Author: Bastille Kain

Title: The Real Me

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The characters of any show or other medium; comics, movies, and books that are unfortunate enough to be used here all belong to other people. Again I own nothing and make no profit from these writings.

Spoilers: Anything and everything.

Summary: Unwilling to let Dawn jump or live on in a world without her sister and mother but seeing no other way to close the dimensional vortex Buffy jumps with Dawn and Spike just manages to grab hold of Buffy's ankle before she hits the portal and the three of them disappear. Dawn is written into the Young Justice universe as the fourteen year old daughter of Lana Lang and Clark Kent. While Clark is aware of Dawn's existence he is unaware of the fact that he is her father as he disappeared for nearly five years after graduating from high school. Lana, because of Dawn's powers, is aware that Clark Kent and Superman must be the same person. After months of Dawn suffering from a strange dream, Lana finally breaks down and calls Clark seeking his help.

Pairings:

Rating: MA-18. Just to play it safe. Eventually there is going to be adult themed subject matter, gratuitous violence and explicit sexual scenes not to mention strong language.

Feedback: Is always appreciated.

Archive: If you like it that much, sure. Just be sure to let me know where it's going, and give me the credit, good or bad, for my work.

Musical Note: I like to use song titles or lyrics for story names and chapter titles. The Real Me: The Who. Wish You Were Here: Pink Floyd

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, but one of the hazards of driving a school bus for a living… Constantly being around sick children. Hadn't been doing too bad this year but it finally caught up with me. Spent two weeks feeling like someone had torn all the stuffing out of body pillow and packed it all into my skull. Didn't miss any time at work, but I was a miserable SOB that no one, other than my dog and cats, wanted to be around.

Attempting something new; a story with shorter, much quicker to write and edit chapters. Other stories that I've already started are still going to plod along at their relatively glacial pace. I got my brother to edit this the other day, and he pumped it out in like a day, but he only does two to three pages a time and he goes over them twice and then I have to go over his corrections. He's been working on a chapter for another story but its thirty pages long and then he's got chapters for three other stories. I'm going to try to keep this story at four to six pages and hopefully I'll be able to get them posted quicker. Anyway…

Enjoy the Story,

Kain

The Real Me

Chapter One: Wish You Were Here 1

The scaffolding wobbled ever so slightly as Spike raced up the steps, his boots pounding on the steel. Despite his pace, his mad breakneck speed; taking the stairs two or three at a time and careening off one shoddy post or railing after another, somehow the tower stayed upright.

A deep dread coursed in his bones, burned like acid in his veins. He pushed aside the pain, injuries that would have driven a lesser man, a lesser vampire to the ground long ago. Each step brought him that much closer to what he feared, dreaded most in this world. It lanced through to his core, threatened to overwhelm, drive him under with every moment that passed.

At the top of the hastily constructed tower a steel plank jutted some thirty feet out above the open sky like an accusing finger with nothing but open air for a hundred feet until the ground below greeted you. Pale predawn light began to brighten the sky as Dawn stepped forward, a slight limp causing her to stumble. Only Buffy was there, catching the young girl in strong, steady arms.

Relief washed over the century old vampire. Dawn was safe, Buffy succeeded where he failed. Buffy whispered soothing words, holding Dawn tight as she stroked the younger girl's back.

Light flared below them; a third of the way from the top of the tower. It was a turbulent, roiling mass of energy. As it swelled increasing its size, growing from a pinprick to an arena in less time than it took the heart to beat a single time; sparks of energy, like streaks of lightening that stabbed out of the sky, pulsed out of the vortex.

Where they touched… The universe changed.

A building vanished, replaced by a gem encrusted spire, scintillating under the swirling lights of the vortex. People disappeared and strange creatures swarmed the skies, sweeping in and out of the darkness and shadows.

"No," Dawn whimpered. Wetness shone bright in her eyes as tears stained her cheeks. They flowed like a stream from scintillating crystalline blue orbs.

"It's gonna be alright," Buffy assured her sister. Her voice was calm and sure, full of confidence. Only it was all a lie. "Once we get off here… On the ground. We'll figure it out, Giles'll figure something out."

"It's me," Dawn cut Buffy off forcefully. She tried to pull away from her sister, but knew she would have an easier time prying a crocodile's jaws apart while being held underwater. "Glory told me—" It had been girl talk to the insane god. "—The portal will stay open as long as my blood flows."

"No," Buffy snarled as her anger consumed her and she began to exert more strength to keep Dawn close. The young girl winced at the pain but Buffy didn't care, or she simply didn't notice. "She was lying," Buffy hissed. Whether for Dawn's benefit or her own the younger girl wasn't sure. "Trying to make you feel guilty… That it's your fault."

Dawn shook her head, managing to gain a little space from her sister. Not much, Buffy had a grip like a bear trap, only more so, with about the same chance at escaping… It would be possible if she were willing to sacrifice a limb or two. Opening her mouth Dawn tried to speak but the words wouldn't oblige her.

Glory hadn't been lying. She wasn't gloating or trying to make Dawn feel guilty. Those were human concepts and qualities. Whatever else Glory might have been human wasn't anywhere on the list. To Glory it had been more along the lines of confidence sharing between beings beyond humanity.

She wanted to tell Buffy, to somehow make her sister understand that this was how it was always meant to be. Only it was so hard. She wasn't strong or brave. Those words were used to describe Buffy. Her sister was the one that rushed into danger without a thought for herself. She made the tough choices, sacrificed everything for other people. "I have to do this Buffy," her voice was a hushed whisper but she knew Buffy heard her. "Me or the world?"

"I'm not going to lose you too," Buffy said in a distant voice as if it came from some place far, far away.

Twisting her head Dawn gazed at the growing portal. "I have to do this. If I don't, the world dies."

Something firmed in Buffy as she repeated, "I'm not going to lose you." With no hesitancy, only a deep resolve Buffy moved with a speed born of desperation as she swept Dawn off her feet and bolted for the edge of the tower and leapt.

Spike pushed down the debilitating pain as he raced after the sisters. "Bugger," he grumbled as he launched himself from the tower. There was no plan, no real thought beyond the action. There was simply a belief that he was needed to protect his girls. He reached out, stretched for all he was worth and just managed to grab hold of Buffy's ankle an instant before the sisters hit the portal.

A screamed exploded all around him as reality was torn asunder.

Then everything was swallowed in blissful oblivion.

/ / /

Looking up at the spot where the vortex had just been Tara blinked in confusion. Everything was fuzzy and not completely there, as if her brain had been run through a strainer and something important was missing or not there completely. Her last memory was…

It wasn't…

It was all jumbled, like a jigsaw puzzle that needed to be put back together. Willow was with her, holding her. Clutching her like she never meant to let her go.

They were in… It looked like a construction site someplace in the Middle East after a terrorist bombing. There was destruction everywhere and the dead out numbered the living. Demons and humans.

There was a tower in the center of the site. It was at least a hundred feet from its base to a steel catwalk that hung out of the open air. Maybe it was even taller, but it didn't appear to be very sturdy. A heavy wind might be all it would take to blow the entire thing over.

"Where are they?" Willow asked sounding just as confused as she felt.

"They're gone," Anya said.

Tara craned her neck around and spotted the ex-vengeance demon. "Who's gone?" She asked. Her voice sounded timid to her own ears. Who was gone? Who had been here?

Willow brushed her hair back and Tara leaned into the touch. How she missed that. Why would she miss it? They touch all the time. The memory of their first time together was burned into her core.

"Its gonna be alright baby," Willow told her softly. Carefully. As if afraid of upsetting her. "We'll find them. We'll bring them back."

Xander came jogging up to them breathing just a little heavily. "They vanished. All three of them. It looked like…" He paused taking a breath as he ran his right hand through his hair. "It looked like Buffy grabbed Dawn and jumped. Then Spike, well Spike was Spike and dove off after them. He must've caught up with them because once the portal vanished all three of them were gone."

"Why would Buffy…?" Willow began.

"Think of all that she has had to deal with recently," Giles said as he joined the group. His expression was… Grim. Dark. As if he just finished taking care of a nasty bit of work. "The passing of her mother. Her father's abandonment. Do you truly believe she would allow her sister to sacrifice herself? Or that she would want to go on in a world that has taken so much from her and given her so little in return?"

"She has us," Willow countered in a voice strained with emotion. She exhaled, releasing the tension from her body and took a calming breath. "I know. It's not the same but…"

"I might be way off base here," Xander said with some hesitancy. "But is anyone else concerned that there aren't any bodies. I mean shouldn't there be bodies? They shouldn't've vanished? Should they? Don't get me wrong, I could care less about whatever might be happening to Captain Peroxide right now except wherever he is Buffy and Dawn are likely there as well and if he's deep frying in a vat of brimstone and hellfire well… Chances are pretty good that they're right there next to him?"

Giles stared at the younger man for a moment with something akin to wonder in his dark eyes. It was something that he should have thought of. "Much as I am loath to admit it… Xander does make a rather valid point."

"Thanks," Xander mumbled. "I think?"

"Then shouldn't we try to figure out where they are?" Willow inquired. "I think I read about this spell…"

"Actually Wesley mentioned, in passing mind you, a device he has been researching that he believes would allow you to locate a person that has moved beyond this realm. Possibly this entire universe," Giles said.

"Then we're going to LA?" Willow questioned.

Giles gave a slight shake of his head. "I'll take Xander with me. I believe it might be in Tara's best interest if you help her fully recover from her ordeal. You might also be able to track down the spell you mentioned if Wesley doesn't pan out." His dark eyes passed from Willow to Anya and after a moment he added, "And please, try not to destroy the Magic Box while I'm gone this time?"

/ / /

The sound of bare feet softly padding upon the hardwood floors filled the modest two story condo. A small, somewhat bemused smile graced Lana's lips. Back in Smallville she always dreamed of living someplace glamorous; New York or Paris, Monte Carlo. Even living in L.A. had been nothing more than a dream. She never truly believed her dreams would ever turn into reality, but here she was.

Once the certainty of her situation set in though, there had been nothing left for her in Smallville. Clark was gone and not even Martha knew where he went. The man she was meant to spend the rest of her life with had simply vanished from the face of the planet leaving her with next to nothing.

L.A. gave her the chance to start fresh and while it hadn't been easy she had made a good life for herself. Working full time while putting herself through college and raising a rather gifted daughter. It had been a struggle, to be sure, but she wouldn't change any of it.

Steam rose from the cup of coco nestled between her palms as she made the short trip down the hall past her bedroom door to the door at the end. It was slightly ajar, a muted light spilling from the crack.

Pushing the door open Lana stared into the jumbled mess that passed itself off as Dawn's bedroom. It was more of a workshop that her daughter would occasionally sleep in. A large black and white German Shepherd rose to its feet at Lana's disturbance. The massive hound watched her for several moments before he decided she wasn't a threat to Dawn and laid back down in his rightful place at the head of Dawn's bed.

At three years old Alexander the Great was a huge animal, Lana suspected there was a bit of Mastiff or Saint Bernard DNA mixed into his ancestry to account for his incredible size. At times Lana worried over the animal's fierce loyalty towards Dawn but he was well trained and socialized. He never growled or barked aggressively without cause.

Her gaze swept across Dawn's bed only to find it empty, not too surprising since the girl only slept a few hours each night but most of her bedding was missing. Tilting her head upwards Lana suppressed the sigh that threatened to escape. A good three feet above the bed Dawn floated, sleeping in a mass of twisted bedding. It wasn't the first time Lana found Dawn sleeping above her bed, only it was happening with more regularity as she aged.

Leaning against the door frame Lana allowed the moment to soak into her heart, the way her hands absorbed the heat from coco. They were fading fast from her life. It wouldn't be long now before they vanished completely.

And then college.

And then who knew what would follow after. Would she try to live up to her father's example. She was so much like him even if they've never met. Dawn had more of him in her than Lana would ever want to admit. She knew his name, knew he was reporter for the Daily Planet even if she didn't know his other identity. Lana wasn't sure how much longer she would be able to keep that secret.

"No," Dawn whimpered. The pleading note in her voice had Xander on his feet and alert. Fast as the dog was Lana was faster even while managing to divest herself of the cup of coco. "Buffy!" She screamed the name. Her normally scintillating blue eyes burned with a brilliant glow. Twin beams lanced out burning a pair of holes through the bedroom ceiling and the roof above as they streaked into the night beyond. Just that quickly Dawn fell out of the air and crashed to the bed fully awake with eyes wide with fear. Dawn threw herself into her mother's arms. Lana soothed her, rocked her and whispered soft comforting words.

After a few minutes Lana finally asked, "The nightmare?"

Dawn nodded, scrubbed at the tears forming in the corner of her eyes with a cotton pajama sleeve. A frown twisted Lana's lips. Dawn's nightmare sprang up six months ago from seemingly nowhere. Considering who Dawn's father is she shuddered at the thought that one of his enemies had uncovered Dawn's existence. It was unlikely considering how tightly she guarded that secret but the possibility still existed. There was a phone call she needed to make.