When we were very young

A/N: I'm hoping that in posting this, and getting a few opinions, it'll encourage me enough to carry on. I found the challenge on Vampire's kiss a long time ago, I don't even think it's still posted there. I'd love some opinions - this is UNbeta'd (any offers?)

Prologue.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you” The guidance councillor smiles sympathetically at Dawn from across her desk “Just a follow-up after your ... your loss. And since I'm new here, I thought it would give us a chance to know each other.”

Dawn felt like rolling her eye’s tired of all these people prying. “Great” comes the monosyllabic reply. Dawn nervous and uncomfortable as she attempted to deflect the conversation of her slipping grades. The guidance councillor suddenly looks up, and smiles

“Okay. It's just, you know, I know it must seem weird, talking to a stranger about stuff, but, um ... I want you to know that if something's going on, something's up, my job ... the most important part of my job ... is looking out for you.”

Dawn suddenly looks up, realising that maybe someone does want to listen.

“I’m really okay”

The guidance councillor looks at Dawn, knowing she’s holding back. Her sympathetic listening smile plays on her face “I know there’s been… a lot of loss”

“Yeah, kinda. I-I mean, yes. People keep… People have a tendency to push me away, not treat me like an adult. I just wish that they could all be kids again, remember what it’s like to be in my shoes “ Dawn cuts short her tirade, and waves her hands dismissively. “But seriously, it's, it's no big deal. I'm fine.”

----------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 1 – Lets get this Party Started!

Buffy really did hate birthdays.

Tonight was just another shinning example of why she should refuse all knowledge of ever getting older. She looked around the room, thinking about the horror the night before her would hold.

Her thoughts first fell to Dawn, who moped around the room, looking more depressed and unhappy than normal. The girl had been becoming more and more distant and upset with Buffy. She’s got no idea what she had done wrong this time, but whatever it was Dawn was unwilling to share her feelings.

She watched as Willow and Tara stole glances at each other, each refusing to admit they were still totally in love, the tension between them at the angst their break up had caused was still very much in the air. Buffy knew it would take a lot for the two Wicca’s to finally admit that a lot of things had gone wrong but still their feelings for each other were unchanged, but she hoped it wouldn’t take them too long to settle those differences.

Buffy wished that Xander and Anya would stop shoving Richard in her direction very now and again, their grins so wide it threatened to split their faces. They were so positive that they had found great boyfriend material for Buffy, but she wasn’t so sure. He was sweet, he genuinely seemed like a nice guy. But he wasn’t Spike.

Buffy groaned inwardly as her thoughts turned to Spike. She couldn’t believe Willow had told him about the party, couldn’t believe he had come, and bought his friend too.

‘Spike is an entire rant all unto himself’ Buffy thought. Turning up was his first mistake. Bringing Clem was not the best follow up, especially now that Buffy now had to keep making excuses as to why Clem looked quite so strange. And then he had the nerve to keep grinning at her, and smirking in that extra special ‘I really wanna fuck you’ kind of way. She appeared so smug in his black shirt, that fitted him so well, Buffy go weak at the knee’s just looking at him. He knew the effect he was having on Buffy, and she seemed powerless to stop him.

Then to top it all off, he kept dragging her away, into dark corners, making very lewd suggestions. Nice, sexual suggestions. Buffy continued to think of everything she would really like Spike to be doing in those dark corners, everything she would like to be doing back. He may be a pig, but he was very skilled at scratching her itches in just the right way. She shook her head to clear the pornographic images that kept flitting across her thoughts. Now was not the time to start forming her own small pile of drool, especially when she could see him staring at her out of the corner of her eye. His smile widening as he caught her blushing. This is why he shouldn’t have come, if he wasn’t here her thoughts could not drift to him as often as they did, and she would only think of him, and his magical lips every half hour, rather than every few minutes.

Buffy forced herself out of her thoughts, and looked back to her friend, still talking about all the food that she had been told not to eat. ‘Why?’ Buffy thought. ‘Why did I ever think a party, with these people would be a good idea?’ She groaned inwardly knowing that tonight was going to stretch on forever, and very little was likely to relieve the stress that she would feel under by the end of tonight.

“ Uh, we can do official introductions now that everyone's officially here. Dawnie, you mind getting the door? “ Buffy said, as she ushered Sophie towards the sofa.


Dawn walked over to the door, yet another scowl on her face.
“Great, another night where I get treated as a slave, oh joy” she mumbled to herself, determined to stomp her way through the evenings prodeedings. “If they are gonna treat me like a kid, then damn it, I’m gonna behave like one.” She muttered darkly.

Out on the porch as the door swung closed a demon stepped out. A demon that looked very much like the schools new guidance councillor. “Oh Dawnie. They will all remember exactly what it’s like to be a kid” she smiled, evil oozing from her and her voice began to reverberate, booming in a deeper more demonic tone and her face changed from its human façade into a wrinkled veiny mask. “Wish granted”.