Erased

"What are you doing?" Buffy demanded as she blocked Dawn from the edge of the tower.

"I have to jump!" Dawn struggled again her grip. "The energy!"

"It'll kill you!" Buffy stared at her straight in the eyes.

"I know," Dawn said softly. "Buffy, I know about the ritual, I have to stop it."

"No," Buffy shook her head. Dawn was exasperated. She knew she had to stop the portal but there was no way Buffy would allow her to jump. Buffy was in front of her, blocking Dawn from the edge of the tower.

The tower shook violently and threatened to collapse at any moment. In front of them, the portal grew bigger and shot electricity out and burned several nearby buildings. A dragon flew out of the portal and started setting fire to anything in sight.

"I have to!" Dawn shouted. "Look at what's happening!" She pointed below them to the people who were running away from the burning buildings on the street and screaming.

"Dawn, I can't let you do this. I can't let you die," Buffy pulled Dawn into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Buffy," Dawn whispered. "But I have to do this." She shoved Buffy out of the way before running to the edge of the tower and leaping off the edge into the portal.

"DAWN!" Buffy screamed as she nearly fell off the tower. She tried running after Dawn to grab her and pull her back but she was too late. Dawn fell down through the air and gasped when she was shocked by the electricity from the portal. As she fell further into the portal, white light flashed around her and she changed back into the green key energy which spread out through the mouth of the portal.

The dragon which had escaped before was sucked back into the portal and the portal closed shortly after.

"I'm sorry, Dawn," Buffy whispered as she sank down to her knees.

Shortly after the monk's spell had been broken, everyone's original memories returned. They were still able to remember Dawn for the first few days after her sacrifice but those memories faded completely after. Buffy could no longer remember ever having a sister or who the key was.

Reality shifted back to normal as well. There was no record of Dawn ever existing, the people who were friends with Dawn at her school no longer remembered her and no documents of her existed anymore. All photos of her vanished and the family portrait of Buffy, Joyce, and Dawn was now only of Buffy and Joyce.

All of Dawn's belongings disappeared as well along with her bedroom which was back to being the guest bedroom. Willow and Tara moved into Buffy's house later and now lived inside that room.

"You know, Willow," Buffy said on afternoon while they were in the living room. "I just feel like something has been lost since that night, as if someone died, but I can't remember who." Buffy was sitting on the couch while Willow and Tara sat across from her.

"I know what you mean. I know there was a Key who was here and in human form, but I don't remember meeting them or what they looked like," Willow replied.

"It's strange," Buffy shook her head. "I try to remember what happened or to remember a face, at least something of what they were like and I get a headache, as if something's blocking me from remembering."

"I was reading about Glory and the spell the monks used and once the Key is turned back into energy from human form, the spell is broken and reality goes back to how things used to be. The fake memories are also erased, which explains why we can't remember anything," Tara explained.

The three of them sat in silence, absorbing this fact.

"That does make sense," Willow agreed.

"I don't know," Buffy sighed. "I just feel like the Key might have been someone important to us. It seems like someone major was lost when the portal was closed but I can't think of who it might have been. I feel like I should be mourning but I don't know what for."

"I understand," Tara nodded. "It does seem as if something important was lost that night but I can't imagine what."

These thoughts unsettled them and they grew more uncomfortable the more they struggled to find an answer. As much as Buffy had tried before, she was unable to find any clue about who the Key had been. Even Willow and Tara's magic proved unable to show any result when they once attempted to find out who the Key had been.

Once again, Willow broke the silence, "Hey, guys, why don't we go and take a walk and get some hot chocolate or something? To take a little break from this?" She nervously added. Everyone's spirits had gone down and the room's atmosphere had become very gloomy as they tried to solve this mystery.

"Sure…I guess," Buffy said uncertainly. The blank spaces from that night still bothered her.

"It wouldn't hurt," Tara stood up. "I'll get the coats." She left the room and came back a moment later holding all three of their coats.

"Thanks," Willow took her coat and passed Buffy hers. Buffy made no move to put it on.

"Buffy, aren't you coming?" Tara pulled open the door.

"What's wrong?" Willow grew more worried at Buffy's distraught expression on her face. "Do you remember something?"

After a long pause Buffy answered. "I remember when I was up on the tower that night-I think I might have trying to protect the Key in some way, perhaps even stop it from closing the portal."

"What?" Willow and Tara gasped.

"I almost feel like I should have prevented it somehow. I know I felt extremely devastated for something after the portal closed but it doesn't make any sense why," Buffy slowly stood up. "But I might be just crazy or imagining these feelings."

"No, Buffy it's not your fault," Willow shook her head. "The Key did what it had to do to save the world, it's probably the spell making us feel this way."

"Willow has a point," Tara said.

"I know," Buffy nodded uncertainly. "But what if it's not? Do you guys think you can find another spell we can use to try to find out who the Key was? I'm sorry, it's been bothering me."

"Yes, of course," Willow and Tara nodded. "We can try again."

"Good," Buffy felt a little relieved.

"But how about we all go and get some fresh air for a bit to clear our minds and when we come back we can work on this more?" Willow suggested.

"Alright." Buffy reluctantly caved in. After she put her coat on they left the Summer's residence leaving all of their forgotten memories behind.