Andrew watched in dismay as all of the potentials devoured the delicious dinner he’d fixed for them. They forked the food into their mouths so fast and so frequently that he was sure they couldn’t taste it. After three minutes, and he checked the clock, they all got up at once. Their chatter continued on until he heard the front door slam shut. That was the way it always was on evenings. He was just glad that Buffy hadn’t stopped to give them one of her long speeches beforehand.

Andrew started to put the dishes in the sink. He heard somebody on the stairs, and a second later he turned around to see Dawn leaning against the doorway. “Hi,” she greeted. “Any food left for me?”

Andrew smiled slightly at her. He felt his stomach do the weird pleasant flip . . . Like whenever he saw Han and Leia kiss in the second Star Wars movie. He realized quickly that Dawn had asked him a question. “What? Oh. No, sorry. They didn’t leave any for me either.” He picked up a few more plates. “They didn’t seem very grateful either.”

Dawn frowned. She picked up the remainder of the plates. “Here, let me help you,” she said, taking them over to the sink. She set them down just as Andrew began to wash them. She grabbed his hands, sending a thrill through him, and pulled him away from the sink. “Oh, no you don’t, mister. We’re going to watch Star Wars now. Don’t even think I’m going to attempt to watch a movie with a billion teenage girls in the house. I know what they’re like.”

Andrew didn’t protest as she pulled him into the living room. He kind of liked the way it felt to have her skin touching his . . . Even if it was just their hands. He smiled slightly as he remembered the night before. She had asked him to kiss her. And he had. And, oh, it had been wonderful.

Andrew sat on the couch as Dawn pushed the movie in and grabbed the remote. She flopped back on the couch beside him. “These are good movies right?” she asked reluctantly.

“The best!” Andrew assured her, nodding enthusiastically.

Dawn shrugged. She pressed play. Andrew felt a little bit uncomfortable. He was scooting to the edge of the couch, not wanting her to feel obligated to be close to him. She frowned at him. Then she picked up his arm and put it around her shoulders. “Better?” she asked brightly.

Andrew drew in a breath as he dared to look at her. He nodded weakly. “Mm-hmm.” Now how was he supposed to concentrate on the movie? The only thing he could think of was kissing Dawn the night before.

When the movie actually began, Andrew was drawn in as usual. For the next hour, the only movement was Dawn scooting closer to Andrew and resting her head on his chest. He felt his heart start thumping madly. This was so . . . Intimate. Almost like a date. He’d never been on a date before. The night before, when they’d gone out for dinner and a movie, didn’t really count. When it started out, neither of them thought of it as a date. In fact, Andrew hadn’t thought of it in that context until Dawn asked him to kiss her. Boy, had he been shocked!

The climax was just beginning to start when the front door suddenly opened. There was the loud noise of girls talking and laughing, the sound that seemed to always accompany the potentials. At least, when Buffy wasn’t yelling at them.

Andrew remembered the yelling Buffy had done at him last night, so pulled away from Dawn just in time. She reached for the remote and turned the movie off just as Buffy walked in, last in line and talking to Willow.

Some of the girls first to walk in were giving Dawn looks with raised eyebrows as they all filed one by one down the stairs. Andrew felt himself blushing. Rightfully, he shouldn’t be watching a movie with Dawn, let alone having his arm around her. She was pretty and sweet, and he was just a geek who killed his best friend and got caught. Andrew’s heart felt cold when he thought of Jonathan.

“Hey, kids,” Willow greeted. Kennedy had stayed behind, leaning against the staircase, to wait for Willow. “What you watching?”

“Star Wars,” Dawn said clearly.

“Star Wars?” Buffy echoed, looking at Dawn odd. “What are you watching Star Wars for.” She glanced at Andrew. “Oh.”

Her eyes seemed to narrow at the close proximity Dawn was to Andrew, so he quickly stood up. “Uh . . . I’ll go wash the dishes now.”

“No, don’t go. I want to finish watching the movie,” Dawn pleaded.

Andrew turned around to see her looking at him expectantly. He sneaked a glance at Buffy. She was glaring at him. “Yes, Andrew, go wash the dishes.”

They all were interrupted by the shout of, “Bloody hell!”, and Spike running up the stairs. His face was filled with disgust as he walked into the living room. “Those bloody girls down there started talking about all kinds of inappropriate things,” he muttered when everyone looked at him strangely.

Andrew’s ears perked up. “About what?”

Spike’s deadly gaze settled on Andrew. “About monthly visits and cramps and things no man in his right mind wants to hear,” he gritted out.

“Oh.” Andrew looked down at the ground.

“Tired?” Buffy asked in a low voice.

“I’m fine,” Spike replied in the same tone. Andrew looked up to see their gazes locked. In the background, Willow and Kennedy were sneaking up the stairs.

Dawn grabbed Andrew’s arm and whispered in his ear, “Let’s finish watching this up in my room. They don’t pay attention to a single thing but themselves when they’re like that.”

Andrew nodded numbly, mainly because her breath on his neck was making him feel very weak and nervous. He ejected the movie and let her drag him up the stairs. He watched Buffy and Spike until they were out of view, but they didn’t notice a thing. They were still murmuring to each other when he reached the top of the stairs.

“Uh, Dawn? Am I even allowed in your room? I mean . . . isn’t it . . . Inappropriate?” Andrew asked meekly as she opened the door.

Dawn shrugged. “It’s my room, and I’m going to let whom I want in. Besides, it’s not as if we’re going to start boinking with Kennedy and Willow in the next room.”

Andrew flushed deeply, thinking of what “boinking” Dawn might be like. He quickly shut his brain off. He couldn’t let her know what he was thinking, or she’d never want to have anything to do with him again. “Uh . . . Let’s watch the movie now.”

“Yeah,” Dawn agreed. She jumped backwards onto her bed and patted to her side. Andrew looked at the spot warily. Being on a bed with Dawn seemed so . . . Intimate. “Come on, you big baby. I’m not going to bite you.”

“I hope not,” Andrew mumbled. He closed his eyes and crossed to the bed before he could stop himself. He sat down stiffly.

Dawn pressed play on the remote in her hand, and the move started where it had left off down in the living room. It only took the two mere seconds to get back to the position they were before. Andrew even forgot to be worried that someone might walk in on them, mainly Buffy. She was pretty scary sometimes. Most times. Maybe she wouldn’t have been so scary if he hadn’t been evil the year before.

The movie didn’t have much time left to it, and before they knew it, it was over. The VCR automatically stopped and rewinded the movie itself. Dawn stretched and yawned. Andrew watched her shirt slip up and reveal a little patch of skin as she did so. He licked his lips nervously.

Dawn had her head low on the bed so that he was looking down at her. His breath caught in his throat at the sight she made. Her long brown hair was splayed out around her, and she was looking at him in a sleepy way that made his heart speed up. He wasn’t going to do anything though. Especially not in her bedroom! He moved to get up.

Dawn grabbed onto his arm. “What are you afraid of?” she asked.

“This,” Andrew whispered. “What if I get in trouble? Buffy yelled at me last night. And I know nobody else likes me. Why do you like me?”

Dawn thought about it for a moment. “I don’t know,” she whispered in reply. “I just do. I mean, you’re nice and sweet and stuff. I never disliked you, you know. Plus you’re kinda cute too.”

Andrew straightened his shoulders. “Really?” he asked casually.

Dawn laughed lightly. “Yeah.” She reached for his head, entangling her fingers in the hair at the back of his neck, and pulled him down slowly. Andrew came willingly, and he met her lips softly.

Andrew felt his world begin to blur. His eyes were closed tight, and all of his being was focused on where his lips were touching hers. It wasn’t long before he felt daring enough to slip his tongue past the gates of his mouth. She brought one hand up to the chest of his shirt and clenched it mechanically, letting him kiss her deep and thoroughly.

Andrew let his hand clutch at her waist, pulled her body closer to his. Normally he would have been embarrassed by the reaction his body had to hers, but the situation was bringing out different feelings in him. He was on Dawn’s bed. He was kissing Dawn on Dawn’s bed. Most importantly, Dawn was kissing him back.

Andrew pulled away when he felt like he was going to drown inside of her. They both were gasping for breath, and their hands stayed clutching each other’s body. Andrew kissed her forehead, feeling tender at that moment.

“Dawn, I’ve never really kissed anyone before,” he blurted out. He clenched his eyes shut, feeling stupid for admitting this.

“Never?” Dawn whispered. She stretched against him, and he felt her curves press into his chest.

“Well, there was this party once, but that didn’t count. I was twelve, and it was a dare,” Andrew admitted. He knew he was just making himself sound even more pathetic.

“I’ve only kissed one other guy,” Dawn admitted. “It was closed mouthed, and he was a vampire.”

“A vampire?” Andrew was repulsed. He felt jealousy flare up. “Was it Spike?”

“No.” Dawn snorted. “Do you think Buffy’d let me?” She shook her head. “It was just some guy a friend of mine set me up with. It happened last Halloween. It wasn’t the best experience of my life.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.” Andrew rubbed her back lightly. “But you’re okay with this? You don’t mind me kissing you? Because usually girls mind. They mind a lot. Not that I’ve ever really tried it. I’ve always been too afraid to. In fact, the only reason I kissed you was because you asked me to. And now I’m on your bed, and we’re kissing, and I really don’t want to stop, and I’m feeling really nervous--”

“I couldn’t tell,” Dawn interrupted dryly. “And I like you, Andrew. I like you a lot.”

“Are you sure about that?” Andrew asked suspiciously.

Dawn nodded. “Positive,” she murmured as she tried to kiss him again.

“I’m nineteen, you know,” Andrew said suddenly.

“Huh?” Dawn pulled away and looked up at him.

“I mean, if you wanted to, you know, know and stuff,” Andrew said shyly. “I’m nineteen. Not Warren’s and Jonathan’s ages. Or Buffy’s. Just nineteen.”

“I do have to admit that that’s comforting,” Dawn said. “I was imagining you to be some twenty three year old pervert.”

“I’m not twenty three! Or a pervert, for that matter.” Andrew frowned.

“I was joking,” Dawn said. “You know, ha ha? Thanks for telling me though. We can use it in argument when Buffy tries to yell at us -- which you know she will. After all, what’s four years to two hundred?”

“Two hundred?” Andrew looked confused.

“Angel and Spike.”

“Right.” Andrew looked nervous suddenly. “Do you think Spike will eat me if he sees me kissing you? I mean, he seems awfully protective . . .”

“He’ll try.” Dawn pulled Andrew down closer. Just as their lips touched, she whispered, “But I won’t let him.”

Andrew let himself drown in Dawn again. His hand began to move upward a little bit, and from the way she was reacting, he gathered that she didn’t mind.

There was, however, somebody who did mind. Andrew and Dawn may have been distracted, but both heard clearly when the door opened.

“Oh, my God,” they heard Buffy shout in shock.

Andrew immediately jumped off of Dawn, resulting in being thrown on the floor. He stood up quickly and started backing away from Buffy. The Slayer looked pretty mad, and he knew exactly what she was capable of.

Dawn jumped in front of him though. “Whoa, Buffy, calm down,” she said, holding up her hands. “We were just kissing.”

“Didn’t I talk to you about kissing my sister last night?” Buffy demanded of Andrew.

“Well, yeah,” Andrew admitted. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “It’s just--”

“There is no just,” Buffy interrupted. “What are you two doing? It’s nighttime, and you’re both in Dawn’s room, on her bed, making out like hell is about to break loose! I saw enough groping to haunt me for the rest of my life.” Buffy started walking towards them, eyes locked on Andrew. “You dare to put your filthy hands on my little sister? She’s just a little girl! Do you--”

“A little girl?” Dawn yelled back, standing stock still in front of Andrew, protecting him. “I’m not a year younger than you were when you started dating Angel!”

“That was different,” Buffy ground out through gritted teeth. “Andrew has killed someone. For God’s sake, he killed his best friend!”

“It was the Fi--”

“Angel killed whole civilizations of people. So did Spike for that matter, and you’re still with him,” Dawn shot back.

“Spike and I are not together.”

Dawn snorted. “Could’ve fooled me.”

“Argh! Dawnie! He’s much too old for you. You’re just a freshman and so innocent. And how can you stand him? Have you heard him talk, ‘cause I’m thinking no.”

Dawn stopped yelling. “I like him, Buffy, okay? And if it’s the end of the world, don’t you think I should enjoy as much of it as I can? Who cares who it’s with?”

“I do,” Buffy said softly. She reached out to hug Dawn. “Oh, Dawnie, I’m sorry. You know I just worry about you.”

“It’s all right.” Dawn patted Buffy’s back. But I’m fine. I’m not going to . . .”

Andrew took this moment to step out of the room. He wasn’t much into mushy girl scenes. He had just stepped out into the hallway when he saw Spike. Spike carefully watched him, like a predator watching its prey. He sucked in on his cigarette. Then he carefully blew a puff of smoke out as he threw the thing onto the carpet. He ground the butt out with his foot. “So.”

“Hey.” Andrew waved weakly. “What’s up?”

“Well, it’d better not be you, geek. I heard Buffy scream and came up here. From what I gather, you were trying to take advantage of the little bit?”

Andrew started to back up slowly.

Spike sprinted at him.

“Dawn!” Andrew screeched as he ran down the stairs, praying to all the gods of above that Spike would trip on the stairs and die . . . Anything to save himself.