Dawn's Birthday
By KateR
Notes: So an AU
Disclaimer: Own nothing and no one used herein. Joss owns all Buffy people, Davis Panzer own all Highlander and Jenny belongs to Mac.
Rating: PG-13
Parings: Giles/Etan by the end of it I hope, Angelus/Wes
Summary: Dawn's Birthday and things are discovered.
Dawn's Birthday
By KateR
He came out of the stacks to finish clearing the table like Buffy told him to. Research today was to be done in the back, in the stacks so he didn't disrupt the party. He sighed as he lifted a stack of books to take to the little table in the stacks. He had to do the research. It had to be done. But apparently he hadn't earned even watching the party. His throat was tight with the urge to cry but he didn't dare. Buffy would kill him if he did.
He swallowed as he came out and saw a small toy sitting on his worktable. The one he was normally allowed to use while researching. If Jenny was there he was to keep his mouth shut, he did not speak in her presence. She was too---Special to be bothered by the likes of him. He sighed as he looked at curiously and then realized Mr. Giles was staring at him looking a bit irritated.
"Something wrong Wesley?" he asked. "That too low class for you?"
"I--- no. I just---What is it?" Wesley asked
"It's a party favor. Tell me you know what that is at least," Giles said.
"Yes, I'm aware but I suppose it must be here by mistake," Wesley said as he felt his throat tightening again.
"Jenny rarely makes mistakes, Wesley," Giles said. He'd heard the softer tone Wesley was speaking with so moderated his own. "But tell me why you think that?"
"Oh," Wesley answered him in a voice even softer than the one he had used before. "Because I wasn't invited to this party so I doubt this really can be for me."
"Really?" Giles asked sounding genuinely puzzled. "That's odd because I know Dawn and Jenny made a special invitation for you."
"I never got one," Wesley said as he picked up his next stack of books to research in and started to move back to the stacks. "So that means I can't be here for it. Besides this has to be done and since I have to be here to do it I have to be out of the way."
"Wesley," Giles said. "I assure you that you have been invited. Now, please, come help me set up the punch bowl and such?"
"I can't," Wesley said as he continued to move the things. "I wasn't invited so I cannot be here. I have to get this done though so I have to be in the library. I'm just not allowed at the party."
"Who told you that?" Giles asked. He could read the misery the younger man was in as he set books in stacks by importance.
"Oh, Buffy," Wesley said as if it was a known fact. "She said since this has to be done tonight I'm to do and stay out of the way. I suspect because I'm not invited it means I cannot watch. So, the stacks for me. But---uh, thank you, even if it was a mistake, thank you."
"Wesley," Giles said as he took the stack out of his arms and set it down. "You were invited. I know there was an invitation for you. Stay. Besides, Dawn is likely to spend the whole party in the stacks looking for you if you aren't here. She thinks the world of you, you know."
"Why?" Wesley asked as he started just clearing the table.
Giles wasn't going to let him leave which meant he was liable to get the shit kicked out of him in training tomorrow but Giles said he was to stay now.
"Now, please explain things to me, okay, Wesley?" Giles asked.
Wesley shrugged and sat down.
"Now, what is going on with you? We were wondering why you do not speak when Jenny is present."
"Not important enough to merit her attention," Wesley said stiffly. He was trying so hard not to let Giles see. He just wanted to belong someplace but that was never going to happen.
"Who told you that?" Giles asked pinching the bridge of his nose. "No, never mind I can guess. It was Buffy, wasn't it? Wesley, Jenny bothers with everyone. She wants to know why you don't speak and I think---."
Wesley paled suddenly and Giles looked and saw why. Buffy was walking into the library with Jenny and she was glaring at Wesley.
"Hey, hey," Jenny said. "The cake has arrived. Hey Giles, Wesley."
"Miss MacLeod," Wesley answered softly.
Buffy's anger caused her to speak without thinking apparently. "What are you doing here?" She hissed angrily. "I told you that you weren't invited."
"Really?" Jenny asked in a cold voice. "I was fairly sure that Dawn and I made him an invitation. As a matter of fact I remember giving it to you to give to him."
"And I know I told you to give it to him," Giles said. "Buffy, what the hell gives you the right to treat people like this? Dawn wanted him here. You do not get to say no to that. This is Her party, not yours."
"She's my sister and I don't want him near her."
"You'd pop a wuzzle if you knew who her other friend was then, wouldn't you?" Giles asked as he led Wesley to where Jenny was setting up the punch bowl. "And I do not mean Spike."
Buffy stared in shock as Wesley helped Jenny set up the punch bowl when Dawn bounded in with Xander and Spike. Angel and Angelus followed behind her followed by Willow, Oz and Cordelia.
"Wesley!" Dawn cried happily. "You're here. I wasn't sure you'd want to be here because Buffy said you weren't in to parties but I was hoping you'd come. I guess two out of three isn't bad."
"He may come, Dawn," Giles said. "It may take some time but he may yet make it. I told you he might be sick but he does usually try to do things for his friends."
"Who?" Buffy demanded.
Giles sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew she wouldn't drop it unless he told her. "Why, Ethan, dear," he said succinctly. He walked away leavening her gaping like a fish and helped unload the food. He thought as he did that he hoped his friend would come. Dawn's birthday just had to be special.
"Ethan?!?!" Buffy shrieked in shock.
PART 2
Outside the library, Ethan stood in the shadows and watched what was going on inside. In his hand was the invitation that had been sent to him via magic express and he had responded to it. He wasn't sure what to think reading what
Dawn had written in it but he knew he couldn't not come. He had been invited and it had been so very long since that had occurred. He was standing just thinking about things as he held the two packages he'd brought with him for Dawn when he heard her frustrated scream. "Good, Buffy, can't you go twelve hours without saying something nasty? I wish someone could make that happen! I wish you couldn't say anything nasty, mean or rude about anyone until after school tomorrow!"
Ethan listened to her heartfelt wish and he chuckled pulling from a pouch at his side a bag of silver dust. "As you wish, Miss Muffett," he said as he spoke a charm binding Buffy's tongue on anything rude, nasty or mean. He heard her start to say something mean as he slowly began to open the door and he watched the spell kick in and slap her mouth shut hard.
"Be glad you are capable of saying nice things, Miss Summers," Ethan said. "Otherwise you would have been made mute for the duration of the next 24 hours. Hello, Miss Muffett. Happy Birthday."
"ETHAN!" Dawn squealed happily. She launched herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. "Now all my Bestest Best Friends are here," she said excitedly.
Ethan froze for an instant but grinned down at her when she looked up questioningly. Of everyone in the room, only Giles knew what had caused that freeze.
He felt like he'd been slapped when he saw the look. The 'Oh, God save me before I fuck this up' look. The look of someone who had been here once before and it was destroyed in his hands so he was afraid of messing up like that again. But, Ethan was a consummate actor. Dawn would not find out about that fear tonight if she ever did.
"I'm just glad you came," Dawn said happily as she led him to the table and sat him by Wesley. Spike was there as well and Giles chuckled.
Of everyone at this party, those three were Dawn's friends above anyone else. None of them cared overmuch for Buffy or the other Scoobies. Dawn was their friend, Dawn was the reason they were in this library and Dawn was the Only reason Ethan was being nice.
"You brought me gifts?" Dawn asked.
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Birthday = Gift, right?" he asked.
Dawn looked back at him. "I was thinking you being here would be the gift," she said.
Ethan shook his head. "No, me being here is in response to the nice invitation you had sent to me. Birthdays equal gifts, my dear. So, I brought you a few gifts. What I did to Buffy is a bonus and I'd say a gift to everyone. Now, since I'm here and you obviously wanted me here, was there a reason?"
"Just cause you're one of my Bestest Friends," Dawn said.
This time Ethan couldn't hide the swallow.
"What's wrong?"
"N-Nothing," Ethan got out as he looked at her. "It's just---I didn't know I'd made it to Bestest Friend status. The last time I was anyone's Bestest Friend it didn't end well."
Dawn glanced over and saw Giles looking anywhere but at Ethan.
"Giles?" Dawn asked.
Ethan nodded. "Years ago, Miss Muffett," he said. "It was my fault I think. Or at least, that's what everyone tells me anyway. Something for another day at any rate. This is your birthday and so not a time to be re-hashing the past. So, lets get this party started."
Jenny grinned and started the music and soon everyone was having a fairly enjoyable time. If they weren't a snobby blond Slayer at any rate.
Dawn noticed though that Giles was still watching Ethan like a hawk. "Giles?" she asked.
He looked down at her and then over at Ethan and sighed. "Just remembering Dawn," Giles said.
Dawn followed his gaze and then looked at him. "You still love him, don't you?" she asked.
Giles stopped and stared at her in shock. "How do you know that?" he asked keeping his voice down.
"By the way you watch him," Dawn answered. "I see it in how you look like you want to grab a hold of him and never let go. Giles, why does he say it was his fault?"
"Because everyone told him it was," Giles said echoing Ethan's words. "It wasn't but that's what he was told. After that? Well, I suppose hearing it enough convinced him it was so he started to believe it. I swear to you it wasn't Dawn, but he believes it was."
"Did you say it was?" she asked.
Giles thought for a moment as if deciding something. "No," he said his accent slipping. "I didn't. Rupert may have but I most certainly did not."
"Wow," Dawn whispered. "Ripper?"
"In the flesh my dear," he said quietly. "In the flesh."
END PART 2