Chapter 44: Desperate Housewitches Part 2

Buffy sighed. She had wanted to go with Paige to Sunnydale so they could have Willow check on Sylvia. But Paige said she would go to Willow while Buffy would do something more straight forward.

Buffy walked up to the counter and she reached for the cup of coffee on the counter top, that read Sylvia. At the same time Sylvia reached for it as well.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Buffy. "Is that yours?"

"Is your name Sylvia, too?" Sylvia asked.

"Actually, it is," said Buffy and then she pretended to recognize Sylvia. "Wait I think I know you. My cousin works at the Bay Mirror. I was with her at a building party. I think her friend Dex might have introduced me by way of Julie to you."

"It's possible. You know, I'm sorry. I don't remember meeting you," said Sylvia.

"I'm Buffy, Buffy Summers," said Buffy. "So, how are you?"

"I'm fine," said Buffy. "What about you?"

"Um ... fine," said Sylvia. "Great. Thanks."

"So how is Dex?" Buffy asked.

"Um, Dex is ... good, I guess. Yeah, he just, uh - he just had a show last week," said Sylvia. "It went really well. He's got some good stuff."

"That's good to hear," said Buffy. "Forgive me for being nosy. I seem to remember that Dex introduced you as his girlfriend. But I just wondered if you two were still going out. You looked like an awesome couple."

"No," Sylvia said. "No, not anymore."

"So, you weren't here, yesterday with Dex?" asked Buffy. "Sorry to pry, I happened to be on a date myself and couldn't help noticing you and Dex."

"That was nothing," explained Sylvia. "We were just saying hello. We broke up months ago."

"Sorry to hear that," said Buffy.

"Hey, it was fun while it lasted," said Sylvia. "You know, it still is fun once in a while, actually. If you, you know, include the break-up sex."

Buffy nodded as she heard Piper call for her. "Look it was nice seeing you again. I gotta run." She hurried away down the street and around a corner into an alley and orbed out.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

At preschool Mandi walked into the main room carrying a tray of cupcakes. She put the tray down on a table. She looked at children on the stage and saw Wyatt was dressed as a pumpkin while the other children were dressed as mice.

"What do you mean he's not a pumpkin?" Piper asked.

"Oh. I can't imagine how it slipped my mind," said Mandi. "We decided mice costumes would be more comfortable."

"Oh, but Wyatt's really excited about being a pumpkin," said Piper as she and Mandi looked at Wyatt.

Wyatt suddenly smiled. "Sissy," he said as Buffy walked into the preschool.

"Hey little bro," said Buffy as she walked over to Wyatt. She looked over at Jenny as she picked up Wyatt. "Hey Jenny."

"Buffy," said Piper. "Mandi, this is Wyatt's half-sister, Buffy. She becomes Wyatt's guardian when she turns eighteen in a few months. Buffy this is ,Mandi, Wyatt's room mother."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," said Buffy. "So, what's going on?"

"Seems there has been a change in costumes," said Piper.

"Oh no," said Buffy. "Wyatt was so happy to be the pumpkin. What's wrong with him wearing the pumpkin costume? I think he looks good in it."

"But this isn't about you now ... is it?" said Stacy one of the other mothers.

"Excuse me?" said Buffy.

"Ladies. We all want the children to be happy, don't we?" said Mandi. "Especially Wyatt. He's been through so much lately."

"Losing his mother and all..." agreed Marcy.

"He still has me," said Buffy with a growl.

"And you and Jenny are doing the very best job you both can ... considering," said Mandi.

"Considering what?" asked Piper.

"How new you both are at this," said Mandi.

Buffy sighed. Mandi had a point there. She had only known Wyatt for less than a year.

"And how overworked you must be, Jenny," added Mandi. "After all Buffy here is still in school, right? She can't take care of two children and attend school at the same time. That's why Piper put it into her will that Buffy can't be their guardian till after she turns eighteen."

"She's right," agreed Stacy. "You do look exhausted."

Piper glanced at Buffy. "I'm fine ... and Wyatt's fine. We're all fine. Now ... if you'll just excuse us."

"Sweetie, if you're worried about the mouse costume, I can whip one up for Wyatt in a jiffy," said Mandi.

"No thank you," said Buffy as Piper's cellphone began ringing. "We will do it ourselves."

"Really, it's no problem. Jenny has done quite enough already," said Mandi.

"I said no," said Buffy as Piper took a step away from them to answer her phone.

"Right. Leo ... please tell me there's a demon somewhere because I really need to blow something up," said Piper.

"Sorry. Everything's fine, except Billie wants to go to magic school."

"What?" said Piper. "No."

"That's what Dawn told her, too."

Piper turned and saw Mandi trying to cozy up to Wyatt who was still in Buffy's arms.

"Back away from us," said Buffy.

"Ooh! That woman is out to get me," said Piper.

"Look, Piper, I think she's defiant, but I think her intentions are good."

"Well, she may seem nice and sweet, but there's something deeply tweaked beneath the surface," said Piper.

"Come on, Piper, I don't think Billie –"

"No, not Billie," said Piper. "Mandi ... the Miss Too Good to be True I've been griping about. Not only is she getting more cloyingly perfect with every moment, but now she is actually out to get me."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I would so like to let Buffy loose on her. She is trying to cozy up to Wyatt while Buffy has him in her arms," said Piper.

"Piper, Buffy can't use her powers for that. She's not a demon."

"No, she's worse than a demon. She's a room mom!" said Piper.

"It's time to come home now, honey, okay?"

Piper sighed as she ended the call.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

At the Manor Leo walked into the attic where Billie and Dawn were waiting for him. He had asked Dawn to keep an eye on Billie.

"Hey!" said Billie excitedly. "All right. What'd she say? We're going to magic school or what?"

"Knowing Piper, she said no," said Dawn.

"Dawn's right," Leo said. "It's too dangerous."

"Come on," said Billie. "Do you both always listen to what she says? Dawn here lives and breathes danger. And You guys used to live and breathe danger."

"Dawn helps Buffy in Sunnydale, so that my daughter and her sister does not die a second time," said Leo. "As far as Piper, Phoebe, Paige and myself we're retired."

"Exactly," said Billie. "You're off being Ozzie and Harriet. It's my job to pick up the slack around San Francisco. I need to learn quick. And Magic School has books, an apothecary, and really bitchen weapons."

"Which you can read about in the textbooks," said Leo.

"I'm done reading," said Billie as she grabbed a potions bottle. "I'm going to magic school."

"How?" Leo and Dawn asked.

"I'm a quick study," said Billie as she dropped the potion bottle and it burst at their feet sending up a large cloud of white smoke that engulfs the three of them.

When the cloud dissipated, they stood in the hallway leading to the Great Hall in Magic School.

"Wow!" said Dawn surprised that Billie's potion worked.

"You did it," said Leo just as surprised as Dawn.

"I did? How cool," said Billie as she looked up at the weaponry hanging on the walls.

"Leo," Dawn said. "Something isn't right."

They turn and saw demons moving in the Great Hall.

"Who are they? Are they students?" Billie asked.

Dawn and Leo grab Billie and pulled her to the side and out of view of the Great Hall.

"No, they're demons," answered Leo.

"How did they get into Magic School?" Dawn asked. "It's supposed to be warded against them."

"I don't know, Dawn," said Leo. "Okay. This is bad. This is really bad."

"He's kinda cute, though," said Billie looking at one of the demons.

Leo and Dawn pull Billie aside. "No, they're not cute, okay?" Leo said firmly. "They're demons. Do you understand what that means, huh? Hurt, maim, kill."

"A lotta monosyllables. Got it," said Billie.

"No, you don't," said Dawn.

"Dawn's right," agreed Leo. "If they've taken over, it means they have access to everything, spells, maps, weapons.

"You know what? These might come in handy," said Billie as she pointed at the weaponry hanging on the wall.

"Look, with everything here, they can wipe us all out, okay?" said Leo. "Whitelighters, elders, gnomes."

"Witches?" Billie asked.

"Everything," Dawn said.

"Okay, fine. What do we do?" Billie asked seriously.

"We gotta get out of here, fast," Leo said.

"All right. Let's go. All right," said Billie.

"All right," said Leo. "So, you brought the extra potion, right?"

"No."

"You have got to be kidding," said Dawn. "And I assume it might not be a good idea to call for Buffy or Paige?"

"No," said Leo. "With them here they might be able to sense when someone orbs in just as we could tell when evil tried to break in when good controlled magic school."

"So, what do you suggest, Leo?" asked Dawn.

"There is a spell in one of these books, if we can find it," said Leo. "Here's what we're gonna do –"

At that moment three demons turned the corner.

"Okay. Don't move. Don't say a word." Leo said.

Dawn and Billie shared a look of understanding. They both had the same power after all. They looked toward the weapons and two nunchakus fly off the wall and hit the three demons in the face, knocking them out.

"Nice," said Leo.

"Well I had the best teacher," said Dawn.

Billie walked over to the demons out cold on the floor. "Will you guys give me a hand?"

"What are you doing?" asked Leo.

"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em," said Billie as she grabbed a demon's feet and began dragging him into the next room.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Piper and Buffy orbed into the foyer of the Manor. Against Buffy's objection they had left Wyatt at preschool to check on what was going on with Leo, Billie and Dawn.

"Leo?" Piper called out.

"Dad?" Buffy said.

"Can you sense your dad or Dawn?" Piper asked.

Buffy closed her eyes. "Something is blocking me," she said with a shake of her head. "Which means Wyatt has been a bad boy again. Or…"

"Or they're not here," said Piper.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

At Magic School Dawn, Billie and Leo changed into the demon's outfits.

"Would you just leave it alone?" Billie said as Leo fiddled with the buttons. "It looks hot."

"Really? Thanks ... I think," said Leo.

A demon carrying a stack of books exited the Great Hall. He accidentally knocked into Billie.

"Hey! Watch it, buddy!" said Billie as the demon looked at her briefly before continuing on his way.

"Are you trying to get us killed?" whispered Dawn as they head toward the Great Hall.

"Well, we're supposed to be evil, not wimps," explained Billie.

"Let's just find the spell, ok?" said Leo as they entered the Great Hall. "Everything's out of order."

Billie noticed a demon alone and looking through a book. "What is?" she asked distractedly.

"The books," said Leo. "Nothing's where it's supposed to be."

"What do you think they're doing, Leo?" asked Dawn as she looked at the demon that Billie was watching.

"I don't know, but I don't want to hang around – " said Leo.

Just then, Mandi shimmered into the Hall with Wyatt. Leo and Dawn looked at each other shocked to see Wyatt with Mandi.

"Wyatt," said Billie.

"Welcome home, sweetie-pie," said Mandi. "You want to play with your toys?"

"Yeah," said Wyatt.

"Come over here ..." Mandi said as she led Wyatt over to a corner of the Great Hall where they've set up some toys for Wyatt to play with.

"Isn't that Mandi?" Dawn whispered.

"Yes," Leo whispered. "I should've let Piper let Buffy loose on her."

"You mean you both know her?" asked Billie.

"Yeah, she's Wyatt's room-mom, or so she said she was," said Leo. "What does she want with him?" He started to move toward Wyatt.

"Leo, what are you doing?" Dawn asked.

"I'm going to save my son," Leo answered.

"Are you insane?" Billie asked. "Look around, you're gonna get us killed."

"Billie's right, Leo," said Dawn. "No potions and only powers Billie or I have is telekinesis. We can't fight them all and win. We have to go get help."

Leo sighed he knew they were right.

"Feels good to be back at Magic School, doesn't it?" said Mandi. "It's where you belong."

Dawn and Leo turned and started searching earnestly for that spell to get them all out of there. Billie, however, watched Mandi as she got up and walked over to the demon with the book.

"Is everything ready?" asked Mandi.

"Yes," he said. "Although are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"The boy trusts me, otherwise he would have orbed me –" said Mandi.

"I wasn't talking about the boy. I was talking about The Source."

"Dawn, Billie," Leo whispered holding a book. "Found it."

"Who's the Source?" asked Billie.

While Dawn didn't know the Halliwells till well after they had vanquished the Source, she had heard the story. How they had vanquished the Source who was then reborn in Phoebe's husband Cole, who they had to vanquish as well as well as Phoebe and Cole's son who was also the Source's heir.

"The Source?!" Dawn and Leo said as they looked at each other.

"I'm just saying, he could be pretty pissed," the man said. "After all, he never thought The Charmed Ones could vanquish him."

"I'll handle him," said Mandi as Leo started flipping through the book to look for the spell.

"How?"

"I'm bringing him back from the dead, aren't I?" explained Mandi. "He'll owe me, plus he'll have a son of The Charmed One to raise as his very own."

Dawn and Leo looked at each other alarmed at the thought of Wyatt being turned evil.

"Hurry, Leo," whispered Dawn. "We don't want to waste time getting reinforcements."

"What better revenge is there than that?" said Mandi.

Leo pushed Billie and Dawn back and shoved the book in Dawn's hands. "Okay, the spell's on page 86. You both gotta get out of here."

"Wait, you want us to go by ourselves?" said Billie. "Why?"

"I'm not leaving my son," said Leo.

"But you don't have any powers," said Billie. "Dawn and I have powers. We should stay."

"Your going back alone," said Dawn as she shoved the book in Billie's hands.

"Dawn?"

"You need help," said Dawn. "Billie can get us back up. Plus, Wyatt is my brother even if he and I aren't related by marriage or blood."

Leo reluctantly nodded as he looked at Billie. "Go. We're not leaving Wyatt. Get Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Buffy. Tell them where we are."

"Okay, just be careful," said Billie as she turned and left the Great Hall with the book.

Dawn and Leo turned watching Wyatt. "He will recognize us, you know, the moment we make our move."

"I know," said Leo.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy had orbed back to the preschool to get Wyatt to see if he had turned Leo, Billie and Dawn miniature like he had done with her, Piper and Leo. She found her brother gone.

"Are you sure another family member didn't pick him up?" asked Miss Diane one of the teachers.

"Of course," said Buffy, "I'm sure, otherwise I wouldn't be freaking out right now. There is only so many people allowed to pick up my little brother."

Miss Diane flipped through the sign-out sheets and saw Mandi's signature. "Ohh! Okay, okay, here, see? Nothing to worry about. Wyatt is with Mandi."

"Mandi?!" said Buffy as a frown creased her face. "She's not even on our approved list of who can pick him up. Why in the world would you let him go with her?"

"Well ... she has sort of been looking out for him lately," said Miss Diane. "I'm sure he's having the time of his life with her son as we speak."

Buffy looked around and saw Mandi's son was still there. She had remembered seeing the boy with Mandi the first time she visited the preschool. "Really? Then why is her son still here?! She would never—"

"Huh. Well, that's not like Mandi," said Miss Diane as she looked toward Mandi's son.

Buffy pulled out her cellphone as she stormed out of the building. She dialed. "Mom, Wyatt's missing. Mandi has him. I'm orbing back now. Get Paige and Phoebe." She ended the call and orbed out.

Buffy orbed into the Manor to find Paige and Phoebe in the foyer arguing.

Phoebe had jumped on Paige knocking her to the floor. "That was you, I know it!"

"Paige, Phoebe," said Buffy as Piper came downstairs having heard the conversation. "Wyatt's room mom has kidnapped Wyatt. Also, Dad and Dawn are missing."

Phoebe let Paige up and the four of them head upstairs to the attic. Piper headed straight for the Book of Shadows.

"Seven years of doing this stuff, I should've known something wasn't right with Mandi," said Piper. "Nobody's that perfect, not even her."

"But she has a child and a husband," Said Phoebe.

"I'm thinking a demon possessed her," said Buffy as she moved over to the scrying table and began scrying. "To get at my little bro."

"Okay, Paige and I'll gonna work on the vanquishing potion," Phoebe said. "You work on the de-possession spell."

"I can't believe I let her take him right out from under my nose," said Piper clearly frustrated with herself. "Buffy even didn't want to leave Wyatt when I called for her to join me there earlier. I didn't listen to myself or my daughter."

"It's okay," Buffy said. "We're gonna get him back."

"How? You couldn't even sense your dad or Dawn. He could be anywhere," said Piper.

At that moment Billie appeared in bright shining lights. "Piper, Buffy. Good. Wyatt's at Magic School."

"And how do you know that?" asked Piper.

"Well, I just came from there," said Billie. "Dawn and Leo stayed behind to keep an eye on Wyatt while I came back to get you guys."

"Why are you wearing that?" Buffy asked noticing the outfit that Billie was wearing.

"If I wasn't, I'd be dead," said Billie. "There's demons everywhere. They're taking over the place."

"What? How?" Phoebe asked shocked at the revelation.

"Don't matter," Buffy said as she set the scrying crystal down. "What do they want with Wyatt?"

"They need him to help bring back The Source," Billie said.

Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige looked at each other as their eyes widen just at the mere mention of the name. "Okay, Dawn and Leo looked just like that when they heard that name. Who is this guy? I mean, how do we nail him?"

"You don't," said Buffy. "Only ones that can vanquish him are Piper, Paige and Phoebe. Only the Power of Three can do it."

"Well, ladies, how are we enjoying our demon-free existence now?" asked Paige.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

At Magic School Dawn and Leo stood off to the side watching Mandi talk with Wyatt.

"You can use all the magic you want here," said Mandi. "Whatever you want, whenever you want. Isn't that fun?" She led Wyatt over to the table that the demons had set up. "But first, I want you to help me bring back a special friend of ours, somebody who's going to be very, very happy to see you, okay?"

"Yeah," said Wyatt.

"All right. Good. It'll be easy. I'll show you," said Mandi as the male demon walked over to her.

"Don't you want The Source to know the real you, so he knows you're a demon?" he whispered.

"I don't want to risk scaring the child. Stand back," whispered Mandi as he backed away from her and Wyatt. She returned her attention to Wyatt. "Ready...? Okay." She held her hand over the bowl. "We call to you that away was torn, return, master of all evil born." She looked at Wyatt. "Put your finger in it. It'll make some really neat magic."

Wyatt put his fingertip into the bowl and it glowed. A spark leapt out from the bowl and onto the star on the wall. The lines in the star lit up and swirl. With a loud bang, The Source was thrown out of the circle and onto the floor.

The Source took a deep breath.

Dawn looked at The Source and saw that he was burned on one side of his face and missing his right eye. "Not Cole, right?" she whispered to Leo who nodded.

"The first one they vanquished," Leo whispered back.

"My lord," said Mandi.

"Where am I? Who brought me back?" The Source asked.

"We did," said Mandi as the Source looked at her. She turned to share a look with Wyatt. She looked back at the Source. "It was me, actually, who brought you back."

"Why?" The Source asked.

"Why else? Power. Yours, mine, his. One big, unstoppable, happy family," said Mandi.

"What possible power could he have that I might covet?" The Source asked.

Mandi smiled. "Charmed power," she said as The Source gasped and looked at her. "That's right, he's the first born."

"The prophecy," The Source said as he turned to face Wyatt with a smile on his face. "How did you get him away?"

"The Charmed Ones are dead," said Mandi. "I'm sorry to spoil your fun. I'm sure you would have wanted revenge, although, our raising him as evil might be even better, don't you think?"

"You've got it all worked out, don't you? Except for one thing," The Source said. "Why do I need you?"

"Because every mortal boy needs his mommy, and I'm sure you would enjoy being the head of a demonic dynasty," said Mandi.

The Source hissed. He turned and kneeled down in front of Wyatt. "What's your name, little boy?"

"Let him be," Dawn said as The Source reached out to touch Wyatt.

"What did you say?" The Source asked Dawn.

"You don't want to scare him," said Leo as he stood up next to Dawn. "He's not used to our kind."

"Who are the two of you?" asked Mandi. "I've never seen either of you before."

"We've been here," said Dawn. "We've also been to the boy's house with Zankou."

"Is that a fact?" The Source asked.

Wyatt saw Dawn and Leo and smiled. He went straight to them.

"That's how he knows us both, obviously," said Leo as Wyatt made a playful, funny face at him and Dawn.

"He seems to more than just know you both," said The Source.

Mandi waved the other demons out of the Great Hall. "Leave us," she said as the demons left.

"Who are you?" The Source asked.

As the demons leave the Great Hall, Buffy and Paige orb into the study with Piper and Phoebe. They watched as the demons walked past the doorway.

"Billie was right. It's demon central," said Phoebe.

They exit into the hallway from where they stand, they can see Leo and Dawn.

"Just trying to help you with the kid, that's all," said Leo.

The Source stared at Leo and Dawn. "Now why don't I believe that?

"We gotta hurry," said Piper. "Dawn and Leo are in trouble."

"How are we gonna stop The Source? We have no potions," said Paige.

"What about the way you did it last time," Buffy said. "The spell where you called upon your ancestors."

"I don't think that is going to work this time," said Piper.

"Do we have a plan?" asked Phoebe.

"Yeah, and it starts with Mandi," said Piper.

Mandi walked around the two men and Dawn. "If you don't trust them, just kill them," she said. "Then we'll go on a family outing, slaughter a few innocents, have a picnic."

The Source steps in close to Leo and Dawn. He stared at them, assessing them. "There's not a drop of evil in them. They're not demons at all!"

Snarling, The Source looked at Wyatt. He watched as Dawn squinted and Wyatt was telekinetically floated up into her arms.

Leo gently pulled Dawn and Wyatt behind him, protecting them as best he can.

The Source looked at Leo and smiled. "Oh! This is too good to be true ... Daddy."

"What?!" said Mandi confused. "Wait."

Suddenly a potion vial hit Mandi in the back. As Mandi fell to the floor unconscious, The Possessor Demon remained standing. "What happened? Who did this?" she asked.

"I think my sister was the one that through the potion," said Dawn. "You would know her as the Slayer."

The Possessor Demon, The Source and Leo turn to see what Dawn saw. There stood Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige step into the Great Hall. Dawn grabbed Leo's arm as she pulled him and Wyatt behind the couch where they could take cover.

"I should have known The Charmed Ones weren't really dead," The Source said. "Only you've gone soft in my absence. Without the Hollow, you can't hurt me!"

"Oh, really?" said Piper. She looked at the Possessor Demon. "Hey, cupcake." She waved her hand and blasted the Possessor Demon vanquishing her in an explosion of fire and smoke.

Suddenly a vortex opened and pulled The Source backward into it causing him to explode.

"Talk about your ball and chain," said Phoebe.

"I don't really understand. How did you –" said Paige confused.

"She conjured him," said Dawn.

"Dawn is right," said Piper. "So, they were connected. She goes, he goes. For eternity now."

"Which means that makes four times you have vanquished him," said Buffy as Piper laughed.

"Okay, well, we probably should get out of here before any other demons recognize us," said Paige.

"What are we gonna do with her?" Phoebe asked motioned toward Mandi.

Piper groaned. "Oh, come on. We don't need to save her," she said as Buffy looked at her. "What? She's still too perky."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

The next night Buffy and Piper make their way to find audience seats while Leo, with Baby Chris in his arms, and Dawn follows them.

"Pinch me," said Piper when they had sat down.

"Why?" Leo wondered.

"'Cause I can't believe we're actually going to see a real, live, normal, school play," said Piper as she put her bag down. She reached for Baby Chris but found Dawn taking him instead. She smiled at Dawn and nodded.

"Mom?" Buffy whispered as Piper turned and looked at her. "Penny for your thoughts."

"Just thinking how I have such two wonderful daughters," said Piper. She knew Dawn wasn't hers, not biologically or by marriage. But with what Dawn had done in protecting Wyatt she intended to talk to Joyce and let her know what had happened and she felt.

Buffy smiled as she looked over on the other side of Leo at Dawn who smiled back at her.

Leo took out the video camera as he spotted Mandi. "See Mandi over there?" he said motioning to a few rows in front of them.

Piper, Buffy and Dawn looked over at Mandi a few rows in front of them.

"Yeah. If she only knew," said Piper.

"She might," said Leo with a chuckle. "Maybe on some cellular level." He raised the camera to record Wyatt's play. "Might make her more likeable."

"I doubt it," Buffy and Piper said and the smiled at each other.

The lights in the house were turned down. They saw among the children dressed as princes, princesses, mice, footmen and other Cinderella characters-Wyatt walk out wearing his orange pumpkin outfit, the one Piper made for him.

Leo smiled. "Doesn't get more perfect than this," he said. He noticed that Buffy, Dawn and Piper each held tears in their eyes and Piper and Buffy were applauding. He figured if Dawn hadn't been holding Chris she too would be applauding.


Author's Note: I had debated having the Source detect that the Key was in Dawn, which would have been a little foreshadowing for when we got to the season 5 arc, but as can happen I changed my mind. I just couldn't see a possible way to really work it in.