A/N: Sorry it so long to upload this chapter. I'm taking a few courses, so my time is divided between those and writing these chapters. Do not worry, I'm still writing but it would take time between writing the chapters and uploading them to the site. In the meantime, enjoy. Cheers.

The Summers Home, at that same time.

Willow couldn't understand why Tara was angry at her. She really couldn't.

The both of them got out of the bus, and then got off at the entrance to the neighbourhood where Buffy's home was located.

Even as the two of them walked in silence up the sidewalk to the familiar walkway.

Even as the both of them walked into the Summers home after searching the Bronze and its surrounding area for Dawn. Even after all that, Willow didn't know why Tara, after the redhead closed the door, walked up the stairs without saying a word. Willow looked up at Tara walking away one step after another while thinking, 'all I wanted to do was make it easier to find Dawn,' the redhead thought to herself recalling the conversation where she wanted to shift all those at the Bronze who were not Dawn's age into another dimension.

But Tara was against it. She told Willow that she was using too much magic. Willow knew there were risks in using that spell, and she was willing to take those risks to find her best friend's sister who could very well be in danger. Willow didn't see why Tara was so angry, 'I told her that I just wanted to help find Dawn,' she thought to herself looking up the stairs as Tara turned towards the left, and then stopped.

Willow saw Tara glance at her with a sadness in her eyes before walking away towards their room. And it let Willow even more confused, 'I just want to help, Tara. Why can't you see that? Why can't you..?' Willow left that thought unfinished before turning towards the front door when she heard the sound of screeching tyres, and then the sound of a car door slamming shut. The redhead rushed to the door and then turned the knob before pulling the front door open, only to see Buffy- eyes red and puffy with and cheeks stained with tears- look at her while running up the steps from the drive-way to the porch.

Behind her, Willow saw Giles slamming the door shut just as Buffy released a sob and threw her arms around her neck. Willow returned Buffy's hug while she, with worried eyes when seeing that Dawn was not with them, watched the sad expression on Giles' face. And then she heard Buffy release a sob, the blonde's tears falling onto her shoulder.

"Buffy?" Willows whispered with worry in her voice while she placed her hand on the back of Buffy's head as she trembled while thinking to herself. 'What happened to Dawn? Why are you crying? Did… did… where is she?' As if reading her mind, Giles walked up the steps to the porch and said that a vampire bit Dawn. As Willow's eyes went wide in horror, and as Buffy sobbed loudly on her shoulder, the redhead listened as Giles motioned towards the house while saying that Dawn was turned into a vampire.

"Tara!" yelled Willow, her voice cracking as ears gathered in her eyes while Buffy held on to her. Buffy parted, and the two best friends stared into each other's eyes. The only thought going through Willow's mind, while hearing footsteps for the second floor running to e top of the stairs, was that Buffy never looked as defeated as she did at that very moment.

"Willow?" Tara whispered as she stopped at the middle of the stairs. She was angry at the redhead, so angry that the love of her life was willing to put people at risk that she stewed in the room she shared. At least that's what she wanted to do, she wanted to push back her anger into her very being.. she wanted to calmly explain to Willow that there were dangers in pushing people into another dimension- that yes, it would be easier to find Dawn in a crowd, but the risk remained that not everyone could be returned. But her anger melted away when Tara heard the anguish in Willow's voice.

She ran out of the room, and was hit by sorrow emanating from Buffy, Willow, and Giles as he closed the door behind him. Tara was rushing down the stairs when she stopped at the middle, the emotions were overwhelming as she stared at the anguish in Willow's eyes. She brought her hand to her chest upon realizing that Dawn wasn't with them, and then Tara glanced at the upset Giles.

"Wh.. where's Dawn?" Tara asked as she griped the banister along the stairs, her trembling hand holding on for dear life while she took the last few steps down to the foyer, "Bu… buffy? Giles? Where's Dawn?"

"A vampire bit her, Tara," Giles whispered while tears welled in his eyes, at the same time Buffy parted from Willow and then hugged Tara tightly. Tara wrapped her arms around Buffy while staring at Willow, both women having tears well up in their eyes looking at each other while Giles continued, "she… she was turned. She… she attacked Buffy and then ran away."

"Spike.. Spike… Spike…" Buffy tried to breathe through her sobs as her head lay on Tara's shoulder, 'he.. he's… he's gone.. gone after her."

"He.. he'll find her," whispered Tara in shock as she stared at Willow; their disagreement about the use of Willow's magic pushed to the back of her mind.

"Willow, I.. need you and Tara to go over to the Magic Box, get whatever ingredients you need for the re-ensoulment ritual," Giles said to the only person in modern times to ever re-ensoul a vampire, "I… I should have one last Orb of Thesula in the back office." And before Willow could answer, it was Tara who spoke.

"We'll go right now." Willow stared at her lover in confused silence, but didn't argue as Buffy stepped back from Tara. The blonde witch kissed Buffy's forehead while Giles handed the keys to his car to Willow. The two witches, a few seconds later, rushed out of the front door and to Giles' car.

"Giles?" Buffy whispered as she turned back to look at her former watcher, "what.. what if…? What if Spike couldn't stop her, or… or what if she kills someone before we can help her? Or…"

"Buffy," Giles said just as Buffy opened her tears eyes wide and brought her hands over her mouth in shock. Giles asked what was wrong, and then immediately regretted asking that question as tears ran down her cheeks.

"What if I… what if I have to… to… Giles, what do I do if I have to kill her?" Buffy shook her head and Giles reached out and pulled her in for a hug.

"We'll save her, Buffy," he whispered while staring at the picture of Buffy, Joyce, and Dawn on the mantle behind Buffy. It was happier times, times that he wished would return, "we'll save her."

The Summers House, forty-five minutes later.

Dawn could hear them from the end of the walkway where it meets the side-walk. She was standing with Spike, holding his arm tight in fear at what her sister and the others would say, or do to her when she finds out that she killed her best friend. She could hear Spike's whispers that everything was going to be alright and that he wouldn't let anyone harm her- no, Dawn's thoughts were with Janice's buried body near the babbling brook in the park. It was Spike who buried the body, Spike who told Dawn to turn away as he dug the shallow grave and then buried the body, and Spike who gently told her that she was a unique vampire- that she was unlike any other Vampire he had met before.

Her fingers squeezed into Spike's arm. The both of them looked into each other's eyes before Spike nodded his head and whispered, "I'm right next to you, lil'bit."

"What about Janice's mom?" she asked with a guilt-ridden voice.

"Giles will be able to do something," Spike said softly before reiterating that it was not just Giles who would be helping them cover up what happened, "WE – as in all of us - will come up with something."

Dawn stared at Spike, the blood that stained her lips after drinking Janice's blood gone after she washed her face in the brook, and then nodded her head. Turning her head back to the house, Dawn squeezed Spike's arm once again and whispered, "I.. I think I'm ready." Spike nodded his head and the two of them slowly walked up the walkway from the sidewalk. Dawn simply stared at the door while she walked with trembling legs and wondered what would Buffy's reaction be; would she be suspicious of her~ Would she kill her? Would she say that she never wanted to see her sister again? 'Or would she tell me that I'm supposed to be chained up in the basement until she decides what she wants to do with me.' It was the last one that terrified Dawn.

'If she chains me, then I have to see the look of horror on her face when she sees me everyday and… and that's going to break my heart knowing that I disappointed her.' Dawn thought to herself before she suddenly stopped and turned her head towards the surprised Spike, "Spike, I… I don't think I can."

"Lil…"

"Take me away?" Dawn asked, her bottom lip trembling, "I…. I'm scared of what Buffy would say and… and… Spike? Just take me away." Dawn didn't want to say that she was afraid Buffy would kill her… she was afraid to say it in case it came true.

"Dawn," Spike whispered shaking his head. He frowned at the look of terror on Dawn's face before placing a hand gently on her shoulder and saying, "I'll protect you if anyone in there tries to hurt you. But I know they won't, lil'bit." Spike tried to reassure the young woman but she could see that she was afraid. However, he also knew that Buffy deserved to know that her sister was no like other vampires, and the only way was for the Slayer and the rest of the Scoobies to see Dawn with their own eyes. Spike could tell that Dawn was unique- that there was something very wrong with her. `She's not like any other vampire I've ever met,' he thought to himself while feeling Dawn's body tremble in fear, 'she's a vampire and she's still so afraid. If I were her, I'd want to continue feeding until I was full. But then, I'd still feed.. I'd feed until thousands, hundred of thousands… until so many people died.'

Spike then pushed those memories to one side while he looked into Dawn's eyes, "are you hungry?"

"Spike," Dawn shook her head while tears welled up, "how can you ask something like that when…."

"Ae you hungry?" Spike asked.

"I…"

"Dawn, are you hungry?" he repeated with a serious voice.

"A… a little bit but…"

"Vampires that are hungry want to feed," Spike said, "they can't stop. So why aren't you out there killing?"

"Because you're here?" Dawn said "because Buffy may kill me? Because…"

"You stopped feeding on Janice after you told me that ringing in your ears, that red colour over your vision, went away," Spike said while Dawn looked away in shame, "and you're disgusted with yourself when you think about what you did."

"What are you trying to say?" Dawn uttered shaking her head.

"You're unique, Dawn," Spike said, "I told you this before… you are unique."

"I still killed," Dawn whispered.

"And you still feel," Spike gently said looking into her eyes.

"I…." Dawn shook her head.

"Buffy loves you," Spike said.

"Does she love you?" Dawn asked. It was a question that surprised Spike. "You're a vampire too, does she love you?" Before Spike could speak, Dawn stepped forwards and said, "the only reason she loved Angel was because he had a soul." Dawn stared at Spike, "and.. and whatever I am? She won't love me.. I don't have a soul. I… Look, she won't love me because I don't have a soul, just like you don't…."

"Dawn," Spike gently shook the girl by the shoulders, "why do you think I brought you back here? So that Willow and Tara can restore your soul. I swear that Buffy won't hurt you, I swear that Giles won't hurt you, I swear that no one in there will chain you. But if they hurt you, then I'll take you away. And that's a bit if."

"You promise?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah," came the reply as Spike held her hand. The both of them then turned and walked towards the stairs leading to the porch. And Spike then knocked on the door.

Upon hearing the knock on the front door, Buffy who was watching Willow and Tara set up the items for the ritual on the dining room table, stiffened. On the left side of the dining room stood Anya with a notepad in her hands as she watched the items placed on the table while writing out the names of the items and how much they cost, "oh, you're still paying for restoring Dawn's soul," was the explanation several minutes earlier.

Hearing the knock, Anya stopped writing while Willow and Tara stood frozen before turning to Buffy. They weren't expecting anyone to come to the house. In fact, Buffy was waiting to hear from Spike- he was supposed to have captured the feral Dawn before taking her to another location where she couldn't hurt anyone. And Spike contacted them, Buffy and the others were going to set up the soul restoration ritual at the location where Dawn was being held. It was just then that Xander rushed into the living room from the kitchen, and was soon followed by Giles who upon hearing the knock, grabbed two stakes from the cabinet under the kitchen sink and threw one to Buffy.

Buffy whispered at them to stay where they were before she made her way to the door before saying, "who is it?"

"It's me." Buffy stared confused at the door before she proceeded to open it inwards towards the foyer. As she did, Buffy's eyes went wide open before she grasped the stake in her hand tightly.

"Spike? What… what are you doing? Why is Dawn here and… and you know that the arrangement was…"

Buffy stared at Dawn, who looked terrified as she skulked behind Spike who moved to stand between her and Buffy.

"You need to listen, Slayer," Spike said as Dawn held onto his shoulders from behind and stared at Buffy, and then at the stake in her hand, and then at Buffy once again. And if she had a heartbeat, it would be racing right now while she listened to Spike, "listen to me. Does Dawn look any different to you? Does she…."

"Spike," Giles rushed to Buffy's side, "why.. why are you…"

"Dawnie," Willow, Tara, Xander, and the Anya rushed to the door. Dawn saw them all standing behind Buffy… she saw their expressions while Xander told Spike that the plan was for him to contact them once Dawn was secure.

"We have the stuff for the ritual and…"

"We don't need it," Whispered a stunned Tara. Everyone, including Spike and Dawn, stared at her with surprise. The blonde witch walked past Xander, Anya, and then Buffy while Willow called out for her and asked what she was doing.

"Tara," Buffy grabbed her hand. The Slayer stared at Tara, and then at he frightened expression on Dawn's face. The look of fear broke Buffy's heart, but she told herself mentally that this wasn't Dawn. That a demon had taken over Dawn's body and that it was pretending to be her sister. She told herself that she and the others would have to subdue the vampiric Dawn; and the sooner she did it, the better.

She wanted to have her sister back, and the ensoulment ritual was the only option left. So the look that Tara gave was a simple smile.

"Trust me?" Tara asked Buffy.

"Tara, she's a demon," Buffy said, her heart breaking as tears gathered in her eyes while her sights turned to the frightened Dawn, and then back to Tara.

"Tara, Dawn is dangerous, she needs…."

"She won't harm me, she won't harm us," Tara whispered looking at Dawn who slowly moved away from Spike, "I can see." Tara turned back to Buffy and smiled before looking at Willow and saying, "we don't need the ritual." Willow narrowed her eyebrows at her girlfriend in confusion before turning her head to look at a surprised Anya, and then to an equally confused Xander.

"What are you saying?" Spike asked looking at Tara, and then at a confused Dawn.

"Trust me, Buffy," Tara said while looking down at the Slayer's hand grasping her arm, "I'm going to be alright."

Tara looked up at Buffy who then nodded her head. Tara then turned to look at Dawn while Buffy stepped out into the porch alongside Tara, at the same time signalling the others to stay inside where it was safe. Buffy then looked over her shoulder at Willow and mouthed, "I'll make sure she is safe." Buffy then turned to see Tara place her hands on Dawn's cheeks with a grin on her face,

"Tara?" Dawn whispered.

"I can feel it, Dawnie," Tara said, "I can feel your soul."

"Tara?" Buffy asked with her eyes opened in surprise. She then turned to Spike who was just as surprised as her before turning to the tearful Dawn, and then to the other Scoobies behind her. Buffy turned back to look at Tara who was focused on Dawn.

"I.. I can see your aura," Tara whispered, "the.. the dead have no aura but… but you have an Aura. An aura of light mixed with a deep blackness and… and…"

"And?" Dawn whispered through tears that blurred her sight as she stared at Tara. She couldn't believe what Tara was saying, the blonde witch could see her soul. Dawn knew that Tara wouldn't lie to her.. not about something like this, "Tara?"

"I… I see," Tara's eyed stared at the ever shifted red, white, and blue light that made up Dawn's aura, she saw a dark cloud that shifted between the colours of her living aura as well, along with a crackling green energy. "The Key. The… the energy of the Key. It…"

"What are you saying?" Buffy asked in a whisper.

"Dawn has a soul," Tara said before gently pulling the new Vampire in for a tight hug while the others stared in surprise. "I.. I still don't know how but she has a soul."

TBC.