a/n forgive me. i got distracted by my other story (This is Reality) and than i didnt have internet and i just got internet and my computer back a few days ago. again i beg forgiveness. so i'm not sure how this chapter went. the part about bobby i planned on having the whole time i just hope it doesnt feel to sudden right now. I knew it was going to happen and i hope it makes sense. i think the chapters are going to start to be longer now. so enjoy i guess :) read and review

Chapter 25

Bobby had always known he had been different. Even when he was really little he knew things about people. He knew his father was different. He knew that it wasn't a good different either. Finally when he was twelve, two years after his mother and him had left his father, his mother explained why. His father was a vengeance demon. He worked for the Itailian Mafia, helped the Don get revenge on those who wronged him. He was a half demon. His mother explained very carefully that didn't make him a bad person. He could use his abilities, as his mother called them to help people.

Standing in the middle of his kitchen Bobby cradled the phone in his left ear as he tried to maneuver the pan on the stove with his hands.

"Mom, I'm not going to talk to him. I have nothing to say." He said for what felt like the fiftieth time.

"Roberto, please he's your father. Now he's not a perfect man but he is your father." Helen Stewert-Moretti de Luca said.

"Mum, he's not even a man." Bobby replied.

"He says he needs your help."

"He was a bloody awful husband and not much better as a dad when he was around. Why do you feel like you have some loyalty to him?" Bobby asked.

"Bobby, just talk to him. I gave him your number. He said he might call you tonight. Maybe its time to mend the bridges."

"Mum, there has to be a bridge to mend." Bobby finished his conversation with his mother than swore as he hung up the phone. He hadn't seen his dad sense he was ten and his mother told his dad to pick his work or his family. The heartless bastard laughed and told his mom he'd send money. That was thirteen years ago.

His phone rang for a second time that night. He glanced at the number on the small bright screen. A number he didn't recognize lit up the small LDC screen.

"Hello," he answered.

"Hola mi hijo. Estoy en Espana." His father's voice spoke in Italian accented Spanish, "Es mas sefuro si hablamos en espanol." (Hello my son. I'm in Spain. Its safest if we speak Spanish.)

"Hola padre. Como estas? Tanto timepo no?" Bobby answered, easily switching languages. (Hello Father. How are you? Long time no?)

"Si mi hijo tanto timpo. Estoy bien. Tengo mucho trabajo ahora, estoy contento. Y tu? Como estas? Tengo que pedirte por tu ayudo. Es importante por tu gente." (Yes my song it been a long time. I'm good. I have a lot of work right now, I am content. And you? How are you? I have to ask you for your help. Its important for your people.

"No Father. I'm not going to help you, you're not my people." Bobby said switching to English refusing to play by his father's rules anymore.

"Espera Roberto. Tengo que irme por un lugar mas seguro. Espera." (Wait Roberto. I have to go to a safer place. Wait.)

For almost a minute Bobby listened to the sound of his father breathing quietly into the phone.

"Now Roberto," He said, "We are your people. I know you are becoming close to the Slayers daughter. We need information."

"No Father. You may be a vengeance demon. I'm not. I'm just a political science major who can feel things about people and I have a knack with languages. That's all. I'm not helping you. If anything I will help the slayer and her family."

"Than you will die with them. The demons are gathering. They feel that this is their chance. You will fall."

"No Dad, we won't. The First couldn't win and neither will Lokar."

"You are not my son no longer." His father spat into the phone.

"And you were never my Father." Bobby replied sadly before hanging up and going back to his dinner.

He quietly finished his dinner thinking about Dawn and the movie night he had done with her the other night. Dawn, himself, and her friends Connor, Anne, Shelly and Eric had watched old Disney movies together. Dawn had wanted to try watching something and for the first time decided to stick with old favorites. The boys made faces at each other and then settled down next to their respective girls. Or in Connor and Bobby's case the girls they wanted to be their girls. After a week of no contact she finally called him. As of right now they were just friends and until Bobby sorted some things out he would keep it that way. For now at least. During the movie he felt one of the girls, Shelly, stare at him. He tried to read her. He could tell that something was different about her. He felt that she knew what he was, or at least guessed, but she didn't ask so he didn't say anything. He knew sooner or later he would have to but he didn't want to until the last minute.

He didn't know how to tell Dawn about his parentage. Sense he was fifteen he kept one ear in the other world as he thought of it. The world where all the bumps in the night were real and not just bad dreams. He knew about what happened in America two years ago and he knew about the slayer school. Most demons in London did. In fact the demon population had a silent pact with the slayers. We don't hurt any humans, you don't kill us. Hell even a few of Bobby's friends were demons or half demons like himself. The talks in the bar he went to were more heated than ever. Many of the demons wanted to join Lokar. He was building an army, trying to get strong enough to attack the slayers. Wipe almost all of them out in one try, find the scythe and reverse the spell, create only one slayer again. The other half, mostly the peaceful demons, wanted to lie low, keep things the same. After all they weren't hurting anyone. They didn't need to fight and die. It was mixed opinions everywhere in the demon world.

In the school the tension that had sat over all of them, Angel Investigations and the Scoobies seemed to disappear overnight once Dawn started to cope with being blind and preparing for the ritual. The girls and guys switched rooms again and she started going to the school. She finally even called Bobby and had him come over a few times. He finally told her how he thought he might know her from campus before; they laughed and talked about their upcoming classes. If the ritual failed she'd have to learn to read brail but she thought she could still start school in September. After all she could always record the lectures and use those to study. She hoped the ritual would work but she had to prepare herself for if it didn't. She could live blind. She knew that now.

The Scoobies and Angel Investigations sat in a war council. They were joined by Shelly, Eric and Anne. The five younger members of the group sat together at one end of the large table in the cafeteria. All meetings were now held there as their group was too large to fit anywhere else.

"What's the news?" Buffy asked. Her pin map was placed on the table with different colored pins representing different demonic and vampire groups. Blue pins for peaceful demons, green for non-peaceful demons and red for vampire. Pins with black dots in them showed where the slayers had killed a demon or a vamp.

"Well obviously there's more demons gathering. Lokar has yet to be spotted but we're assuming he has chosen inner London for his main base by the influx of demons." Giles answered pointing at a large clump of green and red pins on the map.

"We can't attack it, we don't have nearly enough information and the risk is too high to the girls." Spike said with disgust, hating that they were sitting ducks, picking of stray demons and vamps on nightly patrols.

"The demons are split." Lorne added, "the already violent ones are itching for a fight, they think that this is their last chance to over throw the slayers. They know the First was defeated, Wolfram and Heart destroyed, they're going to make this their last stand. Some of the previously peaceful demons are becoming violent and other peaceful demons don't want to get involved at all. Those demons are moving here." Lorne pointed to a place higher on the map in north London.

Robin, Gunn and Xander reported on the physical training of the watchers, Spike, Faith, Angel and Buffy compared notes one the slayers progress. Cordy, Willow, Fred, Giles and Wesley reported on the schooling and research. Connor, Shelly, Eric, Anne and Dawn gave their opinions on what the slayers and watchers were thinking and feeling. They were holding up good but getting cabin fever.

Buffy stared at the map for a bit longer.

"There haven't been any major attacks on anyone yet. He's getting ready. His problem right now is the same as ours. He doesn't have enough demons yet to attack. He doesn't care about their lives. He just doesn't want us to have any chance on getting one up on him. He'll wait. The girls and guys need a break. Tomorrow they'll have a free night. We'll organize groups, stay away from where we know demons are gathering. We'll decide tomorrow."

Her plan was met with approval and the group broke apart to go their separate ways. As they rose from the long table and began to clean up Cordy began to float in the air. Her eyes clouded over and she began to spin slightly. After a moment she came down again, Angel catching her gently.

"Everyone better sit back down. I got news." She said.

After everyone seated again Cordila cleared her throat. "Dawn, its about you."

Dawn turned her head to the Seer's voice, "What is it?" she asked.

"It's about the spell Willow is going to do next week. I know what's going to happen."

"What?" Dawn asked, not sure if she wanted to know exactly.

"It's not going to restore your vision." Cordila started, Dawns face fell from hopeful, nervous anticipation to defeat. "It's going to do something else." Cordy continued, "you'll be able to sense movement and some color, the Powers are going to give you that. but the spell's main part will be you'll be able to see someone's true selves. You only have to touch or focus on a person to see their true nature. The Powers are giving you a choice. To accept this. I'm not sure exactly what it will be like. I just know what they told me. What I told you."

Dawn thought for a moment. This could be her way to help. She looked to where she knew Shelly and Anne were sitting. They both reached for her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"I'll do it. Is there anything we need to do?" She asked.

Cordial shook her head and then also said, "No, the Powers are going to use the ritual to channel their power. We just need to prepare like we already have."

The group sat in silence for a moment longer before leaving for their respective homes. In one week the ritual would take place.