The F in Pike (Book 3.5) (girlxgirl)

Family Ties

"Well it's like I said, I'm not you. I can't stop thinking about it. I can't just, move on. I just want it to finally end."

Oh god... Dawnie... what's happened to you?

"Just... get out."

How could you have gotten this bad?

"I said, get out."

How did your pain hurt you this much?

"GET! OUT!"

How could I have let this happen to you?

The look in her eyes when she looks at me breaks my heart.

I don't think there's anything I can do to fix this. At least not right now. I'm only making things worse by staying.

As much as every part of me is telling me not to, I turn around and walk out the door. Faith and Connor are there to meet me.

"Sounds like it went well."

Part of me can't help but chuckle at the joke Faith made.

"About as well as yours did."

She shifts uncomfortably but chuckles a little at my really bad joke by comparison. Connor looks between both of us.

"So what do you want to do?"

Faith and I look at each other.

I have an idea, but it's a terrible one.

She seems to see what's in my head.

"Not sure kid."

I guess it's our only option though.

"There's one thing we could try. But I don't like it."

He gets a concerned look on his face.

"What's that?"

"You said that Angel helped you find another way when you thought you were too far gone. How?"

"B, maybe we shouldn't..."

"No, it's okay."

He shifts uncomfortably for a moment.

"Basically, he... pushed me to go further than I really wanted to. He showed me that no matter how far I thought I was willing to go, I really wasn't."

"He pushed you."

"Where are you going with this B?"

"Didn't he kinda do the same with you Faith?"

There's a long silence as I think Faith clues into where I'm going. She looks to Dawn's room for a second before coming back to me.

"Yes, he did."

She pauses again, shifting uncomfortably.

"He didn't give me a choice. He forced me to face what I'd done even though what I wanted him to do was make it stop."

This is such a bad idea.

"Maybe that's what Dawn needs."

They look at each other, the uncertainty clear on both of their faces.

It's not like I'm that on board with it myself.

"I don't exactly like the idea either, but... I mean, you've both talked to her. Do you really think that if we just keep talking to her that she's going to just, decide we're right?"

There's a long silence where none of us say anything. Connor is the first to speak up.

"What did you have in mind?"