DARK DAYS
BTVS with minor SG-1 Crossover
Timeline:
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (BTVS): End Season 5.
Stargate SG-1: Early Season 3
Rating: Let's go with R leaning towards NC-17 in places.
Warnings: Language, Violence, Torture, Sex, Consensual Underage, Angst, Whatever else might offend you potentially included. You've been warned. If you're looking for a happily ever after story … move on.
Insert Disclaimer Here: I own nothing, I make no money from this. The source materials for this work of fiction belong to the creators of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Stargate SG-1. If you recognize terms, ideas, characters, ect. from another work of fanfiction, it's likely the other author is the rightful owner. Please consider it the highest form of compliment if you see any of your ideas re-used. If you're less than flattered let me know and I'll remove the conflicting material.
***First Ever Story. Constructive criticism is welcomed, but please try to be at least helpful.***
BETA's Wanted: I've got hundreds of thousands of words written in this and the following books I plan (motivation willing) and I'm in the process of reviewing, learning, ect.
Beta's can contact me with suggestions, corrections, etc. There's links to the chapters hosted on google docs on the Twisting - version of this story. Knock yourself out.
DARK DAYS
Chapter 1 – Preface
Sir Isaac Newton Third Law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
The Multiverse Theory states - in one fashion or another - that every choice or action creates another parallel universe where the opposite choice was made. Choice not limited to humans or even living organisms. Antimatter and matter existing in perfectly balanced harmony, only chance and fate determining when they hold their distance at an uneasy truce or when they collide or separate creating everything or nothingness. All choices in one manor or another, all equally balanced. An infinite number of variables for an infinite number of equations all resulting in an infinite number of simple binary answers. 1 or 0, yes or no, left or right. Each choice diverging in the opposite direction from the other, the results of both choices now existing in a infinite tangled web of new universes being created in a span of time so short as to be un-quantifiable by the human brain.
So many choices with so many results, where could one simple wish lead?
APRIL 2001
ONE MONTH AFTER JOYCE'S DEATH
Sunnydale, California – 1630 Revello Drive
Dawn sat motionless, comforted by the shade of a rustling maple tree in the backyard she called her own. The glare at the yellowed envelope clutched tightly in her hand had little effect. The rumpeled envelope unchanged, still showing the wear and tear of crossing countless kilometers of land, air, and sea only to make the trip once more upon its return. She could only wish the salty path of tears on her cheeks could wash away the ink of rejection.
RETURN TO SENDER
LETTER NOT ACCEPTED BY RECIPIENT
"Dawnie?"
Dawn stared unrelenting at the letter. Unwilling to acknowledge the near silent approach of her elder sister.
"Dawnie, what's wrong?" Buffy asked softly.
"I hate him! I hate everything about him, he doesn't want me!" Dawn yelled before her tirad ended in a sad whimper. "And why would he, I'm not even real" She threw the envelope to the ground.
Buffy sighed, watching as the paper tumbled a laughably short distance before picking it up, now even more soiled and worn. The bold writing that was unmistakably her fathers still easy to read. She sighed.
Bastard
Buffy slumped down next to her sister and wrapped an arm around the sobbing girl. Taking care to not to use the slightest Slayer strength on her most cherished person. She was angry, angry that a man that had been all but replaced in their lives could still cause such pain in the eyes of her sister. Extreme emotion had a tendency to make her lose control of the delicate balance between normal strength, and the bone crushing potential within her own small limbs.
Dawn instinctively flinched at the touch, the reaction of a deep seated need to never accept the charity of her older sister as it called to her to get to her feet and run. To escape. Predictably, she failed. Her head being pulled gently against its will to the soft warmth of a nearby chest ready to absorb her tears. The end result was all but certain before her attempt had even begun, resistance was futile against those powerful arms, but nonetheless she bucked and thrashed in protest.
Buffy ignored her sisters squirming resistance, it was all for show. Years of being kicked in the face by monsters made the impacts from a human teenager less than a mere annoyance. Taking intent care not to hold too tightly onto the precious gift of life she had been charged to protect she slowly reigned her in. A single slip, one second of inattentiveness, and she could crush her sister's slender bones. A hug meant in loving care could be a lethal death blow if she sneezed at just the wrong time. She'd learned over the years, managed to keep anyone she cared for from permanent damage.
Much to a mixture of her relief and horror, Dawn was finally maturing into the body of a young woman. Someone who could take the accidental slip or two of a hug, just a bit to tight. There wasn't a mom anymore for her little sister to run to. She was it, she was the mom now. The only thing standing between her sweet little Dawnie and the harsh reality of the world around them.
Sweet … may be an exaggeration.
She used a few gentle fingers to pull the ruffled strands of hair from her sister's face tucking it neatly behind her ear.
So smooth and silky as always, so pretty.
Buffy spoke softly as she slowly stroked and untangled Dawns soft dark hair. "If your not real how can I touch you? How can I hold you? How can I smell the salt in your tears?"
"I hate him!" Dawn replied sharply finally giving up the useless struggle to escape the inescapable grasp of the slayer.
Buffy didn't bother with an attempt to defend her absent father. "I know Dawnie, I know" She spoke as soothingly as she could.
A slight tingle caused her to tense in an instant, perking up her head as she opened her senses focusing in the search for any threat. Her muscle reacted they only way they knew how, coiling into tight springs ready to power their way into action at any second. Each fiber tightening, stretching, waiting for the commands that could come at any time.
"Buffy?" Dawn asked feeling her sisters soft embrace suddenly turn to steel. "Buffy what is it?"
Buffy paused, the feeling of a nearby demon dissipated just as soon as it occured. "Nothing Dawnie, I just … thought I felt something. Don't worry about it. … … … The letter, you wanted to make sure he remembered you, right?"
Dawn nodded between whimpering sobs "I just thought if I had something new, something written down. I'd have proof you know."
Buffy sighed as she tried to think of the many ways she could kill her own father using nothing but her bare hands. "I get it, I scribbled down notes to myself when … when I …"
"When you were there?" Dawn finished, not missing the shiver that went through her sister-pillow.
" … I wrote down 'vampires are real' anywhere I knew they wouldn't find it. I … " Buffy trailed off
"It's okay, you don't need to talk about it" Dawn replied as she shifted her head slightly letting it rest gently on her sisters soft breasts.
Buffy didn't move to wipe the tears from her own face knowing the movement would be obvious to Dawn. Couldn't show weakness, couldn't show fear. She was the slayer, the line in the sand that protected her sister, let her have some small measure of peace and safety. Gently pulling the envelope up to rest on her knee, writing a few sloppy scribbles with a pen before handing it back to Dawn.
Dawn looked at the envelope breaking a slight smile as she read the words
RETURN TO SENDER
LETTER NOT ACCEPTED BY RECIPIENT
Because he's a jackass who can't be bothered
to care for his own daughter. But her
sister will always love lil pumpkin belly.
No matter where she came from.
With Love Always,
Buffy Anne Summers
"Buffy, ever wonder what it would be like if … if we had a different dad?" Dawn asked sheepishly
Buffy tensed. "Uhh … yeah … I've thought about it." Buffy replied with a forced smile "But mom, I wouldn't have traded for anything in the world."
"Me neither, but … but I do, I wish we had a different dad" Dawn explained.
."I know." Buffy replied, tensing again "I think we better get you inside, spidey sense is acting up."
"It's daytime"
"Evil doesn't sleep Dawn"
"It's … daytime"
"Fine, evil doesn't care. Happy?"
In another yard nearby, a lonely figure stood in the bright light of temperate winter day of Southern California. The owner of the property long dead, another victim of the second highest cause of death in the 'peaceful' town of Sunnydale, the hazard that was the barbecue fork.
The privacy fence surrounding the Summers property offered the cover necessary to get within earshot. Highly attuned senses of the demon made the thirty some meters to her target un-notable. She saw the slayer tense momentarily, quickly suppressing her own aura to remain hidden. She wasn't here for a fight, and any action against the slayer could have dire consequences for any number of reasons.
No, she was here for the other young woman clutched in the slayers arms. The pain and anguish of another child scorned had drawn her focus. Pierced the very fabric of the universe with its intensity. She'd never felt such a powerful summons before, but Dawn Summers wasn't exactly your normal human child. The power radiating off the girl was intoxicating, the thick winding spells and wisps of green power that radiated around her giving no illusion of normalcy to her eye. She was uncertain of what the young 'human' was, but her power was drowning out even that of the slayer nearby. No, she had no intention of meeting the slayer, D'hoffryn had been adamant, clear in his orders. She shuddered at the thought of what the potential punishment could be for violating such a clear direction.
She gave a slight gasp when she heard the magic words that all vengeance demons needed to unlock their nearly limitless powers. To grant a wish to something of such power, one posing as the sister of the slayer. A thought crossed her mind as she wondered just how those spells would react. She could see them, each one wafting around her head like wisps of smoke, uncertain which direction they desired to drift. "Oh this is going to be so exciting." Halfrek took a deep breath, concentrating before she spoke so softly that even the nearby slayer couldn't hear "Wish … Granted"
February 28th, 1981 – 2220 Hours (10:20 P.M.)
PAST - 9 DAYS AFTER BUFFY'S BIRTH
Los Angeles, California – Hanson Orphanage
The cloudy night sky was lit in a brilliant flash of distant lightning as rain threatened to cut through the damp air of a cold winter night. The furious wind of the impending storm somehow fitting as a man triggered the buzzer summoning whomever was in charge this night.
Thunder rolled, masking the cry of a baby too small to protest in any other way. The baby carrier resting on the ground quickly rocked in fruitless attempt to quell the infants wails. The man all but hopeless at the subtle touch needed to sooth such a thing, to put the baby girl at ease at the absence of her mother.
He pressed the buzzer once more, and again. Alternating between short beats and a long pulse certain to annoy anyone into action. The door opened as an aged man answered the call. Both men's eyes darting down to the swaddled package causing such a fuss this night.
An envelope was passed between them as a Mr. 'Smith' recited the details he'd been given to pass along. The well muscled man hardly noticing the weight when he lifted the carrier from the ground, moving it to the feet of the other. Before questions could be asked a curt nod was given and Mr. Smith walked into the stormy night. The still crying infant left behind at the threshold. The wheels of fate were set in motion, drops of rain beginning to fall as the infant was placed on the path to becoming Buffy Summers.
A/N: And we're off! A few descriptions below for any struggling with the format. This story will feature two timelines. One centered on Dawn, the other on Buffy. Pay attention to the headings of each section. Events will occur chronologically within the timelines.
deletes the marker I used for a significant change in setting, so there isn't one. Just a bold heading.
* * * Minor change in setting or a notable shift in character.
Italic Text – Notable Thoughts, Dreams, Memories, Read Text, or Communications where the other is elsewhere. I assume which of these it is will be obvious.
"Dialogue"
'Quotation'
… … … Silence in the dialogue. A placeholder to help keep things easy to track.
Bold Text – Emphasis on the word by the speaker, or character.