Title: Warm and Safe
Name: Joy
Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com
Rating: PG
A/N: This is my first Buffy Fanfic… I need feedback.
The sun shone brightly through the slats of 'The Magic Box's windows as the blond woman entered. No more then 5' 5" she had a strong presence as she entered. Anya, Willow, Xander and Tara instinctively turned toward the door.
"May I help you?" Anya said politely.
"No thank you…" the young woman replied. Her blue eyes were the color of the summer sky, clear as crystal. Dawn raised her head and met the stunning eyes. She stared a moment and then smiled as if some other recognition was attained in the woman's eyes.
The blond came forward dressed in a cream colored dress that hung on her body comfortably. She tilted her head to the side and then up. She peered up to the loft where the dark magic books were. "Do you think it wise to have such evil so close to you? It must be tempting," the woman spoke melodically casting her eyes on Willow.
"Is there something we can help you find?" Willow responded a little flustered by the woman's insinuation.
"That's alright. I can call her myself," the blond said as she shifted her gaze to the back curtain. In a moment Buffy came around the corner looking for something. Buffy met the crystal eyes that smiled at her. No words were spoken as Buffy cast herself on the woman bodily, breaking into tears as she laid her head on the woman's shoulder. The blond stroked her hair and held Buffy close, hushing her gently. "I gotcha… I'm here now…"
Buffy sniffled as her friends looked on dumbfounded unable to identify the woman. Dawn simply smiled at the scene completely at peace. The two women faced each other. Buffy's tears were wiped away by the lithe fingers of the blond. She smiled reassuringly. "Ya wanna go for a walk?" the blond asked, "Or should we…"
"Not yet…" Buffy interrupted. "A walk would be good…" Buffy looked around her to see her friends staring, "Umm… This is…"
"Casey… Casey Caddell," the blond finished Buffy's sentence.
"Thank you," Buffy mouthed.
"Your Welcome," Casey responded.
"Hey Dawnie," Casey said as she hugged the younger Summers girl from behind and kissed the top of her head as she sat. "Let's see… Anya, Xander, Tara, and Willow," Casey said identifying each one correctly. "Dawn, I'm going to steal your sister for a bit… okay?"
"Fine… I'm just doing homework," Dawn said with wide eyes.
"Be back in a little while," Casey said as Buffy and she departed.
Once the door shut the four descended on Dawn. "Who was that?" Willow demanded.
"Casey…" Dawn responded.
"Right sweetie… but who is Casey?" Tara asked.
Dawn sat for a moment and thought. "I don't know if I can explain it... She always been there… binding us… helping us. She made us sisters… She took care of us," Dawn muttered.
"How could she have made you sisters?" Anya asked. "She's not a monk."
"No… She's not a monk… or even a person… I don't think… But I do remember her making Buffy and I sisters."
"Are you saying the woman who just came in here isn't a woman?" Xander asked. "She's not a friend of the family or a cousin. She's a thing?"
"No… She's… always there… in my head at night… She teaches me…the way Giles taught Buffy… I'm saying this all wrong," Dawn said in confusion and then the confusion was gone. "I remember now… She's a Caddell." Dawn got up and crossed to the bookshelf. She picked up a book on the Celts. Flipping through the pages until she found it. A brief reference to a woman named Caddell, meaning the matter of Spirit. "See… Here. The matter of Spirit… She's Holy."
The four just stared at one another and then at Dawn unsure what to say or do next.
Casey and Buffy walked along the grass in a park near by. "How are you handling the transition?" Casey asked calmly.
"As well as can be expected… I know the Powers that Be didn't send you down here just to take care of me," Buffy commented as they walked.
"No they did not," Casey said. She walked barefoot on the grass getting it between her toes. With each step the grass grew under her feet. "It is strange to walk in this plane again. Everything is harsher here. I forget what it is like… You know that I have to deal with what your friends have done…especially Willow. She is taking a path she will be unable to recover from if I don't intervene."
"What will happen to them because of me?" Buffy asked reluctantly.
"Not because of you… Willow chose to believe she knew better then the Powers what should happen…the path that should be taken. She not only disturbed the balance in nature but she has killed an innocent. She shed the blood of a blessed one that it might be sacrificed to bring you back…"
Buffy continued to walk. "They thought I was in Hell…"
"No… Willow feared you were in Hell. Xander believed you died and trusted that we would do right by you. You could finally rest. You were finished. Willow caused the others to doubt… I have to straighten her path," Casey spoke quietly.
Buffy nodded. "You are here for another reason too?" she half asked.
"William."
"William?"
"Uh… Cotton?" Casey said in a questioning manner. Buffy's perplexed expression alerted her that she still didn't have the right name. "Spike? What do you call him? The guy with the chip and the bleach blond hair."
"Spike… We call him Spike. What do you need with Spike?" Buffy asked.
"He is in love with you. That is a rarity for a being unable to have such an emotion. I am here to see how much is real and how much is lust. I have to believe it must be real or they wouldn't have bothered to send me. He may get a shot at getting his soul back… no strings attached," Casey stated.
"No strings attached…like no curse?" Buffy asked curiously.
"This pleases you?" Casey said with a smile. "You enjoy the idea of this vampire, that you trust with your sister and your life, would be given redemption." Buffy said nothing continuing to walk. "It's alright child. He understands you better then the others ever could. It is understandable."
Buffy began to blush, "It doesn't make sense… I shouldn't. What's with me and vampires?" Her eyes met Casey's as she chuckled.
"You are not exactly mortal and neither are they. So far you haven't entertained the idea until they have proven worthy of your attention… I will give him the once over. I'll tell you what I think then," Casey explained.
"Back to the store before they attempt to figure out how to send you back," Buffy said referring to Willow & Xander.
"They're not that bad. Overprotective yes…but not nuts," Casey stated.
As they left the park Buffy turned back to see the grass lush and healthy. Casey's presence was a good thing for everyone.