Chapter 2

… … …

He stared up at the house before glancing back down at the paper in his hands. This was the right house. So why did he expect it to look run down, or empty, as if somehow it should be mourning Joyce's death?

Shaking his head, he moved forward, looking through the windows to see if any lights were on. None were but he did see shadows moving around, and he did hear sobbing coming from inside. Sobbing that wrenched at his heart. He lifted his hand to knock but the door was thrown open and a short blonde girl stood there, looking wildly around.

"Mommy?" He heard her pitiful whisper.

He placed a hand on her shoulder, getting her to focus on him and when she did, she broke into a fresh round of tears.

"Daddy." She quietly sobbed, falling into his arms and burying her head in his chest.

He gently wrapped his arms around her at a loss for what to say. She had never called him daddy. She was a bit wary of him at first and he never expected anything from her. She always called him Hunter or H. But hearing that from her made him want to pick her up and hold her in his lap until she had no more tears. It boggled his mind, that he of all people, had such paternal feelings towards her.

"Who are you?"

He looked up to see a younger version of Buffy and knew this was her little sister, Dawn, who was staring at him with a mixture of suspicion and jealousy etched on her face.

He held out his hand for Dawn, who briefly stared at it before her dull eyes went back to his face. He dropped his hand.

"Hunter Hearst Helmsley. I knew your mother and I know your sister. I'm sorry for your loss" Buffy had told him that Dawn had no idea who he was and that they were half-sisters.

Dawn replied with a shrug, her eyes trailing back to her sister who still leaned against him, her eyes narrowing in anger.

"

Perhaps you can invite me in?"

"Why do you need an invite?" Dawn asked her eyes snapping back to him, suspicion in them once more.

He shrugged. "I thought it was polite, my bad."

Since Buffy seemed to have no intention of moving anytime soon, he picked her up carrying her inside. He ignored the candles, ripped up photos, and other various items that were scattered throughout the living room as he sat on the couch, pulling Buffy close.

"Why don't I know you?" Dawn asked following them inside.

Hunter looked down at Buffy. "I haven't seen your mom in years. I met Buffy a few years ago in LA while I was passing through."

"Why are you here now?"

"Your mom was special to me and when Buffy called and asked for my help I couldn't say no."

"Your help?" Dawn repeated looking back at her sister.

He heard Buffy quietly groan as she pulled away and rubbed at her eyes.

"Dawnie, I tried to tell you earlier." She said in a small voice. "but with all that happened…"

She trailed off and Dawn crossed her arms over her chest. "What, you got me a new bodyguard. Cause y'know Buffy, he doesn't look like he can protect me from Glory."

"Who's Glory?" He asked.

"Dawn." Buffy said with a frown. "Please we don't have much time. Just do me a favor and pack up some clothes."

"What?" Dawn exploded. "you're sending me away. With this-this man. How do you know Glory hasn't gotten to him?"

"Who's Glory?" HE asked again.

"She hasn't." Buffy quietly replied. "Please Dawnie, now is not the time, I need you to pack your clothes, now."

"I hate you." Dawnie quietly replied. "First you ignore me and claim it's your way of dealing and now you just shove me off on the first available person that comes along."

She never gave Buffy or Hunter a chance to answer, she was gone up the stairs and moments later they heard a door slam.

"I'm sorry." Buffy whispered.

He shook his head. "Don't be, you're going through a tough time."

"Thank you, for being here."

Hunter sighed and pulled her closer. "Whenever you need me, I'll help you Buffy."

"I have all my stuff ready, when Dawn's packed we'll go."

"You think she'll actually pack?"

Buffy nodded as she pulled away and tried to regain her composure. "She will. No matter what she feels towards me, she knows that I'm only trying to protect her."

"Protect her from what? Who's Glory?"

Buffy hesitated before answering. "Someone who'd been bugging Dawn."

"Why don't you call the police if it's that bad?"

She stood up and began cleaning up the living room, all the while avoiding his eyes. "The police can't do anything. It's better if we go away for a while."

"You're a Helmsley, we don't run from our problems. Give me some time and I can get this looked after."

"NO." Buffy all but shouted, looking panicked. "We've tried everything. I can't do anything more. Please, you said on the phone we can travel with you. If it's too much why didn't you just say so."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "it's not a problem but I'm guessing you or your sister have never watched the WWE before."

Buffy shook her head. "Xander has. He's one of my best friends." She explained off of his look.

"And I'm guessing he doesn't know about me."

"No one does yet." She replied, looking down. "I have to tell them I'm leaving though. I was on my way to tell them but then I had to come check on Dawn."

"What was she doing?" Hunter asked.

Buffy let out a low laugh. "you wouldn't believe me if I told you. Look I have to go tell them and it's easier without Dawn. I'm leaving you two here and I'm trusting you to look after her and make sure nothing happens to her. If someone knocks on the door, don't answer."

Grabbing her jacket, she left before he could say anything. Buffy trusted him. She couldn't say why. But she trusted him more than the man she thought was her father for the first 16 years of her life. Not enough to tell him the whole truth but enough to have him stay at home with her sister. She had something harder to do. But if she got away from here and kept moving, perhaps Glory would never catch up and she could keep Dawn away from her and safe because she was not losing her sister too. She wouldn't be able to handle that.

Entering the Magic box, her friends looked up, surprised to see she was alone.

"Is Dawn okay?" Tara asked.

"She's fine." Buffy replied.

"Is everything okay Buffy?" Giles asked, looking closely at her.

Buffy nodded refusing to meet anyone's gaze. "I just came by to tell you that with everything going on, it's better if we leave for a while."

"When do we leave?" Xander asked.

"We can't just leave the hellmouth un-supervised." Giles said.

"It won't be. When I said we, I meant Dawn, and me. You guys will stay here."

"Where will you go?" Willow asked.

"I-I can't tell you, but I have it all worked out. Spike will help and with Glory keeping most of the beasties scared you guys will be okay. And this way she can't get it out of you."

"I don't believe this is wise." Giles said with a frown.

"What do you want me to do?" Buffy asked, tears forming in her eyes. "I can't fight her Giles, I can't right now. I don't have the strength and I need to keep Dawn safe, I can't lose her too. Please understand."

A crash was heard in the back and Buffy quickly stepped forward into a fighting stance, her friends behind her.

"If it's Glory, Willow, I need you and Tara to go to my place and tell Hunter I sent you and keep them safe."

Willow nodded, not questioning who this Hunter person was as she stood gathering her magic.

"What kind of grungy, disgusting place is this?" She heard a voice yell as the door was kicked off its hinges.

"Willow, go." Buffy cried launching herself at the hell goddess.

… … …

Hunter stood up, looking around at the various pictures of Buffy with Joyce and Dawn. He was unsure of what to do with himself. Should he go and try to talk to Dawn or just let her be? He was new at this parenting thing and now he had a teenager and a young adult to look after.

Turning back to the couch he looked out the window in time to see someone darting across the lawn. Taking a closer look he saw that it was Dawn.

"Shit." He swore, running for the door. He was out the front and took off in the direction that she ran off to. He caught up with her just a few minutes later on the outskirts of downtown Sunnydale. He grabbed her arm, spinning her to face him.

"Let me go." She screeched, swinging her arm around. He easily caught it and he held her arms at her side.

"Listen here tall, muscular and freaky, you have no right to touch me."

He raised an amused eyebrow. "I do when your sister left me in charge of you."

"Where's Buffy?"

"Talking to your friends"

"So what, she's already forgotten about me? Was she even going to say good bye to me?"

"You have a big attitude problem."

She shrugged "And you have a big nose, what's your point?"

He smirked. "And you have a big mouth."

She opened her mouth to say more but he covered it. "Where were you going?"

She glared at him until he removed his hand "To see Spike"

"Your boyfriend?"

Dawn let out a snort, "not likely, he's got it bad for my sister."

Anger erupted through him. "Where is this Spike, I'm gonna kill him."

Another snort from Dawn. "Yeah good luck with that one. What, do you also have the hots for my sister?"

Hunter looked at her with disgust. "Not very likely. " His disgust turned to a smirk. "Saying I have the hots for Buffy would be like saying I have the hots for my daughter."

Dawn turned her large blue eyes on him as they began to walk "How do you know my sister so well and I have never heard of you."

"I knew your mom a long time ago. Back around the time Buffy was born. We've had some contact, and I just so happened to meet Buffy when she ran away to LA a few years ago."

"Did she tell you why?" She slyly asked, looking sideways at him.

"Family problems, and she told me her boyfriend died and a few friends had died in a horrible accident." He replied with a shrug.

Dawn nodded. "Come on let's go to the Magic Box."

"Your sister wanted you to stay at home."

Dawn shrugged. "Whatever, she's at the Magic Box, I'll be safe."

"So why the freak out with this Glory Chick?" He asked, falling into step beside the teenager. "She butch or something?"

"Well she's really, really strong." Dawn cautiously replied. "Look there's Willow and Tara."

She waved at the two witches as they came running up.

"Dawnie what are you doing out?" Willow breathlessly asked. "Come on, we have to hide."

"What's going on?" Hunter asked.

Willow eyed him. "Hunter?"

He nodded.

"Come on. Glory showed up. Buffy wants me to keep you safe."

"Wait." Hunter said holding up his hands. "So Buffy says she can't keep Dawn safe but you two can? You look no different than her."

"I know." Willow replied. "Buffy is stronger but she's dealing with Glory. We need to get Dawn to safety."

Hunter shrugged, pulling out a cell phone. "Call the cops."

"Or not." Tara replied, surprising everyone, even herself by grabbing the phone from him. "S-sorry." She blushed handing it back to him. "B-but Glory can't be stopped."

"What is it about her?"

The two witches looked to Dawn who shrugged. "He knows nothing."

"Why doesn't someone tell me?" He growled impatiently.

"If we told you then we'd have to kill you" Dawn replied with a straight face.

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Smartass." He muttered.

"Dawnie we have to get back to your place, just in case."

"Buffy's okay isn't she Willow?" Dawn asked her voice now taking on an edge of panic.

"She's fine but we have to get you somewhere safe."

"You can't leave Buffy alone with that bitch." Hunter said.

"She's not alone. Please we need to go."

Turning they all rushed back to the Summers house. Upon getting there, Willow and Tara locked the doors and windows, holding hands as they began to chant.

Hunter looked at them as though they had lost their minds.

"Come on." Dawn said grabbing his arm and pulling him into the living room. "They're just umm… praying. They don't like to be bugged while they do that."

Sitting down on the couch she pulled him with her as she grabbed the remote and turned the TV on, switching the channels until they came to a stop on a cartoon. They watched in silence for a few minutes until Dawn turned to him.

"So what do you do?"

Hunter smirked. "I work for the WWE."

She stared blankly at him and he sighed. "I'm a wrestler, in the WWE, I'm on TV."

"So you're like a celebrity?"

"Yup."

"That is way cool." She replied her eyes lighting up. "So where are you taking me?"

"I'm taking you both on the road with me."

"Buffy's coming?"

Hunter smirked. "Yes and you would've known that too if you didn't run off in a big huff."

Dawn glared at him and crossed her arms, sinking back into the couch. "What was I supposed to do, you don't know Buffy like I do. She'd be all too happy to just shove me off on the next available person."

He let out a snort.

"What?" Dawn asked.

"Nothing."

She poked him. "No tell me what."

"If your sister didn't care and was willing to shove you off on someone, I doubt she would've gone to the trouble to call me and she wouldn't be coming either."

"She's just scared that Glory will kick her ass." Dawn adamantly replied, sticking out her lower lip.

He didn't say anything and they watched the cartoon in silence, even when the other two women joined them, sitting together on the chair as they furiously whispered to one another.

It wasn't until after 2 more cartoons did they hear pounding on the door. Before Willow could stop either of them, Dawn was looking out the window and Hunter was charging for the door.

"Stop." Willow cried.

Neither listened and Hunter felt something, like a gentle breeze swish by him and he swore he saw he door light up for a brief moment before it returned to normal and he swung it open.

"Buffy." Dawn shrieked, pushing her way in front of him.

The petite blonde stumbled forward and Hunter reached out a hand to steady her.

"What the hell happened to you?" He growled looking her over.

"Glory." She gasped out, a thin trail of blood trailing out of her mouth as she doubled over.

"Shit, we gotta get you to the hospital."

"No, no hospitals." She gasped. "Just need to rest."

Gently he picked her up and brought her into the living room, laying her on the couch.

"Buffy you need help." He told her.

"Don't bother, she won't go." Willow told him, hovering behind them. "Buffy is Glory…"

"Still out there, we have to leave soon."

"When you're better." Hunter told her, looking her over for broken bones.

"I'll be fine soon, we have to go. Dawnie please just grab your stuff."

The teenager didn't argue, instead hurrying from the room and up the stairs.

"Willow, Tara, can you make sure she has everything and grab my bag please?"

The two witches nodded knowing Buffy was just looking for an excuse but following Dawn nevertheless.

"Hunter." Buffy began. "Look I know this looks bad but Glory and I have gone through worse, that's why I'm getting out of here. We've tried different ways to stop her but she can't be stopped. She knows too many people. But it's not as bad as it looks trust me."

Hunter sighed. "I don't trust a lot of people Buff, I can't in my line of work."

She frowned, "This isn't work H, this is real life. I need someone I can rely on. I thought you could help."

Another sigh from the ten time world champion. " I can, but being on the road ain't gonna be easy."

"It's gotta be easier than here."

He gave a low chuckle. "You really haven't seen me on TV before have you? We need a cover story, especially if you don't want your sister finding out plus I don't want you two being targeted by guys at work."

"Them I can handle." Buffy muttered, moving to sit up. "Just tell everyone mom was your sister and we're your nieces."

He grew quiet knowing it was a believable explanation since very few knew about his private life but he still worried about what could happen if someone tried to use the girls against him. He has spent so little time with Buffy but she was part of him and he wouldn't let anyone hurt her and that in turn extended to Dawn. It was the least he could do.

"Fine. We'll play it your way but backstage you two will listen to me. You only talk to who I say you can talk to, and you stay away from who I tell you to."

He watched as a brief glint of stubbornness lit up her eyes. One that he was used to seeing in his own, but instead of arguing she nodded.

"Let's go." She said, standing up.

"What about you?" He asked eying her warily.

"I said I've been through worse. I heal fast so I'll feel fine soon."

He nodded not pushing it. He was the exact same way. It was not hard to see where she got her stubbornness from.

… … …