Title: The Dream

Author: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Disclaimer: Don't own them.

Buffy and Faith made the bed for Little Sister. In a flash, a knife was in Faith's side and blood spilt on the covers… the blood of the slayer. Dawn's form grew under the blood soaked comforter and she sighed as Buffy looked on. Soon she realized Faith flanked one side of the bed bleeding from her side, Kendra stood across from her bleeding from her throat and Buffy was bleeding from her arms and neck. Dawn was marinating in the blood of the slayers. Blood began to sprinkle from the ceiling where Buffy saw the original slayer perched. Tears of blood rained down.

A low growl pierced the serene scene. The four turned to face a large wolf with a series of transforming vampires behind it. The vampires were becoming wolves. The original slayer leapt to the headboard and in an animalistic tone yelled, "You cannot have her!"

Her arm reached out in front of her, as did three other slayers. As one a force rolled over them and the vampires blew away and turned them to dust but the head wolf remained. In a moment the first slayer appeared before the wolf on all fours and said again, "You cannot have her!" The wolf transformed into a man of infinite beauty and stature with eyes of violet. "I will have her as it was decreed. You cannot change fate," he whispered. The four were powerless to stop his approach to the sleeping child. He leaned down and kissed her briefly. Dawn's eyes opened wide and violet.

Buffy shot up in bed panting. A prophecy dream… another one… about Dawn… taken away. "Willow!!!" Buffy screamed.

Willow and Dawn came to the door visibly shaken. "Buffy what's wrong?"

      "A dream," Buffy muttered looking from Willow to Dawn, unsure if now was the time to let her little sister know a new evil was out to get her. "Dawn, I'm not feeling so hot…  Could you get me something for my stomach?"

"Sure, I'll make you some of mom's tea," she said and headed down the stairs, relieved to be away from Willow.

Willow looked at Buffy knowing that wasn't the whole story. "What's up Buffy? Calling to me like that in your sleep either means you were protecting me or freaked beyond measure."

"The latter… I know that you're going through a lot right now with the withdrawal and all… but I need you to be able to help me research…fast."

"Why? You did have a dream…" Willow's face fell. "Prophecy dream?"

"Yeah… Long and the short Kendra, Faith, the original slayer, and I could fight these vampires that were turning into wolves sort of… but not the head leader… the wolf… He turned into this beautiful guy with violet eyes… I could do nothing to stop him," Buffy said staring into nothing. "He walked over and kissed her lips… and then she had violet eyes too."

"Dawn," Willow whispered.

"So," Dawn's voice wafted from the hall causing both Willow and Buffy to face her. "New big bad after little ol' me, the key!" she mused, "Not very original, is it?" Both girls frowned.

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The Magic box was littered with books as Willow, Xander, Buffy, and Dawn searched for a violet-eyed demon. "I wish Anya weren't out of town," Xander objected shutting a book harshly. The girls looked at him. "Not because of that! She just has weird bits of knowledge from her millennium of life that could be helping us here. If we said 'violet-eyed demon' she would say 'oh, that's a grehenderplotz.' I like that."

"Why don't we ask Spike for help? He knows the beasties pretty well and he isn't at a magic conference that can't be disturbed due to commerce," Dawn offered drawing on her cast.

"Not a bad idea," Willow said meekly as she sipped coffee to keep her shakes under wraps. Willow eyed Dawn mournfully and said, "Maybe someone, not me, should ask Tara to look up and work on a protection spell for Dawn." Her eyes fell back on the book so she wouldn't see if Dawn sneered of not.

Buffy got a flash of genius, "Will, didn't you tell me that Cordelia has mentioned some demon identifying website to you a while away?" Willow nodded. "Okay, you call Cordy and get the info. You can be the net girl we love on this one. I'll call Tara while Xander takes Dawn over to Spike's to see if he can help."

"Why don't you come with me?" Dawn asked with a pout since Xander was always so mean to Spike.

"We aren't really getting along Dawn."

"So what else is new?" the brunette said.

Buffy pulled Dawn aside, "I really hurt his feelings this time Dawn. He said I only visit when I need something…"

"Why does that matter?" Dawn whispered.

Buffy pulled Dawn into the training room. "I was visiting him a lot when I first got back. We were real friends… I- I told him I was in Heaven. He was the only one that knew… Then I only started to visit when I needed something and…  We got into it the night you got hurt and then the day I was invisible he kicked me out of his place. I don't think it will help matters if I'm there now… Besides maybe its best if you stay with him until we have a better idea what we're dealing with since I know I can't protect you, maybe he can?"

"Alright," Dawn muttered. "Then we go home and get some stuff for me. You walk me over and I'll handle Spike. You just figure this out and try not to take the weight of the world on your shoulders," Dawn said stroking her sister's hair.

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Spike woke from his pleasant slumber to the presence of the slayer. "What? Not going to throw something at me this time? What about pinning me to the wall?" Spike grumbled.

"What?" Dawn timidly voiced.

Spike opened his eyes. "Sorry, I thought you were your sister… You better get home. Buffy won't want you being here."

"She suggested I come," Dawn said quietly.

Spike gave a confused and sleepy look at the girl. "What's with the bag?" he asked taking in how tall yet small and afraid she looked.

Dawn shrugged. "New big bad that wants me… Buffy says she can't protect me so she's hoping you can," she said sitting on the side of his bed.

"Why does she think she can't protect you?" Spike asked growing concerned as he reached for a T-shirt to put on.

"One of her prophetic dreams… violet-eyed demon or something walked right past her and the other slayers to get to me."

"Other slayers?" Spike said as he pulled on his jeans.

"Ya know… Kendra, Faith and the original slayer, Buffy's spirit guide," Dawn said nonchalantly.

"Back up… Why isn't Buffy here, first? Then second, tell me the details of the dream," Spike said looking Dawn in the eye as he sat next to her.

"Buffy walked me over but didn't come in 'cause she didn't want you thinking she only came by for help," Dawn said with a sigh.

"I doubt that… She wants very much for me to know the only reason she tolerates me is for my help," Spike growled.

Dawn shook her head, "That's no true at all." Spike rolled his eyes. "No really… She gave me this long talk about how you got into a fight about her using you and hurting your feelings and stuff, which I didn't believe but can see now is true." Spike huffed. "She specifically said she didn't want to come over here and make things worse. She doesn't want you to think she's using you. She said you had become a friend and it was obvious that she doesn't like the way things are now," Dawn said with a sigh.

"Look Bit," Spike began, "Stuff with your sis is a bit more complicated then that. But whatever is up with your sister and I, I will always protect you. Now do you know the skinny on this demon or not?"

"I'm thinking on the or not side?" Dawn pouted.

"Alright then we'll leave your bag here and head over to the Box so I can hear from the dreamer's mouth what was seen."

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