Buffy glared at Dawn, who defiantly stared back. When the blonde Slayer turned her gaze to Tara, she met a whole lot less determination, but when Dawn nudged her, the witch looked up.
Buffy sighed. "Somehow, I got the feeling that anything I would say here would be of no effect."
"Damn right," Dawn replied with an eager nod. "I love Tara, she loves me, right?" she asked, turning to Tara, who smiled and nodded. "So, that's the way it's going to be."
Buffy sighed again, but smiled when two hands snaked their way around her waist and the cheerleader-come-seer rested her head on Buffy's shoulder. "But sweets, what's the big deal anyway?" Cordelia asked. "I mean, I really don't think it should bother you..."
"Well, no, but I mean, this is Dawn, my supposedly baby sister!" Buffy said with a slightly whiny voice.
"Well, maybe she grew up? You never considered that, did you?" Faith supported from Kate's lap. Dawn flashed her a grateful smile.
"Well, kind of no, but then again, who am I to judge?" Buffy asked the rhetorical question. "However, you ever hurt her and I'll hang you to the highest tree in all of California, and if I remember correctly, it will be damn high," she continued, turning to Tara.
The blonde witch smiled. "At least I'll have a good view..." They chuckled and fell into silence. Well, not silence, per se, as the music was playing rather loudly. Buffy watched around thoughtfully as Cordelia played with her hair, then noticed a couple coming in from the door, holding hands. One of the girls was a redhead, the other was blonde.
Then Buffy caught a better look of them and her jaw hit the floor. 'No way! Willow? With Harmony?' she thought and looked around. From Cordelia playing lovingly with her hair, to Dawn and Tara, sharing a shy smile over some joke lost to others, to Faith and Kate kissing passionately, and back to Harmony and Willow heading for the bar.
Buffy sighed and shook her head. "It must be something in the water. It definitely has to be."