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I slam the door. I know I shouldn't show anger, but I can only put up with so much. "I want Dawn out of there today."
Dawn's social worker, who I have zero confidence in, puts her face in her hands. "What is it now, Ms. Summers?"
"You put Dawn into an abusive environment. Whatever failings I may have, at least I have always loved her!"
"Buffy, it's difficult for a child to form a strong bond with foster parents right away."
"Form a bond?! My sister is gay, and you put her with a bunch of homophobic bigots who tell her every day that she is going to hell! What were you thinking? This morning she called me in tears! She thinks they're going to send her away for some kind of 'treatment'!"
Her mouth opens but no sound comes out. I get the feeling she knows nothing about the Fabers. She shoved Dawn into the first available foster home and that was that.
I speak very clearly and slowly. "I am going to take this complaint as high as I have to. I don't want Dawn spending another night in that house."
The social worker blinks, coming to terms with the new situation. "Perhaps a mistake has been made. If what you say is true, then the Fabers will certainly be removed from the foster family program. But I simply cannot guarantee that a new family can be found today."
"She has a family. You said it was not out of the question that I might get a second chance with her. Well, now you've screwed up. It's me giving you a second chance. I want her home, and I want you to call the Fabers right now, while I'm sitting here, and tell them to bring her to me."
"Buffy, you are not in a position to dictate our procedures."
"You're right. I think it's your boss I need to talk to."
"You are welcome to do that." But her eyes reveal that her mistake with the Fabers was a big one. She wants it resolved before her boss finds out rather than after.
"They humiliate her in front of the whole church group. They make her do their own made-up Bible homework before she can start her real homework! This is serious. And since you seem to like lists so much, here's mine, with everything the Fabers have done to my sister." I hand her the paper Willow typed up.
She looks it over, her shoulders falling. "Very well. Several people have been in to see me in support of your custody of your sister. One gentleman in particular made a strong case that certain things look worse than they really are." Thank you, Giles!
She continues. "If you feel you are ready for one last chance, Ms. Summers, you already have a list of the things that need to change in Dawn's life. In particular, you're going to have to keep her away from Spike and Faith. And summer's coming, you're going to have to keep her out of trouble while school is out."
Well Spike left town for who knows how long. Long enough that he needed Clem as cryptsitter. And Faith I can deal with personally. Haven't heard a peep out of her since I threw her out, so maybe she's scared off for good. I just wish she wasn't training with Giles every day. I don't want anyone who even knows Dawn to be around Faith.
"I can keep her out of trouble. No trouble is coming near the Summers house. There is nothing more important to me than my sister."
"Guess where I'm calling from."
"Who is this?" says a man's voice.
"Oh... um.... is there a girl there with tattoos?"
"What? Yeah, it says 'Dawn.' She's right here."
Clicking and clunking as he hands the phone over. Faith's voice at last. "Sorry about that, sweetie. He picked up the phone before I could get to it."
Well I guess that's what we get for using a payphone. "Faith, you have to get a real phone!" She waits by the payphone every day at this time, in case I can call her. Usually I can't. No privacy at the Fabers
"I know. Sorry. I will. But you got me now!"
"Yeah... and you're letting your tattoo show! My name on your collarbone. It's so romantic!" She gave herself that tattoo in prison, so she'd know she could never forget me.
"Of course, Dawnie. No reason to hide it anymore."
"So, guess where I'm calling from?"
"Where?"
"My room!"
"Visiting home again?"
"I'm home! Since yesterday. For good! Or at least, if Buffy and I can handle some things they've told us to work on."
"Like keeping away from me."
"Yeah."
She sighs sadly. "Well you're home with Buffy and the witches, that's the most important thing. You and me will get our chance again."
"Yeah. Like when?" I've had about all the time away from Faith I can stand. "I'm gonna come see you."
"Don't do that, Dawnie... I really want that too, but think what will happen if you go to another foster home. You know I'll follow you anywhere they put you, but it could get really hard for you to see me or your sister. Or all your friends. We can't risk it, Dawnie."
She's right. But I hate it.
"Guess what? The Fabers are in trouble for how they treated me."
"Good. They should be. In fact, now that you're gone, I'm wondering if they wouldn't like a few rocks through their windows."
"Faith!"
"I just can't stand bullies. You know that."
"I know, and I love you for it... but we're not in the playground anymore. You can't just keep attacking people. Besides," she says with an evil gleam in her eye, "I got revenge in my own little ways!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yep. First I got out of going to group Bible study every night. Last week I started calling God "She." Then I thanked everyone for showing me the light and said I was going to be a lesbian minister. After that, the Fabers didn't seem to want to take me there anymore. And two people clapped about the lesbian minister thing, before they caught on that the approved reaction was horror."
"Stirring up a little trouble. I approve!"
"I stirred up some more on my way out! On my last day, I let the Fabers overhear me tell their daughter she looks nice in shorts. She said thanks, too. Actually, I think that may be why they dropped me off home early."
"You're just pure evil, aren't you?"
"I had a good teacher!"
"And did she?"
"What?"
"Did she look nice in shorts?"
"She sure did."
Click. Yet another hangup. Happens every other night or so, always around this time.
The phone rings again a few minutes later. A loud thud from Dawn's room and the ring is cut off.
"I got it!" she calls, "It's for me."
This Slayer wasn't born yesterday. I don't like to eavesdrop, but all these hangups have me more than suspicious. And now I know they will take Dawn away from me if I don't keep her out of trouble.
I carefully lift the receiver on the kitchen phone, and immediately I hear... trouble.
"–miss you too, baby," says Faith. "So much. I was this close to jumping on you when you left school today."
Faith. Damn, her. If she cared one little bit about Dawn, she'd leave her the hell alone. Not go sneaking around behind my back!
"Wish you had! I look for you and I never see you."
"I'm there, Dawnie. Almost every day. Can't let anything happen to my girl! But we have to be strong. Keep our distance a little longer. Let things cool down."
I can just tell how calculating Faith is about everything. Only then things get weird. Dawn starts to quiz Faith about atoms and molecules. Stuff for her GED test I guess? Faith is acting like a little kid, proud when she gets stuff right, and sorry when she gets scolded for slacking off. And Dawn acts like she's proud of Faith too.
Faith and Dawn together is not just weird. It's creepy weird.
"How's the new job?" asks my sister, after they wrap up the oral exam.
"Way better. I have to put boxes away in a warehouse, and I get paid the same whether I get 'em all done fast or slow. So when nobody's looking I don't bother with the little forklift. It takes forever, the thing's so damn slow. And getting it under each box just right. So I just carry them, when nobody's around. I get done in half the time, and the pay's better than my old job!"
Better than my fast food job, too, seeing as how I'm making minimum! Not that she needs it. I bet working is just a cover for the Mayor's loot she's got tucked away.
"That means you can finally afford a phone, right? So I can call you any time?"
"Sure. I just have to get around to it. You gotta call the phone company and all this nonsense... I've just been putting it off."
"Don't make me come out there!" she scolds.
That's not even funny.
What am I going to do? Confront Dawn? Stop her from using the phone? If only it were that easy. I need to do something about her and Faith. But I can't push her away from me in the process. I really wish I knew what to do. If only Dawn would just meet someone safe and forget this whole Faith thing.
I keep looking at the clock. 9:00, she said! It's already 9:03!
Finally! The payphone rings and I dart off the bench to get it.
"Hey, Baby!"
"Studying hard?"
"You know it."
"Faith, you liar, put down the catalog."
My fingers tighten around the glossy pages I was reading. "What catalog?"
"The catalog you're reading instead of studying the War of 1812. The one with the circle on the cover made out of axes."
I look down at the picture of the axes–pure crap, every one is all show–and then peer up and down the street.
"Don't look around. I'm at home."
That only makes me look for her harder. "Then how did you know...?"
"I know you, Faith! When you get one of your weapon catalogs, you just have to go through circling stuff. And Buffy got the same catalog today. You and her get on the same weird homicidal mailing lists... So I knew you weren't studying."
"Busted. OK. No more catalogs until I finish the War of 1810."
"1812!"
I laugh. "I'm just messin' with ya. I know I should be working harder. It's just this is a really good issue! They've got some wicked cool knives. If I had the money..." I sigh longingly.
"I want the short sword on page 11."
"You want what?! A sword?!"
"Can't you just see me with it? You could teach me to use it and I could help you and Buffy patrol!"
I turn to page eleven and find myself nodding approvingly. "That looks like a good one, Dawn. The weight's in the right place... but no, somehow I just can't see you with a sword!"
"Well I can. I'm gonna ask Buffy for it for my birthday."
"Then it's a good thing she can't afford it."
No way is my Dawnie ever going to face the stuff Buffy and I do. She thinks Slaying is fun? OK, it is... at least for me. But not for my girl!
Willow looks guilty. "Actually we'll be gone a while. We kinda had our own plans tonight. But tomorrow is good!"
"Did you hear Xander's news?" asks Tara. "He's got a big job working on the new high school."
"That's great!" I say with a smile.
"Sounds like big bucks," adds Willow. "Guess he owes some thanks to whoever donated that money!"
I roll my eyes. "Not this again. I tell you, Faith must have overheard them planning the new school. Probably hanging around the Hellmouth up to no good. So then she hid all her stuff to milk this anonymous donation thing for all it's worth. I don't know who gave the money, but I promise you Faith is sitting on a major bank account!"
"Buffy," Tara protests, "she still doesn't even have a bed."
Willow gives her a warning look, but it's too late.
Still doesn't have a bed, eh? "Um... how do you know that?"
Willow sighs. "Buffy, we drop by her place sometimes."
"What? Why?" My jaw clenches. "Do you take Dawn there?"
"No, Buffy! Never! We take things back and forth sometimes. That's all," Tara says, putting her hand on my arm. "And... we would never lie to you about it, we just... didn't tell you."
"You take things? Things? What things?"
Willow tries to reassure me. "Just little stuff, Buffy... notes, books, sometimes some snacks Dawn made... and she sent her old sheets for us to dress up Faith's place with."
Oh, my God. It's not just phone calls. There's all kinds of stuff still going on between Dawn and Faith. And Willow and Tara... my friends!... are covering it up for her!
"This totally undermines my authority with Dawn! Do you know what you're messing with here? Dawn being taken away! Taken away! Maybe for good next time!"
Willow and Tara are visibly upset. "Buffy," says Willow, pleadingly, "they're not the FBI... if you didn't know we were seeing Faith, how would they know? Believe me, we don't want to put Dawn at any risk. It's just... her and Faith are so close, and it's so hard for them to be apart. And Faith can use all the friends she can get right now. She's trying to make a fresh start."
I take a deep breath, trying to control my temper. Faith is the big hero of Sunnydale these days, and any word against her just makes me sound like a bitch. Even though I was totally right that Faith would be trouble at the dance! "When do think you will see her next?"
Willow and Tara exchange sheepish looks. I don't believe it! "You're going to her place tonight, aren't you? You can't come to the Bronze because you're hanging out with Faith!"
"Buffy, she's our friend," says Tara.
"Friend?!" Why don't I just pack up and leave town? Seems like Faith can take care of everything... from slaying to Giles to my friends!
Willow looks sympathetic and pained. "Yes, Buffy. A friend. Not my best friend, that's always you. But she's a friend to Dawn and she's a friend to us. We knew you wouldn't want to hear that, but it's really not the end of the world. That has more, you know... fire and stuff."
I feel so tired. Incapable of arguing back. I am the bad guy. That's how things are now. I'm trying to keep my family together and Faith's out messing with the Books of Ascension and almost getting Dawn killed. But I'm the bad guy and she's the good guy. Not one person thinks any different!
I sit down on the steps and put my head in my hands. "Are you taking anything from Dawn today?"
They don't answer.
"You said you wouldn't lie to me. Are you taking anything?"
Willow sighs and hands me a stack of index cards held with a rubber band.
I take out a card and read the words out loud. "Where did the First Continental Congress meet?" I frown. What the hell? I flip the card over. "Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia, PA."
Flash cards. Dawn has been making flash cards for Faith. That's a lot of work! I bet Faith doesn't even use them.
I take out another card and read it. "Name all the countries in the world and their capitals and their leaders." What?? I flip the card over. I start to read the other side out loud, but my voice trails away.
"I love you, Faith."
Good, it's a dead end, just like I thought. Nobody around. I reach the end and hide in a shadowed corner with my bookbag in my lap. And I wait.
A short while later, Faith rounds the corner and slips silently closer without spotting me. She doesn't follow me every day, but most days she does. I was hoping I'd be lucky today. Look at how she moves... like a cat. God, she's beautiful.
She pulls a concealed knife from her pant leg.
"Easy there, Feather!" She whirls around to stare at me me, and then runs up to sweep me off my feet.
Held by the knees and shoulders, I smile up at her. Then I kiss her.
"Dawn! What are you doing here?"
"Setting a trap for you." I almost never catch a glimpse of her watching over me, but I knew if she was following me from school she'd have to investigate where I went.
"Dawn you could get in so much trouble!" Faith looks around wildly, as if my social worker has spies in the dirty brick walls.
"I know, but I just couldn't stand it anymore! I miss you so bad! Everyone thinks I went to Janice's after school."
She shakes her head, but she's smiling and not putting me down. "I miss you too, Dawnie."
Another kiss. Nice and deep. I'm getting so good I can make her all flushed! "We have two hours. First we're gonna make sure you know how to diagram a sentence. I just can't tell on the phone. And then, if there's any time left, we get to make out." I'm wearing my tightest pants and a shirt that shows off a strip of tummy. Sometimes rewards are a teacher's best tool.
We find a fairly clean patch of sun and sit side by side in the alley. I get out a book and some paper and pens, and start giving her sentences to diagram. It's hard to get started but finally we stop kissing and get down to business.
What do you know? She has been studying. "I'm so proud, Faith, you're getting 'em all right!"
Except that last one. That's not the sentence I gave her! I turn the paper every which way, reading what she's created. "Dawn is... a heartless... slave driver... and... Faith... wants to... cuddle now."
How can I resist those eyes? We roll over onto the papers, scattering them, kissing and hugging and caressing.
I raise her to a sitting position over me, and we stare at each other, practically panting. The top button of her shirt is undone, and I don't know which of us did it, but it warns me to put on the brakes. "Wow... Dawn... you're going to drive me crazy, you know?"
She lowers my hands from her arms to her butt and sinks onto me again. Letting me grope her behind is a highly effective tactic. I find my fingers trailing over the bare skin along her waistband. But I'm a Slayer, and that means I have some mental discipline. I slide up so I'm sitting, with her straddling my lap. She takes that as an invitation to rub my waist, rolling my top up a little.
I put my hands on hers. "I miss you too, Dawnie," I breathe, hoarsely. "But let's not do anything we're going to regret."
"Sex is evil." She looks very unconvinced. And rather flushed.
I nod. "Especially in a public alley. Trust me. I know how shitty sex makes a person feel. But you never will. I promise."
"I feel like I'm gonna burst, Faith! I want you! I want to be a part of you!"
"I know, baby. I want you too." In fact, I wish it was nighttime already because I need to slay something right now. It's the vicious cycle of a Slayers' passions. Slaying makes you horny, and getting horny makes you want to kick some ass. "But don't you feel good now? Alive?"
"I feel great, except I'm dying!" She slides off to lean up next to me. She smells of sweat and passion and I know just what she means.
"Sweet anticipation, Dawnie! Best not to spoil it."
We sit in silence for a while, sharing a tender if somewhat frustrated moment.
"Faith, do you, um.... play with yourself?"
I look at her with a smile. "Are you kidding, polishing the peanut is my number one hobby! Only way to keep myself under control." And I definitely could use some right now.
She's blushing. "Do you... do you think about me?"
I kiss her pretty neck. "I usually think about the stock market, but what a good idea! Next time maybe I'll think about my incredibly hot girlfriend."
She gives me one of her looks, but then she gets shy again. "I think about you, too. When I... you know."
I squeeze her, delighted that she would admit that. "Well I would hope so, Dawnie!"
"So it's OK to pretend stuff on my own that would be bad in real life? That's a little twisted."
I twirl her hair around my finger. "We're only human. Sometimes the really bad stuff is the best to imagine of all!"
"Like what bad stuff? What do you imagine doing with me?" She blushes deeper.
"My lips are sealed."
"And then what?"
"You have a rotten dirty mind, Dawn. I don't believe you sometimes." But she sees that I'm smiling.
I was around her age when we first met, and I remember those hormones. But I never acted like this! I think we feed off each other, getting each other worked up beyond controlling. And being apart for days and days doesn't help, either.
I re-fasten her top button, and as my finger grazes the skin under her collarbone, I almost lose all my resolve.
One emergency change of subject, coming up.
"So how are things at school? Are we still famous?"
"Legendary. That kiss at the dance will go down in Razorback history. Now Buffy's helping me revive the Gay Student Association. They voted to make me president if I would join, and I didn't really want to, but... with fame comes responsibility! I'm the Sunnydale High lesbian poster child. Literally."
"Buffy's helping?" I'm not sure why that surprises me. She's certainly no homophobe, judging by the rent-free love nest she's given Willow and Tara.
"Yeah, she's the club's parent adviser now. She even got us a budget. It's not the gay thing that bothers her, Faith, it's the you thing." She presses her lips together angrily. "Actually, I'm pretty sure Buffy's mainly helping me get involved because she wants me to meet a new girl. That kinda pisses me off."
"Maybe she just wants to support you. Especially after the Fabers and all. And she knows you're just out of the closet. Tara came out in high school I think, I bet she's been talking to Buffy."
"I don't know. After the meetings she always says 'so-and-so seems nice' or 'wasn't that a nice dress so-and-so had on?'... She even asked me once if I ever thought Janice and me might be more than friends. Janice! Can you believe it? At least she doesn't know you and I call each other. She'd probably lock me in the basement!"
I sigh. Buffy may not understand me, but I feel like I understand her. As much as anyone can who hasn't actually been to Heaven and then been hauled back out again. "At least she cares about you, Dawn. The rest is all details. And we'll work them out." I look at Dawn's watch. "Speaking of Janice..."
She looks at the time. "Oh, no! I have to go!"
"Yeah." Reluctantly, I hand her her bookbag and gather the stuff that goes in it. We kiss, while at the same time I try to fix her messy hair up a little.
"I love sneaking around with you, Faith! We're so good at it! Just like in Boston."
"I love it too, baby. I'd like to try not having to sneak around, though, just to see which I like better!"
"Call me," she says, as I brush the dirt off of her pants.
I watch her walk away, giving her a head start before I follow. I'm extra careful now to be sure nobody sees me around her. If we're caught it will be Buffy who gets blamed now, not the Fabers.
Every step she takes away from me hurts me. Physically hurts me. Oh Dawnie! I want her back so bad. I can feel her hips in my hands, her hair tickling my cheeks. I want just one more kiss!
She stops at the end of the alley and walks back to me.
"I can't stand it!" she says. "I need one more kiss."
"I thought we might practice some knife throwing. We can hang this on your tree in back. I've picked up some rather useful techniques for two knives at one time... I think you might find them very... very useful! That is if you don't have other plans... we can always–"
"Giles. You're being all weird. I always love to play with knives, but... what's really going on here?"
"Well, I... to be honest... the knives were just an excuse to drop by and... spend some... quality time with you."
I smile. "You do know how sweet you are, don't you?" I help him carry the stuff through the house. Some people get flowers, I get knives.
His new techniques are not new to me at all, but it gives us an activity, and we talk about other stuff, too. It's nice.
"Buffy," he says after a while, looking very uncomfortable, "you do know that you are very special to me, I hope."
"Sure thing. Your first Slayer."
"More than that... I think you know what I mean... I just... thought I should say it."
This is a little weird. OK, a lot weird. It feels nice to hear him say, though.
He takes off his glasses and polishes them nervously. "I've been so busy with... things... Faith... lately, and I really haven't made the time to see you as much as I want to. I'd like to... be around... a little more from now on."
He's very uncomfortable. Something else is going on here. "Giles, that's really sweet and it would be great to see more of you. But what's the real reason you came over?"
"Just... just that."
I tilt my head and stare him down.
"Very well, Faith seems to think you're feeling rather... well, left out I suppose. Like she's taking people away from you. She insisted that I do something about it."
"Faith!? Faith tells you how I'm feeling?" I'm fuming. I can't stand Faith! And if Faith told Giles that, who told Faith? Willow and Tara are having heart-to-hearts with Faith about my private feelings! Behind my back! Damn you, Faith!
Something has to give, and soon. I need her out of my city and out of my life!
"Doublemeat?" She asks, puffing out her cheeks, bulging her eyes, and leaning over like she's going to puke. Twinge of guilt. I'm not as bad a mom as her social worker thinks... but I'm sure not a great one.
But we're in luck tonight. "No Soylent Green this time. Willow and Tara made lasagna. I... what are you doing?"
"Homework. Remember? You do it at home, and it's like working, only you don't get paid?"
Homework involving lots of index cards. Right.
"Dawn, I know what you're doing."
"What? I'm making flash cards."
"For Faith."
She opens her mouth to lie, but I grab the pile. Math problems and answers. "Volume of a 10 inch ball," the top one reads. She tries to hide one card that was off to the side, but I'm too quick.
It's a much easier problem. The card simply says "5 x 5." I flip it over. "I love you, Faith."
She knows she's busted. "Fine. Ground me. I don't smoke or do drugs, so I guess you may as well punish me for flash cards."
"Dawn, is your own homework done?"
"No, I'll do it later!"
I kneel down next to Dawn's chair, willing myself not to show my anger. When was the last time life was something I could deal with? Sometime before Glory maybe? I take Dawn's hands, as if that could keep her from slipping away from me. "You know if they take you away again it might be for good."
That takes the wind out of her sails. Her shoulders slump sadly. "For flash cards?"
"For staying in contact with an ex-con who I told them I could keep you away from."
"But she needs to keep studying or she won't get her diploma! And I don't give them in person, I send them with Wi... with someone."
"I know about Willow and Tara's little smuggling operation. Dawn... you know you can't keep this up. I know you two were friends once, but it has to stop. It has to. I'm really sorry, Dawnie."
Now she's mad. "Do you want me to be the kind of person who can just turn my back on someone I love? Is that what would make you feel like a good parent? I care about Faith! I care about her future!"
"More than you care about your own future?"
She swallows and gets up to put her hands on my shoulders, speaking gently but surely. "Yes, Buffy. More than I care about my own future."
Oh, God. It's all coming apart. I open my mouth and nobody hears me anymore. Nobody! I may as well send Dawn to a foster home right now! I close my eyes and try not to cry. I can't lose Dawnie!
"Buffy, her future and my future are the same. I want to go to college with her and everything. Do you know how easy it would be for her to blow off this test and never even graduate from high school? She could be working at fast food forever... no offense... and she deserves more. I don't want her to just be a Slayer and nothing else. But that's the only part of her life she can handle. Who's going to help her with the rest? Who's going to make her pass that test and get a better job and a better place and have a life like she deserves? I'm going to. Even if I have to hide from you and the social worker the whole time. I love her Buffy. She loves me. It's real. You may not get that but it is."
I look up at her, shaking my head slightly. My fists clench in frustration but there's not a word I can say.
I feel hollow inside. I finally know what I have to do about Faith, and it makes me queasy. It won't be easy, but things cannot go on like this. I care about Dawn more than anything in the world, and I will do whatever it takes to look out for her. Even the unthinkable. Even if part of me regrets it for as long as I live.
I'll do it tomorrow, before I lose my nerve. Dawn's life–and her sweet, pure heart–is too important.
I just hope my friends never find out it was me.
I look at her silently, trying to decide on the best approach. "I agree," I say.
"You've gotten rid of Spike and Faith, Dawn's grades are good, and she's kept out of trouble. We'll all sit down again next Wednesday. Is there some reason you needed to see me sooner?"
"Yes. We have a serious problem. I thought I should come right to you with it."
"What kind of problem?"
"Faith."
She nods, unsurprised. "If she's been pursuing Dawn, we can help you get a restraining order. If she can't keep away, then she'll go back to prison. And if you think she's molesting Dawn or doing anything illegal, we can send the police to Faith's apartment right now."
As I had expected. If ever anyone deserved to get put away again, it's Faith.
But that's too easy. Simply removing her from Dawn's vicinity would be only half a solution. It would keep Faith from getting Dawn into trouble, but it wouldn't truly separate them. Dawn would keep waiting and hoping. And hurting. "I don't think that's a good idea."
She leans forward on her elbows. "What's going on, exactly?"
I cross my fingers mentally and charge ahead. "The guidelines you gave me have to change. Dawn's about to turn sixteen and Faith won't be allowed to come. Dawn will want her there, and I think she should be."
"If Dawn has moved on from Faith, that's a step in the right direction. Inviting a convict back into your home is not what this situation needs, Ms. Summers."
"I won't pretend I like Faith as a person." Understatement of the year. I think I despise her more every day. "But I can't help believing that she is good for Dawn. And Dawn is good for Faith. They have known each other for years. Nobody is 'moving on.'" I look her in the eye. "Your judgment hasn't exactly been perfect in regards to Dawn, has it? I don't think I would be a very good mom if I let you dictate things that hurt her. Do you?"
She narrows her eyes at the accusation, but ignores it. "And what happens when Dawn imitates Faith's criminal behavior? What happens when Faith makes her do things, and Dawn is only too happy to listen?"
"Dawn doesn't imitate Faith. Faith imitates Dawn. Dawn makes Faith do things." I can't imagine anybody making Faith do anything, but it seems like Willow's right about this. It's like Dawn's struggling to raise Faith the way I'm struggling to raise Dawn! It makes me feel closer to Dawn, in a way. "Dawn tries to set a good example, getting Faith to study for her diploma, giving her advice... And Faith listens. Dawn feels responsible for Faith, and she's acting responsible. Don't you think that's a good thing?"
"You make it sound as though Faith never left."
Oops. Backpedal. "Faith left and hasn't come back. Dawn is very worried about her. I want her to come to Dawn's birthday, and I'd rather do it in the open than lie to you about it."
"Do you feel confident that the two can resume contact without there being consequences? Don't forget who got Dawn expelled."
"Dawn shouldn't have been expelled in the first place. Other than that, I really don't see how the incident hurt Dawn. It's between Faith and the other girl, and Faith owned up to what she did." Yeah, Faith has a history of owning up to her evil deeds. Now, if she would stop doing evil things in the first place, I'd be a lot happier.
"You know what's at stake if you're wrong about Faith. Dawn's next foster home probably won't be in Sunnydale at all. Are you sure enough about Faith to take that kind of risk?"
This is it. My last chance to back out. My last chance to decide, once and for all, what's best for my sister. Faith is dangerous, ranging from irresponsible to downright evil. But, as much as I don't want to believe it, that's not the whole story.
"I'm sure."
She eyes me curiously. She knows my objections to Faith. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"
"I'm really not."
She raises her eyebrows, looking thoughtfully at the folders spread open on the desk. "Then give it a try," she says, giving in with obvious reluctance. "Let her resume contact with Faith. But be very careful about this, Ms. Summers. Next week we'll evaluate the situation again."
Success. Dear God, what have I done? "OK. I'll see you next week, then. And... nobody has to know I came to you about this, right?"
"This meeting is completely confidential."
~ Continue to Episode 15 – Slayers ~
Thanks to Glottis for suggesting Dawn and the Fabers' daughter.
If you enjoyed this story, try CV-1. Buffy agrees to a meeting with someone from her past. It's not what she expected.
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