Chapter 15

Small Talk

A/N: Chapter fifteen of the series.

Disclaimer: All belongs to Joss Whedon and the parties responsible for airing the shows. Original characters are mine.

Feedback: Sure, whatever.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dublin, Ireland

December 2017

Connor walked out of the bar, shaking his head no.

Dawn and Annie sighed at the same time and fell into step with Connor.

"That father of yours is really hard to track." Dawn said, to which Annie merely shrugged.

"Not the first time he's done this." Connor said.

"Where to now?" Dawn asked. Connor remained silent and kept walking.

"Don't know." He finally answered. "I tracked his scent all the way here. Now there's plenty of alcohol clouding the track. I'm not sure where he's gone to."

"Great."

Annie chuckled. She wasn't sure how to feel about her father anymore. She'd seen him slowly turn from a loving husband and father into a cold, alcoholic bully. He'd been ignoring her for the past months and she found herself caring less and less about his disappearances. She still couldn't understand why he'd chosen such a time to vanish, knowing very well they were in danger. Walking slowly, Dawn placed her hand on Annie's shoulder, sensing something wrong in her niece.

"How about we look for a place to sleep?" She asked. "We've searched all night and the sun is already up."

"I'll keep looking for a while." Connor said. "You two find us a place to crash and let me know when you get there."

Dawn nodded, and Connor followed the fading scent.

Aunt and niece slowly walked away, with no route in sight and no idea where to search. Dawn seized the chance to talk to Annie.

"Something bothering you, kiddo?" She asked. Annie didn't answer right away, she kept walking, a muscle in her jaw twitching. Dawn noticed and respected her niece's silence. Minutes went by and Dawn was about to ask again when Annie sighed.

"Slightly confused, y'know." The girl said. "I've heard all my life how mum and dad were meant to be together. How dad was mum's first love and how destiny had taken them apart and then brought them together. How they loved each other more than life itself, and then, bam, dad begins acting like a jerk and begins drinking."

Dawn listened, hearing bitterness in Annie's words, remembering a time when her own parents had behaved just like that. She remembered feeling helpless and pain as she watched her parents slowly drift away.

"I don't even want to think about divorce." Annie continued. "But some of my friend's parents are divorced and they became friends, and even turned out to be better parents after the divorce."

Dawn nodded.

"And then I remember all my birthday parties, all the picnics and the fun we used to have." Annie said. "I try to find a breaking point. A single event which prompted all of this to go to hell, and I can't find a single bloody moment, except..."

Dawn looked at Annie, so young yet so strong, trying to show a tough face even when her young heart was in pain.

"I keep thinking about the time I was kidnapped." Annie said. "Do you remember?"

Dawn nodded. It had been about the time Annie was seven. An emergency had breached out of control and Angel and Buffy had been forced to leave her alone while they went away on a dangerous mission. By the time they had returned, only a ragged old doll mocked them, sitting on Annie's bed.

"I don't remember that much." Annie continued. "I merely remember what the lady looked like and the crazy stuff she kept saying. She talked all the time to those awful dolls as if they were alive, and she even thought they answered back."

Dawn cringed. She had met Drusilla before, and she hoped she'd never get to see her again.

"Point is," Annie sighed, "she didn't harm me. She didn't touch a single hair on my head, but by the time mum and dad came for me, I could see something different in him. Like something dark and ugly had been awakened in him and neither him nor mum liked it. I can only think about that time as the breaking point."

Dawn remained by her side, quietly remembering how ugly the fight had been. Things like that had forced her to remove herself from the equation, tired of all the hard things she'd seen and all the ugly scars they had. She'd asked Buffy to let her take Annie with her, away from the dangers having a slayer for a mother presented. She'd been unsuccessful, and hard words and past wounds were open. That was when she decided to move out of the country and break all contact.

"What happened wasn't your fault, y'know." Dawn said. "I know you know it, but I just wanted you to remember that."

Annie nodded.

"I've never been a fan of your dad." Dawn continued. "But he made your mother happy and I know he loves you very much. We can only hope he's having a mid life crisis and will soon be your dad again."

Annie smirked, and Dawn noticed how cold that expression could be.

---------------------

It had taken them about an hour to find a suitable place to crash for the night.

They called Connor and gave him directions about how to find the place and proceeded to have some breakfast. They'd walked all night and needed the rest and food to continue searching.

As they ordered some takeout and ate, spread out on the individual beds in the cheap motel room, the signs of a visit from the higher realm appeared. Dawn sighed, not wanting to be surprised by the cryptic news and surprises brought along by the angels. They merely stopped eating and made themselves comfortable. When the figure fully appeared, Dawn almost chocked.

"Mom?" Dawn asked.

Joyce smiled and spread her arms. Dawn immediately leapt out of the bed and ran to hug her mother. Some tears found their way down their cheeks, whereas Annie simply stood up and stared surprised. She'd seen pictures of her grandmother, but she never imagined she'd meet her.

"I thought I'd see you some day." Dawn said, looking at her mother's eyes. "But not here."

Joyce smiled and caressed her daughter's face. She looked over Dawn's shoulder and saw Annie.

"You must be my granddaughter." Joyce said. "Come give grandma a kiss."

Annie smiled and slowly walked towards the angel. She kissed her grandmother's cheek and embraced her tightly.

"Never thought I'd meet you." Annie said.

Joyce's smile slowly turned into a sad frown.

"I wish this could be all about joy and reunions." She said. "But as usual, I bear bad news."

"Wouldn't want it any other way." Dawn joked.

"You know what Cordy and the girls said." Joyce said. "But they didn't know what I know. I can tell you this, war is imminent."

Dawn and Annie shook their heads and sighed.

"You'll have to go back to the safety the Council provides." Joyce continued. "With or without Angel. You have to get back there quickly."

"Why?"

"The armies have gathered." Joyce replied. "Even if your side is not ready, the army of the Partners is already marching into action. They will attack soon. I don't know if that means hours or days, but you don't have much time."

"That's not what Buffy believes." Dawn said.

"Already talked to her." Joyce said. "You'll have enough time to rest and wait for Connor to return. You need to be on your best shape for this fight."

Joyce smiled and looked seriously into their eyes.

"Don't linger too long." She said. "Don't travel after dark. The leader of the Senior Partners' army is no other than Drusilla."

"Whoa!"

"That's not all." Joyce said. "I have to show you something, Dawnie. The reason you were brought into this in the first place." She placed her hand over Dawn's forehead. Both closed their eyes and Annie waited at their side, not knowing what was happening.

Moments went by and Dawn's eyes flew open.

"You can't be serious."

Joyce opened her eyes as well.

"I'm afraid so, dear." She said. "That's why you're here. You play an important part in this conflict."