Takes place a few weeks after "The Gift"

-

They wanted to know everything, anything, something. Questions, thousands and thousands of unanswerable questions. She covered her ears and rocked back and forth - this was Hell.

"How horrible, two deaths in the last two months."

"Are your. uh. aunts treating you well?"

"Whose that young blond man that accompanied you to the parent/student meeting a few nights ago?"

"Were you close to your mother and sister?"

"Would you like to start seeing a therapist?"

"Do you have any friends to talk to?"

"What's your home life like now?"

"Are you into sports or are there issues at home?"

"I would like to get to know you better, so I can maybe help you. I'd like to be your friend, is that okay?"

Standing up from her chair suddenly, Dawn picked up the counselor's glass pyramid paperweight and threw it into the wall - shattering it. Grabbing her backpack, she rushed out of the office, brushing past several students as she ran through the school and outside. She didn't stop until she reached the cemetery.

There she collapsed in the shadows of the back wall trees and wrapped her slender arms around her knees. She took in the earthy air and bit back her tears as she calmed down enough to stop shaking. "Insensitive pricks."

Leaves crunched under heavy boots. "God, don't let Red hear you say that or she'll have my head, Niblet." Where it was darkest, her best friend Spike leaned against the wall, black hoodie pulled over his head and shadowing his eyes.

Standing, Dawn walked over and joined him in the shadows. She felt safe there, safer than being at home or at school. Hiding her face in the black fabric of the hoodie she had bought him the week after last, she cried again for everything. Her sister, her mother, her life - she hid her pain behind her eyes but let it out there, in front of him. Spike wrapped a comforting arm around her as he smoked a cigarette and watched the leaves rustle in the breeze.

"You know, I heard some girls talkin' 'bout you." Spike took a drag of his cigarette, ruffling her hair. "Was at the Bronze and heard one sayin' she was jealous of you."

He was trying to cheer her up, but it wasn't helping. "You're lying." Dawn dried her eyes and looked up at him. "I don't have anything for people to be jealous of."

"Ah!" Spike gave her a playful look of hurt from underneath his hood; "Oh well excuse me for not living!" he laughed, finishing his cigarette. "I'll have you know, that they think I'm 'hot' and that they saw us together at the Parent/Student meeting. A blond said they think we're boyfriend and girlfriend." He looked her over, "You're a little young for me. Maybe I shouldn't have held your hand."

She couldn't help but laugh.