were her family too" Willow said with resolve "She and Tara are like best friends. So that makes them sisters in my book"

"Yeah" Dawn agreed feeling up about it "And Tara's family, and we look out for family"

"So we'll look out for her" Willow finished.

"Did you say she left this morning?" Tara cut in worried.

"Yeah. Buffy went with her" Dawn leaned into Tara "I felt better when I knew Buffy would be there"

"So do I" Tara agreed "Now that that's............ well......... that. What ya say we have breakfast?"

"I'm all for breakfast" Willow said standing and pulling Dawn up so fast she hopped.

"Buffy kinda ruined my appetite for cereal" Dawn cringed at the memory.

"So that means....Waffles!" Willow pumped the air with a fist.

"You don't know how to make Waffles" Tara pointed out.

"You do" Willow and Dawn put on puppy faces. They tried to look as pathetic and hungry as possible.

Tara whined in her throat "Okay okay. Waffles it is"

Dawn and Willow high fived and danced a jig all the way into the kitchen.
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Hyatt took a deep breath as she killed the ignition in the car.

"You act like this is gonna kill you" Buffy remarked as they climbed from the car.

"You don't know my dad" Hyatt said.

"Where did all this rain come from. I thought it never rained in sunny Sunnydale" Buffy remarked as they left the garage.

"It usually doesn't" Hyatt frowned "You think this is foreshadowing something?"

"It if is it can't be good" Buffy huddled up next to Hyatt "Make a run for it on three?"

Hyatt smiled "Three!" and took off leaving one startled slayer.

Buffy wasted no time catching up. They reached the side door seconds behind each other.

"Okay I'll admit your fast. But I almost had you there for a minute" Buffy laughed.

"Your still too slow" Hyatt sighed "Now for hell" she ran her finger over the front lock. Buffy heard eight small clicks in the inner chambers before the door actually opened.

"Remind me to call you if I ever lose my key's" she joked hoping to take Hyatt's mind off of whatever was bothering her.

"If you forget your keys I'm pretty sure you'd forget to call me" Hyatt teased. She pushed open the door to the kitchen and entered the house, with Buffy only steps behind her.

"So now you decide to come home" Hyatt's mother's voice came flatly "You don't bother to call, only that little brat knows where you are"

"She's not a brat" Hyatt sighed "I was with Buffy"

"Yeah" Buffy chimed in ever faithful.

"The feisty one? Well your father is in the other room" she waved towards the exit in the kitchen that led to the rec room.

"Is Hyatt here Iraina?" a deep voice bellowed from the next room "If she is send her in here"

Hyatt sighed and entered the next room. Buffy stayed and eyed the woman lounging before her.

"So Becky is it?" she said delibrately trying to push the slayer.

"Yeah. Becky Summers at your service" Buffy smiled at the woman.

"I thought your name was Buffy?" Iraina said tilting her head at the confident young woman.

"So did I" Buffy said simply.

"Was she with you all night?" Iraina questioned.

Buffy decided she really didn't like this woman "Yup. All night, she never left my sight"

"Pity" Iraina said "It just isn't her day"

"You ungrateful little -" the mans voice was drowned out by a resounding smack.

Hyatt stumbled back into the room holding her head. Her entire body was shaking.

"I want you out" he bellowed "Take your demon bitch friend, that abomination you call a child, and whatever else your cursed hands have touched"

He reached out and grapsed the bare skin revealed on Hyatt's upper arm. He shook her violently for long moments before Buffy reacted.

The slayer reacted when the shock of the situation wore off. She grabbed the man by his wrists deadening his arms and pulled him off his daughter "Don't ever touch her" she pushed him away, slightly harder than she really needed to. Not that she minded when he hit the wall and left a slight dent where his body impacted.

"Get it and get out" he growled.

Hyatt was immediately in motion, with Buffy close on her heels.
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"Mmmmm waffles" Dawn moaned digging into her third helping.

Tara sat back amazed at how much food the thin teen had eaten "Dawnie honey, w-where are you putting a-all the food?"

"My dad used to say I had a hollow leg" Dawn deadpanned.

Willow choked and orange juice came out of her nose.

Tara coughed to cover a chuckle.

Willow wiped her nose with the edge of her t-shirt.

"Boogey juice" Dawn pointed to the spray Willow had shot onto the table.

Tara couldn't help it, she laughed until tears streamed down her face.

Willow sniffed a few times through her sore nose "It wasn't that funny"

"I know" Tara said between breaths "But she said boogey juice" Tara then burst into peals of laughter.

Willow considered for a few moments, she didn't see the hilarity "I don't get it Tara"

Dawn also looked at her questioningly.

"Oh sorry" Tara attempted to calm herself "It's a thing with Hyatt"

"Oh" Willow said slowly "So you and Hyatt have a 'thing' now"

"She....it was........oh you had to be there" Tara tried to explain.

Willow merely nodded. She turned to Dawn, but the girl just shrugged and kept on eating.

"Ht evt ever rained before in Sunnydale?" Tara asked quietly.

"No it's always Sunny in Sunndale" Willow said honestly.

"It's raining now" Tara pointed out.

"This cannot be good" Willow muttered, wishing beyond wishing that she was wrong.
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