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Snow White Buffy, The Seven Ghosts & The British Vampire
by Ragna
Dawn never had a normal life, though to all outward appearances she did. She had an older sister named Buffy, and two loving parents, Hank & Joyce. She was well loved, but there was a lingering feeling that something was not right.
Her sister was a Slayer. She killed demons and vampires and was the only one in her generation to do so until she had died a few years before, even though her now boyfriend brought her back.
Buffy was a golden child, literally: blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty. Classic features. Looked like her Mom had when she was younger, and looked more like their father than she wanted to admit. Dawn had dark hair and pale skin and moderately red lips. She was very pretty, but she wasn't a beauty.
But that wasn't what made Dawn different. There were a lot of other girls who weren't beauties, either. But that was okay; Dawn was used to being the odd one out.
Things then started to fall apart. Hank and Joyce divorced and the three women moved north to a small town called Sunnydale. This went more or less peacefully, unless you count Buffy running away and sending her boyfriend at the time to hell, or finding out that the Hellmouth was directly under the school's library.
But Dawn was able to take it in stride.
One night, Joyce called out for Dawn. They hadn't been alone or had a decent conversation since Dawn turned ten. She'd missed those things.
"Dawnie, I have something to tell you. And...it's not all good."
"Mom?"
"Dawn...you...remember that I love you and that you will always be special to me, that you will always be my daughter. But you really aren't my daughter."
"Am I adopted?"
"Not exactly. Buffy told me the whole story, but from what I can piece together, you were created, and placed in all of our memories."
Dawn was quiet for a moment. "How...how old am I, really?"
"Six months."
Dawn tried hard to swallow and nod. "O...Okay."
"There's something else. I'm dying. I know this is a lot to tell you at once, baby, but you need to know. You're special. Don't forget that."
"Mommy?"
"Yes?"
"I love you."
"I love you too, daughter."
Dawn yelled for Buffy, and each young woman said their final good-byes to their mother. And then she went to sleep, and then she died.
And Dawn was furious to know she wasn't really real. She no longer knew who she was anymore.
***
Hank wasn't sure Buffy could take care of Dawn and herself all alone, but since that was what Buffy wanted and she was of legal age, he agreed.
One year later, give or take a few months, Hank was remarried. The woman looked as though she belonged on the cover of some fashion magazine. She smiled at everyone and was very gracious, for the most part.
The look she gave Buffy and Dawn, who were struggling to make it more or less on their own, was one of disdain. Needless to say, Dawn only met her face to face once. Once was enough; something about the woman made Dawn creep out.
She had blonde hair and preferred red dresses. She had mirrors put up all around the new home she made Hank buy outside Sunnydale, a beautiful white house that could almost be called a castle if it wasn't so modern.
Buffy and Dawn asked for no help and basically ignored their father's presence. That is, until the seven ghosts arrived and the British vampire returned. Then Dawn's world went to hell in a handbasket.