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[He's not good at this reassurance thing, and it's taking him both effort and time to decide how to best be reassuring.

So there's another delay before he offers:]

There are times when lies and lies of omission are necessary. However...it would seem to me that any attempt to pretend that you remember her would only serve to upset her when the flaws begin to become more and more self-evident. You have no knowledge of her habits, her likes, her life. You do not bear the memories she does.

Have you considered simply telling her the truth?

How would you feel if someone that you loved flat out said they couldn't remember you ever existing?

I'm her family, Severus. The only family she's got here. I can't hurt her like that. [ but, yes, she has considered it, and she continues to consider it, because it becomes more and more apparent that she can't fool dawn. she may not know dawn, but dawn knows her, and they're family which means that she of all people knows when something isn't right.

after a brief, quiet period of reflecting on this, something sets in. a fact that's absolutely unavoidable; ] I'm gonna hurt her either way, aren't I? [ because he's right. she doesn't know dawn. she doesn't know how to be dawn's sister. ]

[The silence which follows isn't wholly due to fumbling for an appropriate response. Something she said has robbed him of words, and it takes him a moment to answer.]

I expect -

[No, false start. A beat passes and he tries again.]

I expect it will indeed hurt her either way, but the lie will hurt more. If she loves you, it stands to reason that she should trust you, as well. As to...how she will feel: once again, she loves you. I should think, though she is young, she would be more willing to make accommodations for her loved ones.

I have no doubt you'll try to be what she wants and needs of you, regardless of your memories.

[ she's quiet. he's right, of course. she'll do whatever it takes. and she finally takes a vacation from the babble-ranting and panicking to calm down and really address this with some honest emotion instead of trying to move too fast for it to get her, and when she speaks again, it's genuine despair in her voice. ]

But what if I don't know how?

How to do what, exactly?

To be what she wants, what she needs. To be her sister.

You have no choice. Learn.

[ there's a deep inhale. there it is. sharp, british "suck it up." and she does. she steels herself, composes herself again, and she deals. no more showing how tough it is. ]

Right.

[ back to the original topic as she distances herself emotionally and cuts herself off. ] I'm sorry. for - For not telling you, when I found out what I did. I just didn't think ... But, I was wrong. I do have a sister. I have Dawn.

It was none of my concern before today.

[A beat.]

If you -

[Well. She doesn't need help financially, and he's certainly not emotionally supportive.

But it does beg the question of why she's having this conversation with him and not Rupert Giles.

Ah, but he has an out:]

If you need help of any sort, don't hesitate to contact Dr. Jones.

[Who, in turn, will contact him. But he and Buffy aren't friends, you see, so giving that sort of forthright answer is entirely out of the question.]

... Thanks. [ she just sounds so amused and befuddled at the same time. what is your life even, bro. ]

[If only he knew, Miss Summers.]

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