Andrew began to seriously doubt the sanity of his decision to wait until Thursday when they moved into the living room after eating. He'd thought watching a movie with Dawn would be fairly harmless. Put some space between him and the time they'd spent in the bed and give him something to think about other than the fact that a gorgeous woman wanted him and he was saying no.
But apparently Dawn thought the perfect way to watch a movie was stretched out on the couch with her head in his lap. She'd shift every once in a while, just enough to rub against a part of his anatomy that was very much interested in something other than the movie.
He thought for a moment that Dawn might be unaware of what she was doing, but he quickly dismissed that. She may be just learning the effect she could have on the male body, but she was a fast study. Dawn was figuring out exactly how to drive him crazy, and she was doing it.
"I thought we were going to watch the movie," Andrew said after a particularly strong rub against his groin.
Dawn looked up. "We are watching a movie."
Andrew raised an eyebrow. "Then what's with all the squirming?"
"Just getting comfortable." Dawn gave him her best wide, innocent eyes. "Is it bothering you?"
Andrew swallowed. She definitely knew how to make things difficult for him… "Not bothering, exactly…" he replied.
Dawn sat up. "Would you rather I kept my head out of your lap?" She asked the question with a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, and Andrew knew without a doubt then that he'd been right in thinking this was all deliberate.
"I didn't say that, exactly, just that…"
Andrew stopped short when Dawn turned and straddled his lap, placing her hands firmly on his shoulders. "Would you rather me be here?"
The gleam in her eyes was almost predatory, and Andrew knew he was in trouble. "The other way was good," he said, his voice cracking slightly.
"I like this way," Dawn replied, grinding down against him and making Andrew let out a pleasured hiss.
"Dawn…Thursday, remember?"
"Yeah, I remember. But you also told me I didn't have to keep my hands off of you, so…"
"We were going to cool off. This isn't cooling off."
"I've cooled enough. Feels to me like it's time to get hot again," Dawn said before leaning in and pressing her lips against his. All Andrew's further protests died with the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back. She felt so warm and good in his lap, he knew he wouldn't be able to make her stop. Not as long as…
"How about clothes stay on for now, okay?" he said.
"If that's what you want," Dawn replied, moving from his mouth to place her lips right above his collar bone, sucking, licking, and nipping along the line.
Andrew moaned, his hands going down to her hips, grasping them and encouraging her to keep grinding against him. She hadn't put on a bra when they'd gotten dressed earlier, and he could see her breasts bouncing beneath her shirt. His hand traveled from her hips up her shirt, cupping her breasts, his thumbs caressing her nipples. She cried out at the first contact of his skin against hers, her hips moving harder against him.
He wanted to see her, wanted to watch his hands as they caressed her bare flesh, but he knew that if he went even that far right now, his control would be gone. Knowing Dawn wanted him the way she did and still holding off was something that was taking every ounce of his control—especially with her writhing on his lap like this.
Dawn was lost in a haze of sensation. Even with the layers of fabric between them, she could feel Andrew pressing against her, and it was spurring her on. His hands were massaging her breasts just right, and coupled with the feel of him pushing hard against her with her every downward thrust…
Dawn cried out, the orgasm that wracked her body taking her completely by surprise. She arched her back, her body going stiff before she slumped bonelessly against him. She rested her head in the crook of his neck as the tremors wracking her body came to a stop and her breathing returned to normal.
"Wow," she said finally, pressing a kiss against his shoulder. "I didn't know that could happen from just doing that…"
"Me either," Andrew replied, his voice shaky. "And, um, I think I need to go change my pants now. They're getting sorta uncomfortable."
Dawn pulled up, looking at him. "You, too, huh?"
"Oh yeah. I was pretty damn close anyway, and then when you… That was hot."
"You know," Dawn said, leaning in to nip at his earlobe. "I could probably stand to get clean myself after everything we've done today. Why don't we take a shower?"
The image that suggestion brought to Andrew's mind made his blood start rushing south again. "I’m not sure if that's such a good idea. You with the wet and naked…not a good recipe for control on my part."
"We can be good," Dawn said. "I'll wash your back…"
What little resolve he'd had was gone in a hurry. "Yeah, okay."
"Great," Dawn said, jumping up. She turned off the television, the reached down for his hand. "Come on."
Andrew took it, walking with her despite his shaky legs. He swallowed when Dawn shut the bathroom door behind them and stripped off her clothes. She turned on the water, waiting for it to warm before stepping in under the spray.
Andrew stood still, staring at the sight in front of him. Apparently his brain was completely incapable of functioning when presented with wet, naked Dawn. She gave him a slow smile and asked, "So are you going to join me or what?"
He licked his suddenly-dry lips, undressing and getting into the shower, praying to any gods that would listen that he didn't fall flat on his face. His legs weren't exactly at their most un-jelly like…
Dawn smiled to herself at the visible effect she was having on Andrew. She'd never known she could have this kind of power over a man, not where her body was concerned. The longer she was with him, the more she was realizing what she could do, and it was definitely empowering. She pulled him to her, giving him a long, deep kiss, making him groan into her mouth.
She moved away, smiling slightly at Andrew's whimper of protest. "I told you I'd wash your back," she said, picking up a bar of soap and moving behind him. "I should make good on that promise." She worked up a lather, rubbing it into his skin, massaging his back as she did. Andrew leaned into her touch, his breathing heavy enough to be heard over the water.
Dawn brought her hand around to his chest, sliding down slowly until she was gripping his renewed erection. "That's not my back," Andrew said, his voice breaking.
Dawn leaned in and spoke against his ear. "I know." She moved around to face him again before sinking down to her knees.
"Dawnie, I don't know if you should…" Andrew stopped as he felt her slide his cock inside of her mouth, her hand coming up to grip what she couldn't swallow. "Oh god…"
Dawn was surprised to discover how much she actually liked doing this. She watched as his hand shot out so he could brace himself against the wall, and she knew it was because something she was doing was making him weak. She may have been the one on her knees, but she was also the one with the power.
Andrew's other hand came around to cup the back of her head, but he didn't push, didn't force her rhythm. She glanced up to look at his face, taking in the look of ecstasy she saw there. She was doing that to him. She, Dawn Summers, could bring a man to this point.
She varied her movements, paying close attention to his responses, repeating the ones that he seemed to like the most. She could feel his legs trembling, his body tensing.
"I'm…Dawn…you need to stop…I…"
She knew what he was trying to warn her about, but she didn't care. She wanted to bring this to the end, wanted to experience it all. She wanted to make it the best for him that she could. Instead of stopping, she doubled her efforts. He came with a cry, his hand tightening instinctively on the back of her head. She choked a bit at first, but then figured out how to hold her tongue in order to allow herself to swallow.
Dawn rose slowly, careful on the slick bottom of the shower. Andrew was taking quick, shallow breaths, his body still trembling. With a lazy grin, she put her hands against his chest. "Did you like that?" she asked, fully knowing the answer.
"Yeah. You…you're incredible, Dawnie."
Dawn pressed up against him, running her hand through his wet hair. "I love doing that to you…making you feel that good."
"You're really good at it," Andrew said.
Dawn licked a drop of water from where it was rolling down the side of his neck. "I must be a natural then."
"I'm not going to argue with that," Andrew replied. He took a deep breath, regaining his focus. He needed to hold himself back, not let his desire to be inside of her take this to a place he knew it couldn't go yet. But Dawn was already reaching between them to stroke him again, and he wondered if she knew just how much fire she was playing with. Turning her around so she was pressed against the wall, Andrew dropped in front of her much the way she had him, determined to distract her before things went any further than they already had.
*** *** ***
For the first time since her strange dreams had begun, Dawn knew from the start of one that she wasn't awake. She could remember the events of the night, could remember falling asleep in Andrew's arms. She knew, somehow, that physically that's where she still was. She was in her bed, with her boyfriend, warm and safe.
But she also knew that this was more than a dream. Her body was still in that bed, but her mind, her consciousness, was somewhere else.
The room she stood in seemed to be nothing, only white as far as she could see. From its appearance, it was empty aside from her, but she knew she wasn't alone. Something else was there with her, whispering in her mind—calling to her without words.
"Who are you?" Dawn called back aloud, her voice shaky. "What do you want from me?"
"You know," it seemed to whisper, its words unspoken, but still clear.
"I don't know!" Dawn shouted. "Tell me!"
"What force and strength cannot get through, I with a gentle touch can do."
"What? That doesn't make any sense! Just tell me who you are. Tell me what all this means!"
"Many in the street would stand, if I were not a friend in hand."
"No riddles!" Dawn yelled, her frustration mounting. "No more weird, cryptic dreams. Just give me a straight answer. You obviously want to tell me something, so just tell me already!"
"The message has been given. It is you who does not wish to hear."
"I do want to hear! You just don't make any sense!"
"You know…"
Dawn woke up with a gasp, bolting up to a sitting position. She looked down at her hand, her eyes widening as she saw it surrounded by an eerie green light.
Andrew stirred beside her. "Dawnie, are you… Holy, shit, you're glowing."
"I noticed." Dawn stared at her hand, wanting to still be dreaming, but knowing she wasn't. She shook her hand, willing the light to go away, but it stayed strong. Frustrated, her eyes filled with tears. "I can't make it stop," she said, her tone bordering on frantic.
Andrew put his hands on her shoulders, rubbing them gently. "Relax, baby. It's okay. Just breathe, all right?"
Dawn nodded, forcing herself to calm down. As she did, the glow began to weaken until it was gone completely. She collapsed against Andrew, crying into his chest as his arms went around her.
"I don't want it," she said. "I don't want it to still be a part of me. I want to be Dawn. Just Dawn."
Andrew stroked her back soothingly. "You are Dawn."
"She pulled up, her eyes puffy and red-rimmed. "No, I'm not. I can feel it, just below the surface. It's calling to me. It's…" Her face grew pale as she came to a realization. "It's trying to wake up."
"It?" Andrew asked.
"The Key," Dawn clarified, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Maybe we should call Giles," Andrew suggested. "He's good at this sort of stuff, and being head of the Council, he could..."
"No!" Dawn said quickly. "I can't…not Giles. He…he wanted to kill me before, with Glory. I overheard…that summer when Buffy was gone. If he knows I'm still it."
"I don't think Giles would try to kill you," Andrew replied.
"He tried to kill Spike after Spike had a soul just because he thought he was a threat to Buffy. Or helped with it at least…"
"You're not Spike. He's a vampire. Not that I don't like him, but Giles plotting against Spike is different from him coming after you."
"I not sure that would be the case if Giles thought I was a real threat," Dawn replied. "He can be very Machiavellian when he wants to be."
"So we won't tell Giles," Andrew replied. "But I'm still a Watcher. I have access to the Council's files, even from here. I can see if they have anything that could help you piece this together."
""Wouldn't that look suspicious—you doing research on the Key?" Dawn asked.
"I can be discrete. Giles has better things to do that check my logs anyway. And hey, if it were to raise any questions, I'd just start rambling on about how it's because of something I saw on Star Trek, and he'll get so annoyed, he'll leave me alone. That works every time."
Dawn looked at him in surprise. "You do that on purpose?"
Andrew shrugged. "Sure. I mean yeah, sometimes I'm just being a geek, but more and more recently it's been to get someone off my case. Does wonders with Buffy."
Dawn smirked. "I learn something new about you everyday."
"I have layers," Andrew replied with a small smile.
"So tomorrow we can look through the Watcher's files?" Dawn asked.
"Yeah." Andrew pushed his hair back from his face. "I headed a project to compile an online database before I left England. Giles grumbled the whole time, but he reluctantly agreed that it was the easiest way to do things now that there are active Slayers all over the world."
"I can still remember a time when Giles swore that computers were a 'fad.'" Dawn stopped, looking down at her hands. "Or I guess I really can't, since I don't think I existed yet. The Key…" She looked back up, panic in her eyes. "What if it's trying to take back over, Andrew? What it this human body wasn't meant to last, and I'm just going to go back to being the Key again? I'll be nothing but swirly green energy. I'll…I'll be gone." The last word was barely above a whisper.
Andrew felt his insides twist at the thought of Dawn not being there anymore. "That isn't going to happen, sweetheart," he said, trying to reassure himself as much as her. "They made you human. You'll stay human."
"But these dreams I've been having… They're more than just dreams. They're the Key talking to me. I know that now. And you saw what just happened. My hand was glowing. Glowing."
"It doesn't mean you're going to go away," Andrew said, trying to force confidence into his voice. He was as unsure about all of this as she was, but Dawn needed him to be strong for her.
"I'm so scared," Dawn said, falling against him again.
"I know, baby. It'll be okay," Andrew replied, holding her close. He lay back down, bringing Dawn with him so she was resting against his chest.
Her tears eventually stopped, and Andrew wondered if she had fallen asleep until he heard her speak softly.
"I love you."
Andrew kissed her hair, tightening his arms around her. "I love you, too."
*** *** ***