Note: Thanks to my betas MadRog and t_geyer for their unending patience, perseverance and support.


SECTION 6 - GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN

Some boys take a beautiful girl
And hide her away from the rest of the world
I wanna be the one to walk in the sun

Hey now, hey now
What's a matta with ya?
Girls just wanna have fun now
Come on

(Cyndi Lauper, Album - 12 deadly Cyns... and then some)




Chapter 6.02
Wednesday, May 15th, 2002

"So, you'll lock up when I've gone? And you're going to be okay here on your own?" Wes questioned the teenager as he stood on the porch, having brought her home.

"I'll be fine. It's not the first time I've been in the house on my own, you know, and there's only two vamps who have an invite, and I don't think one of them would be in a hurry to show his face 'round me."

"Yes, well, all the same, keep your phone to hand and if there's any trouble just call and someone will be here in less than ten minutes. Okay?"

"Yes, daddy. You're nearly as bad as Spike when Buffy was gone."

"I guess I'll have to try harder, then."

"No, thanks. One over-protective "big brother" is quite enough. Actually, one over-protective big sister is enough on her own."

"You're the one that talked about me joining the "family"."

"Shoo. Go. I've got calls to make and you've got people to meet."

 

---

 

"Hey, so are we on for tonight?" Brandon asked.

"I don't see why not," Dawn replied, somehow managing not to sound totally disingenuous. "They said it was okay for me to go on your bike once I had all the gear, and I have all the gear. And you'll give me a lift there and back, won't you? So, as long as I'm back for curfew, no problemo."

"Sure, I'll give you a lift there and back. What kind of jerk would I be if I didn't?"

"The kind of jerk I wouldn't want to go with in the first place. Or maybe the kind of jerk I'd have an argument with half way through the night."

"Believe me. We're not going to argue, bicker maybe but I make it a point never to upset a pretty girl if I can help it, and even if we did, it would still be my place to see you got home safely."

"Cool. Give me three quarters of an hour to change and get freshened up. Okay?"

Brandon checked his watch. "I'll be on that front porch just after half past seven."

"See you then," Dawn confirmed, waiting for him to say goodbye before replacing the handset. She dashed up the stairs as soon as the phone was back in its cradle. At least, if she had been accustomed to the extra weight of her new thick-soled boots it would have been a dash, as it was, it seemed more like a fast jog. These were going to take some getting used to, but on the plus side, no teetering.

Her first stop was her wardrobe. Hidden away at the back, for just such an occasion as this, was an old dress of Buffy's. Her sister most likely thought it had been thrown away along with all the other clothes that had been with it in a garbage bag in the basement. Little did she know that Dawn had hidden it away well before the basement was ever flooded.

She debated for a few seconds before slipping off the new leather trousers and adding a pair of black lacy tights. Surveying her reflection in the mirror, she pulled on the heavy boots that reached most of the way up her calves once more. She needed make-up, but the black pvc mini-dress, the fishnet-style tights and the boots were definitely a look. Five minutes later, her new leather pants and boots were back on over the top of the dress, which was short enough that this didn't present a problem. That left the rest of the time to work on her make up and her hair and pick some jewellery.

 

---

 

Dawn made a dash for the bathroom when she heard the sound of an approaching motorbike, checking her hair and make-up in the mirror one last time before she descended the stairs with a seemingly casual nonchalance.

Brandon was just removing his helmet as she stepped into the halo of the front porch light. As he raised his head back up he let out a low wolf whistle.

"Do I get a twirl?" he asked.

"If you want," Dawn responded before obliging. Meanwhile, Brandon set his helmet down on top of the bike's seat and moved to close the distance between them.

Taking first one hand and then the other, he gently pushed back the cuffs of her jacket.

"What're you doing?" Dawn asked with a puzzled expression.

"Just checking for the Witchblade, seeing as how I seem to be dating a young Sarah Pezzini," he answered with a teasing glint in his cat-green eyes.

"Very funny." Then, her puzzled expression returned. "Or is that meant to be a compliment?"

"Believe me. It's a compliment." He closed the last foot between them and pressed his lips to hers, deepening the kiss when she opened her mouth to him. His hands reached up to frame her face and long seconds passed before either pulled away for breath. "The look suits you," he told her as he brushed the back of his knuckles against her cheek in a parting caress. "I think we'd best get out of here before your chaperones come to check what we're up to."

"It would help if we want a table," Dawn responded with her own teasing smile.

"I'm guessing the idea of dancing the night away in new boots doesn't appeal?"

"You guess right. Why? Were you planning to cop a feel on the dance-floor?"

"Well, I am a guy. but, actually I was thinking it'd be kinda cool to get more of a chance to sit and talk, and maybe unravel a bit more of the enigma that is Dawn Summers." He gave her another soft lopsided smile before making his way back to the bike.

As his back retreated down the path, a little voice in Dawn's head was reminding her that oxygen was a prerequisite to her survival. 'Breathe, girl, breathe ," it said.

 

---

 

There was more than an hour before the band was due to come on when they arrived at the Bronze and the place was only just starting to fill up.

"Why don't I take our jackets and helmets to the cloakroom? You see if you can find a table and I'll swing by the bar before I come find you?"

"Okay."

"What's your poison?"

"Well, I would say vodka tonic to sound all sophisticated, but what with these pesky stamps on our hands, you better make it a diet coke."

He pressed an almost chaste kiss on her lips, before pulling back to smile at her surprised expression. "One coke coming up. and you don't need to be sophisticated to impress me. You're doing fine just being you."

 

---

 

As she waited at the table, Dawn's ill will towards Spike was steadily growing. It was her first proper, unsupervised date. She was with a gorgeous, charming guy who gave every appearance of being as attracted to her as she was to him. She should be having the time of her life. Instead, this little English voice in her head kept saying, "if a guy seems too good to be true, then he probably is." It wasn't fair. Even when he wasn't there, the British pest wouldn't just let her enjoy herself.

Then again, there was the other little voice that said if Spike and Buffy got back to the house before she did and found her note on the refrigerator, then there was always the possibility they would turn straight back around and haul her home. Of course, those instructions about being in bed if it was after half past eleven didn't make it sound like they intended to rush back, so she was probably safe. unless they were just covering themselves. And Tara and Willow would probably find it first, anyway. The library would probably be closing soon, so it was almost guaranteed.

It wasn't like it was a big deal. Buffy never asked for mom's permission and she used to walk here and back on her own and that was before anyone knew about the whole slayer thing. Of course, it was before her mom knew that vampires were real as well, but minor point. It wasn't her fault that Buffy wasn't there to ask permission, and she had left a note.

Her train of thought was broken when a drink appeared in front of her. "One diet coke," Brandon announced as he set it down. The small white pellet that had been added to the cup had already dissolved by the time the brunette had reached the table.

 

---

 

"Sorry I'm so late. It took a bit longer to get Dawn outfitted than I had anticipated." Wesley apologised in a whisper as he greeted the two witches. "Is there a reader's lounge or somewhere that I can get us all a coffee while you tell us your news?"

"There's a coffee shop just around the corner," Tara offered. "And this place will be closing up soon anyway." She started to clear up the books she'd been using for her research, while Willow picked up a stack of printouts from a printer near the computer she had been working on. The Englishman was quick to step forward. "Those books must weigh a ton. Here let me get them." He took the stack from Tara's arms, carrying them with ease.

Soon the trio were seated around a small table and armed with tall cups of coffee. Willow looked sheepish as she made her confession. "Last night, after the meeting I sent this email. I thought I was doing the right thing."

Wesley scanned the text of the document she gave him. "This was a very dangerous bluff to play. I'm assuming it was a bluff, that you wouldn't in fact be prepared to use the full extent of your magic against human opponents."

"I don't know. I mean I just meant to scare them off, but if they come after us. I guess I won't know how I'll react until I'm actually put to the test. I mean barrier spells and stuff like that have worked before, maybe they'll work again."

"There's something else as well. Spike asked Willow to check out Brandon and his father, just as a precaution. She hasn't had much chance to work on it until tonight. It could just be coincidence." Tara told him in a voice that conveyed little hope that it was. She nodded to Willow, who began to spread out the remaining print outs on the table in front of them, explaining what she had found. "Brandon's dad only started teacher training when he was awarded custody in the divorce case seven years ago. Before that he was a war correspondent, and before that he worked on The Stars and Stripes."

"The forces newspaper?" Wes asked, his tone of voice showing that his interest had been piqued.

Willow nodded. "Yep. He's ex-military... or maybe not so ex?"