Buffy was packing her weapons. Again. Another night without any time spent with her sister. Her only remaining family. There was an entirely new level of sucking, and Dawn was on it.

'I'm really sorry.' Buffy said, piling stakes on top of holy water. Dawn rolled her eyes and folded her arms. There she goes, apologising again. Doesn't mean she'll change.

'It's okay.' It's really not okay. Dawn kept her expression neutral. She knew Buffy had to go out and do this stuff, knew she was the Slayer. Part of it was worry that she wouldn't come home; the other part was just the being alone.

Buffy shook her head as she continued to organise her bag. 'No. We're gonna sit down and have a real dinner.' She paused. 'Someday. I hate having to run out in the middle, it's just this thing out there...'

'I understand.' Doesn't mean I like it.

'Spike says it's pretty scary, some kind of monster thing,' the slayer shrugged, 'definitely non-vampire.'

'Well,' Dawn bit her lip for a second, 'maybe when you get back, we can set up for your party tomorrow?' She really shouldn't get her hopes up cause...

'Yeah, this might be a while, you shouldn't wait up. Besides, Willow promised she's on birthday patrol. Nothin' left for us to do.'

...Buffy wouldn't bite.

'Right.' She replied, trying to keep the hurt and disappointment from her voice. Buffy zipped up the bag and hefted it over her shoulder, smiling tightly at her little sister before heading for the door. 'Okay, so homework, finish dinner, and don't stay up too late, all right?'

'Okay.' Dawn replied.

'Good.' Buffy paused. 'We'll spend time later, I promise.'

And she was gone. Dawn stood in front of the door, letting her arms fall to her sides, but refusing to let her tears drop. Slowly, she turned and headed into the kitchen, discarding her unfinished dinner into the bin.

Alone again. Naturally.

---

Dawn had gotten bored of her homework fairly quickly and headed over to the Magic Box. Maybe she could put some ideas to Willow for the birthday party. Buffy didn't want to hear it, she knew, but she wanted to be involved. Not like she was involved in anything else. The Scoobies at least let her join in occasionally.

Walking in, she could see she'd entered a conversation about the party. Willow looked up at the teenager's entrance.

'Hey.' Dawn smiled, standing by the table that everyone was gathered around.

'Hey Dawnie.' God I'm getting tired of that nickname. Willow smiled. 'Buffy out patrolling already?'

'Anything new about Warren and the nerd herd?' Xander asked. Dawn shook her head.

'No. Just a big Monster Hunt.' Xander drew a sharp breath and clicked his tongue and in that instant, Dawn kinda wanted to hit him.

'Man, a nerd goes into hiding, he really goes into hiding. Upside of spending all that time shoved inside a locker.' He paused, looking around and drawing his shoulders in defensively. 'Not that I would know.' Dawn eyed him sceptically then shook her head lightly, changing the subject.

'So, I was thinking,' the group turned their eyes to her, 'who wants to go to the mall for birthday presents?'

No one answered straight away. Gee, don't all rush to spend time with me. Dawn looked at Willow, who looked away as she answered. 'Oh honey, I would, but I've got group. You know. The whole Spellcasters Anonymous thing.' Oh yeah, you're the reason Tara isn't around anymore. 'We're looking for a better name.'

'Oh, well, no, that's good, you should do that. What about you guys?' Dawn turned her expectant face on Xander and Anya. Anya I could do without the company of, but some time with Xander would be cool. Anya pointed at the counter.

'Stuck in doing the books-ville.'

'I'd go with you, but I've gotta finish this new shift schedule for the crew before tomorrow morning.' Xander said, his eyes full of guilt. Dawn nodded, not happy with the response. They're totally just going to go bump uglies. Willow looked up at her, clasping her hands over the book in front of her.

'Sorry. I think it's just one of those nights, you know?'

Dawn nodded. Every night is one of those nights lately. 'Yeah.' She turned and headed for the door, only to be stopped by Willow's voice, asking if she'd be okay on her own. She didn't turn back as she threw over her shoulder, 'Yeah, somehow I'll manage to pull it off.'

She let the door of the shop slam behind her, uncaring if it broke, and started down the very well lit and busy main streets. She wasn't stupid, even though it was dark, and she knew sticking to populated places would be the best idea. A small part of her wanted to rebel and run down an alley, stake a vampire and brag about it to her sister. But that would only lead to disapproval, scolding and, possibly, a grounding. So she stuck to the main streets to the mall, which was equally well lit and busy when she got there.

She wandered through the shops, aimlessly picking things up. No one noticed when she slipped a bottle of liquid foundation in her purse, or the lipstick that went in her pocket. Making her way into a clothes store, she picked up a few items, including a nice leather jacket, and headed for the fitting rooms. She modelling a few t-shirts, then picked up the leather jacket and slipped it on.

She looked at herself in the mirror briefly, checked there were no cameras in the fitting room and then slipped her own jacket over the top, doing it up and checking the leather wasn't showing. She knew that the security wands at the front of the store hadn't been fixed from the last time she'd been in here, so she wasn't worried about the tag on the jacket. They forgot to remove them all the time, anyhow.

Dawn slipped out of the fitting room, returning the pile of clothes to the lady at the entrance to the fitting rooms, smiling politely. She wandered round the store once more, looking at a few things, before leaving. The security alarm didn't go off and no one followed her, so she headed out of the mall quickly, and back to Revello Drive. She knew Buffy was still out as all the lights were off, which meant Willow was still at her AA group.

Opening the door, she briefly paused to call Buffy's name. Upon receiving no answer, she ran up the stairs to her room and shut the door, slipping off her jacket and admiring the leather jacket she'd stolen once more. Then she pulled it off, folding it up and bending to retrieve an empty clothes box from her last birthday from under the bed. She placed the jacket inside under the pink tissue paper. Then she stood back.

She just hoped Buffy would like it.

---

Dawn sat opposite the dark haired woman, trying to refrain from scowling at her. She didn't want to be here. Not in the guidance counsellors office, where the woman would "ummm" and "arrr", and ask about her feelings. Everyone had treated her with kid gloves...no, everyone had just treated her like a kid, a baby since her Mom had...gone. She was gone.

Not the "D" word.

She'd been mortified to be called out of class. She'd expected to be told off for the skipping classes, and possibly the thieving. But no. They wanted her to speak to the counsellor. So here she was. Sat opposite a perfectly coifed lady, with curly brown hair, insisting she call her "Hallie".

'I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.' You don't scare me, lady.

Dawn tried not to look pissed off at her, instead refusing to make eye contact and twiddled with a loose thread on her jumper. The counsellor seemed to sense that and continued talking.

'Just a follow-up after your...loss. And since I'm new here, I thought it would give us a chance to get to know each other.'

Ooooo yay. Dawn nodded. 'Great.'

'I've been looking through your file. Your grades have slipped a little.' Here we go.

'I've got really hard classes this quarter.' Dawn said, the oft-used excuse slipping out easily.

'Still. Teachers say you've seemed a little distracted lately.' Gee, my mom died, my sister died, her friends ignored me in favour of raising the dead, and a vampire babysat me all summer. Distracted ain't the half of it, lady. Dawn shook her head.

'I'm not. I'm fine.'

Hallie's mouth set into a thin line as she regarded the teen. She was going to persist with this, it seemed. 'Okay. It's just, I know it must seem weird, talking to a stranger about stuff. But I want you to know, if something's going on, if something's up...' She leaned in, and Dawn felt an urge to lean back. She hated the sympathetic friend angle. 'My job, the most important part of my job, is looking out for you.'

'I'm really okay.' Dawn insisted but Hallie didn't look like she was buying Dawn's brand of BS.

'I know there's been a lot of loss.'

Dawn almost frowned, feeling tears at the thought of just how much loss there had been. 'Yeah, kind of. I mean, yes people keep - people have a tendency to go away. And they don't tell me anything. I feel isolated. And when they do come back...they treat me...I just wish they knew how it felt to be treated like a child. To not know what's going on or be included.' She took a deep breath. Wow, way to keep quiet, Dawn. 'But, seriously, it's no big deal. I'm fine.'

---

Walking into the kitchen, she immediately went to the food and starting nosing through to see what Willow had prepared. It all seemed generic, wait, there! Cheese and pineapple. Yoink. Xander, Anya and Buffy were talking amongst themselves. Dawn popped a cheese cube into her mouth and tried to catch up on the conversation. Anya had invited a guy. For Buffy. Dawn had to interject at that point.

Naturally her comment was brushed off. She listened to the rest, but soon they started gathering the food up to move into the living room, knowing the guests would arrive soon. Asking if they could open the presents soon only earned her the brush off again and she scowled at their retreating backs. They left her in the kitchen alone as people started turning up.

She wandered from room to room, trying to figure out what to do with herself, where to fit in with the other conversations, constantly getting brushed off with "No Dawnie", "Later Dawnie". Even Spike only had eyes for Buffy when he arrived, which just served to piss the former Key off more. Asking about getting Buffy for her presents, Anya managed to make her mood even darker by talking to her like a two year old. Dawn wished she could punch the former demon in the face for how she spoke to her.

When they did eventually get to the presents, Buffy seemed awed, if a little suspicious about the tag, by the present Dawn had given her. Only for it to be thrust away in favour of the stupid weapons chest. Then Buffy's work friend turned up with a ridiculous list of allergies and Dawn had just about had enough. She stood up to leave and go upstairs, feeling like she wasn't wanted anyway, when Buffy asked her to get the door.

She acquiesced, albeit irritated, and looked out into the night, thinking how nice it would be if she could be noticed or be of some importance for a second, before she shut the door.

Hallie stood outside, looking at the closed front door of Revello Drive, and her face rippled, giving way to the demon visage.

'Done.'

---

Dawn woke up and rolled over, blinking against the sunshine filtering through the blinds. The party had gone on without her last night, and she'd retired to bed early, bored of being ignored. She thought maybe that some of the others had stayed over, but she couldn't smell any breakfast from downstairs. Normally someone was making pancakes.

A bang made her bolt upright, and the following cry of pain had her racing down the stairs in her pyjamas. As she ran into the kitchen, a small red headed child sat on the floor, rubbing a bump on her head as she pushed a fallen stool away. Dawn paused, wondering who the child was, before she walked over. The girl was maybe five or six, and as she looked up, Dawn's eyes went wide with recognition.

'Dawnie...I tried to get the tea out the cupboard and I felled over.' Little Willow pointed at the stool, rubbing her head still. Dawn stood still, shocked to her core for a second.

'Willow...did you do a spell?' She asked carefully and the tiny witch looked horrified.

'No! No! I didn't do any spells! I promise! I just...I woked up little.' Her bottom lip wobbled as she looked up with big child eyes.

Dawn's heart broke a little at tiny Willow's plaintive cry and she knelt down. 'Oh no, Willow, no, I wasn't telling you off!' What in the hell? Someone has turned her into a kid. And she's thinking like one aswell. This is not good. Where's Buffy?

'Buffy!' Dawn yelled, hoping to rouse her sister from her bed so they could find out what happened to Willow. 'Buffy!'

A small thud sounded from upstairs and Buffy's bedroom door opened. Dawn frowned when she didn't hear Buffy come down the stairs. She turned to Willow. 'Stay here for a second, 'kay Willow?' The little witch nodded and Dawn headed out of the kitchen and back up the stairs, only to find a tiny Buffy, in a tiny pair of yummy sushi pyjamas, clutching Mr Gordo and pointing at her room. Dawn's eyes nearly bust out of her head as she realised Buffy was now around the same age as Willow.

'Buffy?'

Tiny Buffy shook her pointed finger at her room. 'There's a boy in there!'

Dawn frowned, and stepped closer, following Buffy's direction into her room. On the floor, sat up and looking completely bewildered, was a five year old version of Spike, complete with tiny t-shirt and jeans and the black eyes from whatever he'd been fighting recently. Thank god their clothes got little too - wait, what is Spike doing in Buffy's room in the first place?

'Dawnie?' A little voice was accompanied by a tug on her PJ bottoms. 'Why am I so little again? And who is that?'

'You know you're not supposed to be this age?' Dawn asked, turning and squatting to Buffy's height. Buffy nodded.

'Who is that?' Buffy asked again, peering over Dawn's shoulder. 'Why's he in my room?'

'I'd like to know the answer to that too.' Dawn mumbled, and then smiled. 'That's Spike, sweetie.'

'No. Spike's a growed up vampire. He's not a lil' boy.' Buffy said, stubbornly. The little boy in the room then stood up and tiptoed over to the door. 'And Spike wasn't in my room last night.' Denial.

The "little boy" got up and tiptoed over to the pair on the landing. 'Er, not to be all nancy boy here...what's going on?' Spike asked, his Cockney accent unbelievably cute on a tiny five year old. He looked at Buffy. 'Last thing I remembered, me and Buffy were...talking.'

I'm so glad he said talking. Five year olds saying anything else might scar me for life.

'Why are you still big Dawnie?' Buffy asked, frowning.

Dawn frowned, chewing on her lip in thought. 'Maybe it's because I'm still a kid and you guys were all grown ups.'

'Spike never behaved like a growed up.' Buffy said, glaring at the tiny vampire.

'Piss off.' Spike replied and Dawn almost died with the cuteness. Then she remembered she was the grown up here - technically.

'Spike - language!'

'Sorry.' Spike shuffled his feet and Dawn chuckled. She looked from tiny Buffy to tiny Spike, and then nodded.

'Let's get you two downstairs with Willow. She's also...er...tiny.' She ushered them down the stairs and into the kitchen, and then began fixing them all up with cereal, leaving Spike out initially, then relenting when he complained. 'I guess I'd better ring Xander and make sure he's okay. Hopefully it's just contained to this house.' Leaving the young versions of the witch, the vampire and the slayer to their breakfast, she reached for the phone.

---

Xander and Anya hadn't answered the phone, and she was beginning to panic. The three mini-superbeings in the kitchen had been moved to the living room, where they sat watching a film. Buffy and Willow remained in their pyjamas as none of their regular clothes had shrunk and she didn't know what else to do. Spike was fine in his t-shirt and jeans, but was moaning about how big his duster was now.

A knock at the door had drawn her away from watching the youngsters, and her brooding about the situation. Looking through the window, she didn't see anyone there, but she opened the door regardless as it was daytime. Standing on the porch, were three more tiny versions of her sister's friends. Tara, with hair down beyond her waist, wearing the same jeans and sweater she had been yesterday, and Xander and Anya, both wearing oversized coats. Guess they weren't wearing clothes when they changed. Great.

'Dawnie?' Xander asked, his voice all squeaky. 'Do you know what is going on?'

'Did Willow do a spell? Willow usually does a spell.' Anya said, marching past her to find Willow on the sofa. 'Did you do a spell?'

'No!' Willow's bottom lip began to wibble again and this time she actually burst into tears. Buffy jumped to her defence as Dawn ushered the two on the porch inside.

'Don't be mean! Anya's being mean!' Buffy shouted at Dawn, who winced with the loudness of her "big" sister's voice.

'Buffy, shush. Anya, don't be mean. Willow didn't do a spell.'

'How come you're still all big?' Xander asked, looking up at Dawn. Buffy jumped in.

'She's not a growed up so she didn't get shrunk.'

'I am too a grown up!' Dawn objected and Buffy pouted at her. The "youngest" Summers cleared her throat. 'I mean, I'm pretty grown up, just, maybe it's cos you guys fight the demons. I'm not involved in that, so this is probably revenge, or, something.'

'Why am I involved? I just make the money.' Anya announced, folding her arms over her front. 'This is just silly.'

'Shut up Anya.' Buffy said, scowling at the tiny former demon.

'Don't be mean to my girlfriend.' Xander said, pointing at Buffy. Willow cried harder and Dawn felt like screaming.

'I'm calling Giles.' She announced and left the room, abandoning the six youngsters to themselves for a few moments. Xander looked past Willow and Buffy, over to Spike.

'What's fangface doing here?' Xander asked.

'Leave him alone Xander, he's a kid too!' Buffy said, pushing Xander backwards.

'Hey!' Xander yelled and pulled her hair, hard. She screeched and slapped him, only to send him flying into the front door. He hit it with a thud and Spike laughed loudly.

'You've still gots all your slayer-y-ness!' He said, jumping to his feet. He growled and vamped out, his little boy face contorting to that of the demon as he crowed with joy. 'I'm still a vampire!' He climbed back onto the sofa and started bouncing up and down. Buffy watched him for a second and then joined him, bouncing Willow in between them on the cushions. Her crying turned to laughter as Xander watched from the floor, a scowl on his face. Anya followed their motion with her head and giggled, whilst Tara stood by quietly and smiled a little.

---

'Giles!'

'Dawn! What's wrong?' The Englishman sounded panicked at the alarm in Dawn's voice.

'Buffy! Spike, Anya, Willow...everyone!'

'What? Dawn? What has happened?'

'Something's made them tiny!' She was struggling to get the words out now as Giles sputtered on the other end of the phone.

'Good Lord, they've been shrunk?'

'No, not as in "Honey I Shrunk The Kids" as in, they're little. Like, they're all five.'

'Someone turned them into children?'

'Yes!' She could hear him cleaning his glasses. 'I don't know what to do Giles. It seems like they're mentally five too, not just in five year old bodies. I've got no help here, they've all changed!'

'I can book a flight over. I cannot make any promises on time. Would you be able to cope until I get there?'

'I've got no clothes for them Giles! Buffy hasn't been grocery shopping this week. I don't know what to do!' Dawn was on the verge of tears. 'Who in the hell do I call? Child services?'

'No, no, Dawn, calm down.' She heard a pouring noise on the other end of the phone and wondered if it were tea or scotch he was drinking. Probably scotch. I swear Buffy drove him to drink.

'What do I do, Giles?' Silence. 'Giles?'

'Yes, yes, I'm still here. I shall book a flight and come over immediately. In the meantime, I believe it may be a prudent course of action to call Angel. It will take him a couple of hours to reach you, but he should be able to help until I arrive.' Dawn's mouth dropped open. Angel was the last person she wanted to call. But she didn't seem to have much of a choice. I wish Mom was here.

A thud and a screech from the living room had Dawn wishing Giles a hasty goodbye and running back to the...children. Xander was sulking by the front door, Anya was standing next to Tara, whilst Willow and Spike sat on the sofa staring at Buffy on the floor, who was hugging her foot and crying. Dawn ran to her "big" sister, crouching down next to her.

'Buffy?'

Buffy took in a deep breath, holding her injured foot and then screeched loudly. 'I want my mommy!'

Dawn's heart broke in two for the second time that morning as she gathered Buffy up into her teenaged arms. She ordered the other to sit quietly on the sofa and watch the tv, whilst she took Buffy into the kitchen. She set her sister down on the island, like their mom used to do with them at their old home in LA, and then removed Buffy's slipper, before looking at the foot. It wasn't bruised or cut, just tender where she'd landed on it. Buffy's cries had lessened to a whimper.

'What did you do, Buffy?' Dawn asked softly, rubbing the foot gently.

'I was bouncing with Spike, and I slipped. It wasn't his fault. It was a accident.' She sniffed a little. A noise from the doorway drew both their gazes to little Spike, stood in the doorway looking glum. He poked a finger at his sore face and sniffled a little.

'I'm sorry you gots hurt, Buffy. But I'm hurt too. So we can be hurt together?' He asked hopefully. Buffy nodded and patted the island. Dawn watched him struggle up onto the stool and sit beside her sister, smiling at how innocent they seemed together. They never shared this ease of companionship when they were grown ups and in a word, it sucked. Dawn loved both of them dearly - why couldn't they just get along?

'I'm sorry Xander is a poop head.' Buffy whispered. 'He's jealous cause you're cooler than him.'

Spike smiled. 'I know.'

Buffy stuck out her tongue. 'That's annogant.'

'It's arrogant, silly.'

As they bickered, Dawn had a thought and she looked down at Spike. 'Spike. Do you remember how you got hurt?' Spike thought for a moment and then shook his head. Buffy looked at his face.

'He probably fell over. Or walked into something.'

'Oi! I did not!' Then he frowned. 'I don't 'member how I did it.'

Dawn chewed her lip. 'Do you remember how you got here?'

'It was my birthday party!' Buffy announced, proud that she knew the answer. Dawn nodded.

'That's right, Buffy. Do you remember the party?'

Buffy opened her mouth to answer and then scrunched her face up. 'No. I just know it was my birthday party.'

'Okay. Do you remember going out to fight a monster the other night?' Buffy looked at her blankly.

'I don't fight monsters. I'm a kid.' She said. 'Besides, monsters aren't real.' Spike nudged her. ''Cept Spike. He's a vampire.' Buffy looked at him. 'Why are you a vampire?' She asked and he shrugged.

'Cause I'm cool?' He suggested. Buffy looked at him. Dawn clicked her fingers, drawing their attention back to her.

'Do either of you remember anything about...anything?' She asked, unsure of how ask them questions. Both seemed deep in thought for a second and then Buffy raised a hand. 'Yes, Buffy?'

'I 'member you. And mommy. But...' Her face went pale. 'Mommy went away, didn't she?' Tears welled in her eyes and Dawn felt her own eyes growing wet.

'Yeah, she did.' She replied quietly.

'I 'member your mummy.' Spike added. 'She made nice hot chocolate. With mini marshmallows.'

'Why'd she go away?' Buffy asked and Dawn felt sick. She didn't know how to answer that question; she'd asked it too many times herself.

'My mum told me that sometimes God calls angels home because he needs them.' Spike said, reached over and taking Buffy's hand. 'And your mum was an angel. I 'member.' Buffy looked at him with a teary smile and squeezed his hand. Dawn held back a choked sob, swallowing down her renewed grief at the loss of Joyce. She shut her eyes tightly and then opened them, knowing they had to get back to the matter at hand.

'What else do you remember Buffy? Do you remember how you met Spike?'

The tiny Slayer thought for a minute. 'We were fighting.' Her eyebrows dipped and she seemed to be thinking very hard. 'Did he steal my Barbie?'

Dawn shook her head. Neither of them remembered anything about being a grown up. This was going to make things very hard. 'I'm going to have to call Angel. Will you guys go back into the living room and wait with the others?' The two tiny blondes nodded and Spike jumped down, helping Buffy off the island before they raced back into the living room. In typical fashion, Buffy had forgotten all about her sore foot. Dawn reached for the phone and dialled, hoping against hope that Angel could help.