Post-Chosen
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy but I do own Zachary and Lily!
"Oh Dawn" Tara's hands shot up to cover her mouth as it stretched into an O shape, "who was he?"
"He knew of Buffy." Dawn said simply, whimpering as she ran her finger over the scabs on her neck, "he didn't kill me, and I feel funny."
"Has he turned you?" Tara said bluntly, still shocked about what she'd just heard coming from the 23 year old.
"I… I… I…" Dawn said, "I think so." She collapsed into a fit of tears, not being able to keep them back now.
"Dawnie? Aunty Dawnie?" Zach came waddling into the room they were in, upset about his favourite Aunty's pain.
"Z" Dawn said, backing away from him, she was scared that now Tara knew, she wouldn't let her near her.
"Go and give Aunty Dawn a huggle, Zach." Tara said, passing Zack to Dawn, "it might make her feel better." Tara had not gone crazy, she knew Dawn would never hurt Zach, souless or otherwise.
"Are you sure?" Dawn said, looking at Tara.
"Sure," Tara said, but looking at Dawn's eyes, they seemed to turn red, just for a second, before changing back to their regular colour, "just… be careful"
Terrified to leave Zach with Dawn after the whole eye incident, she took Zach and decided to talk to Willow.
"I'm scared" Zach said when Tara and him left Dawn's room.
"Why baby?" Tara asked, holding her son's hand while he tried to explain why he was so upset.
"Aunty Dawnie's different." Zach was always a very switched on child, nothing could get past him. Tara took him downstairs so Buffy could watch him while she chatted to Will.
"I think she's just tired." Tara said, hating more than anything to lie to her children, "she'll be ok soon."
"Is you and Mommy gonna fix her?" Zach said, looking up at his Mama.
"Yeah, don't you worry, Aunty Buffy will look after you, yeah? And Uncle Spiky?"
"Yeah. Mama?" Zachary asked then he wiggled his hand to tell her to bend down so he could whisper something in her ear, "I think Aunty Dawnie and Uncle Spiky are the same."
Normally, this would have made no sense at all to the blonde, but she knew exactly what her son was talking about.