April Fool For Love
Response to Chen's April Fool's challenge.
She was tired of it. Tired of watching her drag her way through life. Tired of only being noticed when it was convenient. Tired of catching her crying when she thought no one was looking. Tired of knowing she was putting a lid on her obvious feelings.
She was fed up, and she wanted her sister back. This was the one day she just might get away with it.
First, a few props. She pulled open her drawer and found the ashtray Spike had left in the house last summer, back when Buffy wasn’t there to keep him from smoking in the living room.
She dove under her bed. Luckily, no one ever checked to see if she dusted. And she never dusted.
Props in hand, she sat in wait in the living room until her sister came home from the afternoon shift.
“Dawn, I’m home.” Buffy walked into the living room. “Why are you crying? What’s wrong?”
“It…it…it’s…” She held up the ashtray. “Spike.”
“Spike? What do you mean, Spike? He was here? Did he do something to upset you?” she asked angrily. “Why, I’ll…”
“No,” her sister interrupted her. “This is Spike. He got staked.”
Buffy froze where she stood. “No.”
“I dropped over to the crypt, on my way home from school. This guy, said he owed him money, or kittens, or something, came in and ‘whoosh’, right at the end of Passions.” She emitted an extra loud sob. “He never had a chance.”
“No!” Buffy walked over to the couch, putting fingertips into the ashtray. She ran her fingers through the dust gently. Tenderly. “Spike.” A big tear splashed from the corner of her eye. “But, I never said…never told him…”
“Told him what, Buffy?” Dawn asked quietly.
“Told him how much I love him.”
“Thought so.” Dawn stood up and walked towards the kitchen. “Where are you going?” Buffy asked.
“To dump Spike in the wastebasket.”
“Stop!” She dived after her sister, but she was too late. The dust was mingled with potato peelings and eggshells. “Oh, God, Dawn,” she cried, “How could you do that?”
Dawn opened the back door, and before running outside, yelled, “April Fool’s!”
“I’ll kill you!” Buffy screamed, chasing after her. She was so upset, she ran straight into the blond vampire heading towards the back porch.
“Slayer? Finally lost it, then? Gonna do in little sis?” Spike asked.
Buffy wound back for a punch, but before connecting with his nose, stopped herself short and grabbed his duster lapels. She pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss. Coming up for air briefly, she gasped, “Don’t you ever die on me again!”
Dawn watched from her perch in the old tree, smiling. ‘Maybe the joke’s on me. Maybe Buffy will kill me,’ she said to herself. ‘But somehow, I doubt it. And even if she does,’ she watched the couple head into the house, ‘It’s worth it.’