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"Excuse me," Xander mumbled and pushing past
her, headed across the dance floor.
"Well don't mind me," Dawn called after him but he made no
reply. She stuck her tongue out at his back then watched as he moved
behind Faith and after a short conversation left together with her. Dawn
frowned, there was something going on between those two she was sure of
it. But what? She'd have to keep an eye on them.
Then recalling how he'd laughed at her Dawn's frown
turned to a scowl. What was so funny about telling Buffy that she wanted
to learn magic? She was a responsible adult and she knew what she was
doing. Ok, so that pumpkin spell hadn't worked out as she had hoped but
that was just inexperience. How was she supposed to get better without
someone to teach her? She looked across the dance floor at a certain
redheaded witch. Someone like Willow.
"Do you want a drink?"
Dawn blinked, her view was blocked. "What?"
"I said…do…you…want…a…drink? What's wrong, are you
deaf?"
She focused on the speaker and found herself looking at a young man in a
vampire costume. Black cloak, fangs, slicked back hair and a whitened face
with a couple of spots of blood by his mouth. She grimaced. God! Did
people really think a vampire would look like that? "No, are you
stupid?"
The young man grinned. "Ooh feisty, I like that. My name's
Julian."
"Good for you." She looked past him.
"And you are?"
"Bored." Couldn't this guy take a hint?
"Here, this will help."
Dawn looked at the large glass of thick pink liquid he was offering her
and shook her head. "I shouldn't…" she began then stopped. Why
shouldn't she? Because her sister said not to. Because she said alcohol
was no good. Buffy didn't know everything. She took the glass.
"Thanks."
"You shouldn't what?"
"I shouldn't…er…" she smiled "say no to a handsome guy
when he offers me a drink." She raised the glass and drank the
contents in one go.
Almost immediately her throat began to burn and she
broke out in a fit of coughing.
"Careful there, it's got a bit of a kick." He patted her on the
back. "Good stuff ain't it?"
Dawn nodded but it was another minute before she was able to speak.
"What is it?" she asked eventually.
The young man smiled. "It's my own concoction, one part beer, one
part whiskey, one part gin and three parts strawberry milkshake. I call it
strawberry surprise."
It sounded as disgusting as it tasted but the name was about right. She
was surprised, surprised that she hadn't thrown up. Her stomach rumbled
loudly. Maybe she had spoken too soon.
"You haven't told me your name."
"It's Dawn."
"Dawn, that's a pretty name."
Did he think she was going to fall for that? But for some reason she found
herself smiling. "Thanks."
"I haven't seen you around much, what's your major?"
Dawn shook here head. "I'm still in…" she was about to say
high school but then thought better of it. That would sound so lame.
"…a bit of a mess," she said instead. "I've just
transferred here from UC Sunnydale." Yes, that sounded much better.
"It was destroyed in an earthquake."
Julian was impressed. "An earthquake, really?"
Dawn nodded, pleased with herself.
"And they say nothing good comes from an earthquake," he said
smoothly.
"Do you want to dance?" she asked abruptly, surprising herself
with her boldness. It must be the alcohol, she decided.
Julian smiled. "Hey! That was gonna be my next line." He
shrugged. "It's not every day a beautiful girl asks you to dance
though." He held a hand. "It would be my pleasure." Dawn
smiled and took a step forward but as she did the room began to
spin. She lurched forward and it was only Julian's quick reactions that
saved her from falling. "I think someone's not used to the
strong stuff," he commented, his amusement plain.
Slumped in his arms Dawn felt herself go red. "I so am," she
protested.
"Stand up then."
Dawn tried but after only a few moments she gave up, maybe she was a
little drunk. "I don't want to."
"Well let me help you to a chair instead then," he said
gallantly and put an arm around her waist.
"Ok then but no funny stuff. You don't wanna mess with
me."
Julian smiled. "I'll be careful," he said and lifting her up put
her on a stool. "There you go and not a single liberty taken."
"Thanks," she said, a touch of disappointment creeping into her
voice. Wasn't she pretty enough for him to want to take liberties with?
"So…" He paused obviously trying to think
of something to say "…do you have a sorority yet?"
Was that the best he could manage? She shook her head. "No, not
yet."
"Well, it's best not to rush in to anything," he said then
lapsed into silence.
Dawn saw him eye the dance floor wistfully. "I like your
costume." She shook her head, how lame was that?
Julian shrugged. "It was nothing really. Your costume though is very
good. I especially like this" he flicked her false nose "very
crone-like."
"Oi! That hurt." She laughed then leant close, conspiratorially.
"I'll let you into a little secret, I'm a real witch," she told
him, knowing even as she spoke that she was being a complete idiot.
Luckily and not surprisingly he didn't believe her.
"Of course you are and I'm a real vampire," he said, then in a
mock Dracula
accent, "I vant your blood." He laughed. Was he mocking her? If
she'd been thinking straight Dawn would have laughed with him, willing to
accept his mockery to cover her mistake. However she wasn't thinking
straight and there was something in his
voice that incensed her. "I am," she assured him.
"I'll prove it."
Julian's smile was condescending. "I think someone is pulling my
leg."
Did he now, well she'd show him. "See those pumpkins over there by
the window? The ones with the candles in."
He nodded. "I see them, so what?"
"Just keep watching them, I'm going to light the candles."
"Ok."
He didn't sound at all impressed. Well he would be in a moment. "Ille
obscurus ad expellere…" She stopped, her mind black. Damn what was
the Latin for fire?
"I'm waiting," he said smug in his belief that she was lying.
Come on think, she urged herself and then she had it. "…incendium,"
she cried in triumph and waited for the candles to ignite.
Unfortunately they didn't ignite so much as explode.
Flames ten feet high burst from the pumpkins with a whoosh, sending hot
bits of orange flesh raining down on the nearest partygoers like shrapnel.
Dawn stared in shock and horror. What had she done? "Oh good
God!" she heard Julian gasp.
The flames spread rapidly, the curtains behind the
pumpkins were already on fire and smoke was everywhere. All around the
room people, who only moments before were having a good time, began to
scream in panic and run for the exits. Dawn took a step forward only for
Julian to grab her arm. "What are you doing? We have to get out of
here."
She tried to shake him off. "I have to do something."
"No you don't." He gave her a sharp tug. "Come on."
"But my friends."
"Will have to look after themselves."
Reluctantly Dawn allowed him to pull her away and they were soon being
pushed and jostled in the press of bodies trying to get out. Behind them
the fire had already reached the wooden ceiling.
After what seemed like an age Dawn and Julian made it
outside and into fresh air. All around them people were taking in great
breaths of air relieved to be out. Looking around at the gathered people
she searched for Willow and the others but could see them nowhere. "I
can't see my friends."
Julian looked at her tear streaked face and then back at the burning
building. "Stay here," he told her and before she could reply he
was gone, back up to the house and inside. Sick with worry Dawn could do
nothing but watch. She was still watching several minutes later when she
heard someone shout her name.
Dawn turned and saw Willow pushing her way towards her.
It was one of the happiest sights of her life. Her astronaut costume was
streaked with soot but otherwise she looked fine. And behind her there was
Kennedy and the others. She rushed forward and threw her arms around the
witch. "Oh Willow you're safe," she gasped and then began to sob
uncontrollably.
Slightly surprised Willow stroked her hair. "There, there it's ok now
Dawnie," she said awkwardly.
Dawn sniffed. "I was so worried; I thought you were still
inside."
"We were the last out," Rona said.
"I wonder how it started," Kennedy mused.
"Electrical overload probably," Rona guessed.
Guilt holding her tongue Dawn said nothing. In the distance she heard the
sound of sirens.
"The Fire Department will soon be here," Kennedy said, "and
not a moment too soon."
Breaking free of Willow's comforting arms Dawn turned to look at the frat
house. The flames had reached the roof and the whole building was now
ablaze, giving the sky an eerie orange glow. It was lucky that there was
no one inside, she thought then gasped. "Oh no!"
"What?"
She had forgotten about Julian. "There was a guy; he went back inside
to look for you."
Willow frowned and then her face took on a look of concentration. A moment
later she shook her head. "There's no one in there."
"But my friend…" she protested.
"…must have got out another way," Willow reassured her.
"But…"
"Honey, I'm sure he's fine."
Dawn prayed it was so. If anything had happened to Julian, or anyone else
for that matter, because of her she wouldn't have been able to live with
herself.
"Dawnie are you ok?" Willow asked. "You've gone very
pale."
"I think I'm gonna be sick."
"Kennedy I'm gonna take Dawn home, see if you can find Xander and
Faith."
Kennedy nodded. "Ok, I'll see you in a bit."
With a dozen or so comfortable chairs and containing the only television
they had, the smallest of the two common rooms in the old school was
usually a busy place. With only herself, Buffy, Willow and Giles there
though it seemed somewhat empty but Dawn didn't mind.
"How are you feeling now Dawn?" Giles asked when Willow had
finished telling them about the fire.
Seated comfortably in one of the chairs, a cup of tea in her hands, Dawn
smiled weakly "A little better."
Buffy shook her head. "I hate Halloween," she said.
"Me too," Dawn seconded. The disasters took all the fun out of
it.
"I like it," Willow announced earning herself strange looks from
the others. "Well I do," she told them stubbornly. "It's
fun to get
dressed up."
Buffy snorted. "The demons that try to kill you are less fun
though."
Noticing Buffy's dishevelled state for the first time Willow frowned.
"What happened to you two?"
"A Sputnik demon attacked us."
"Spurranitch," Giles corrected . "A subterranean cave
dweller that's very rarely seen on the surface."
Buffy nodded. "Yeah one of those, big ugly brute it was as
well."
"Did you kill it?"
"Oh yeah, deader than a…" she shrugged "than a really
dead thing."
"But not until after it had broken down my door though," Giles
chimed in.
"Well excuse me for not being able to protect your door from injury;
I was more worried about its owner."
"Oh um yes…quite." The ex Watcher looked suitably embarrassed.
"Another cup of tea I think," he said and got up to make
another brew.
Listening to their banter Dawn felt wretched. She
couldn't stop thinking about the fire and how lucky she had been that no
one had been hurt. Finally she couldn't take it any longer. "It was
me," she confessed quietly.
The others looked at her curiously. "What was sweetie?" Willow
asked.
"I…I started the fire."
As what she had said sank in their expressions turned to shock and anger.
"But why?" Buffy asked, her consternation plain.
"I didn't mean to, it was an accident."
"So what were you trying to do?"
"I was trying to light some candles."
"What with? A flame thrower."
Dawn shook her head.
"Oh Dawn, it was magic wasn't it?" Willow guessed.
The young woman said nothing but her silence was enough.
"Magic!" Buffy shouted. "For God's sake Dawn didn't I
forbid you to
use magic? What were you thinking?"
"There was this guy…"
"You did this for a boy?"
"Like you never did anything stupid because of a boy." Buffy's
expression darkened. "Anyway," she said quickly, "it wasn't
for him.He wouldn't believe that I was a witch so…"
"You told him? Do you know how stupid that was?"
Dawn shook her head. "I wasn't thinking straight. I'll never drink
again."
"You were drinking?"
Oops, hadn't she told her that. "I only had one drink," she
protested meekly.
Buffy shook her head. "Then what happened?"
"I tried to light some candles but the spell went wrong. The pumpkins
exploded and then everything started to burn."
Buffy and Willow looked at her silently, their disappointment clear.
Squirming uncomfortably Dawn silently urged one of them
to say something and after what seemed like forever it was her sister who
finally spoke. "Do you know how lucky you've been Dawn?" she
asked. "How much worse this could have been?"
"I know."
"I don't think you do Dawn. Magic is not for amateurs, you could have
killed someone."
"I wouldn't be an amateur if you would let Willow teach me,"
Dawn pointed out, her sister's superior tone really starting to grate on
her nerves.
"Dawnie," Willow said gently, "Buffy said you
can't…"
"She's not always right," she shouted at Willow angrily and then
looked at her sister. "Well you're not. I'm not a child anymore, I
can make my own decisions."
"Tonight's events say differently."
"It was a mistake, I know but you won't let me do anything."
Buffy was adamant. "I don't want you using magic."
This was so unfair. "I hate you," she screamed and then stormed
out slamming the door behind her.
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