Title - Dawn, The Key: Ghost's of the Future Part 1
Author - Shane A. Hopkins (thesorcererbard@I-am-the-key.com)
Rating - PG
Disclaimer - What I don't own. Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and 20th Century Fox own Buffy the Vampire Slayer and everything related to them. The Ghost Roads, The Gatekeeper and The Gatehouse come from the Buffy, The Vampire Slayer novels The Gatekeeper Trilogy Books 1, 2 and 3 by Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder (Great set of books get em if you can) What I do own. Everything not owned by the above mentioned people / companies is owned by me but you may use any of it as long as you give me credit. There is one exception to this and that is Quinton Everett III, he is mine and you can't use him whatsoever.
Authors Note - To be introduced to Quinton Everett III please read one of my previous stories "Love's Energy"
Authors Note 2 - This story follows directly on from my previous one "The Reality of War"
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Ghost's of the Future - Part 1
Dawn threw back her head and screamed, light burst from her chest and spread over the surrounding area. It didn't stop there it kept flowing over the surface of the entire planet, her scream with it. The light and scream flowed on until the planet glowed like a new sun.
Then it suddenly stopped. The light rushed back into Dawn, she found that it was too much she wished for someone to help her. Suddenly the power lessened and she could think. Any being that was not on the earth or in the general vicinity of the planet could see that the planet was almost sparkling, as if it were a toy that had just been taken out of it's box for the first time.
Dawn stood up and looked around, she found that to either side of her stood Quinn and The Gatekeeper and that they were all standing on thin air about ten miles off the ground..
"What happened?" she asked.
"You changed reality." Quinn answered.
"Past, present and future." The Gatekeeper said.
"Everything looks brand new." Dawn said as she took a step forward.
"You have restored everything." Quinn said as he stepped up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
Dawn felt energy rush from his hand and into her through her shoulder.
"We have restored everything." The Gatekeeper said as he did the same gesture to Dawn's other shoulder.
The power flowing through them all was almost too much for Dawn to handle, she shook off their hands and turned to look at them a silent question in her eyes.
"We are joined now because we threw our power to you we form the Triumvirate, the most powerful force in creation." Quinn said looking at Dawn.
"But where are all the people?" she asked.
"You recreated the planet but you have yet to start it living again." The Gatekeeper said.
"What will they remember?" Dawn asked.
"What you wanted them to, the war between the Guardians and The Knights never happened, Jason was never taken and no one that was killed by the nuclear devices actually died because the bombs were never dropped." Quinn said.
"Why can we remember?" Dawn asked.
"Because we were protected by the field of energy that actually regenerated the world. It was sentient and it knew that someone would need to remember so it didn't happen again." The Gatekeeper answered her.
"So how did you come back to life?" she asked.
"When the power retreated from the surface of the planet and back into you, you couldn't handle it and you wanted someone to help you." Quinn answered.
"And because our energy was some of what you used it reverted to it's familiar forms, us." The Gatekeeper added.
"How do I restart the world?" Dawn asked.
"We share our power with you and you think what you want to happen." The Gatekeeper said.
"Will they know anything happened?" Dawn asked.
"Most will have the feeling called déjà vu, some will remember fragments and a very few will remember most of what did happen and then there is us, we alone will remember everything." The Gatekeeper said.
"Buffy?" Dawn asked a complex question in that one word.
"She will remember a little, you can tell her if you wish." Quinn answered.
"Let's do it." She said with a determined look on her face.
Quinn and The Gatekeeper stepped forward and took her hands and Dawn felt the power flow through her. She screamed and light burst from her eyes, spreading out to cover the world again and this time when it flowed back to her, she could hear the sounds of a bustling world going on around them.
"Perhaps we should get down from here, before we get hit by a plane or something?" Quinn said with a small smile on his face.
Minutes later they were in the main conference room in the Watchers Council
Headquarters, explaining to the rest of the gang what had happened.
"So everyone died?" Xander asked, "Even you?"
"No I lived, but with The Gatekeeper and Quinn's power, I could fix it so things were different." Dawn told him as she sat in the chair opposite him and next to Jason.
"So, what did you do with Byzantium?" Giles asked.
"He died in the assault on the Knights HQ ten years ago." Dawn answered.
"The demons called off the bounty on The Key and now no one will come after it so Dawn, here, is safe." The Gatekeeper said.
"Good." Jason said as he put his arm around Dawn and hugged her to him.
"Well, we have to get back home to James and Juliet." Dawn said, "Quinn, are you coming?"
"No, I need some time with my beautiful wife." Quinn said walking over to Buffy.
"I suggest that we all head home now that this 'crisis' is over." Giles suggested.
"Good idea." Anya and Xander said together.
Half an hour later Dawn and Jason were back home and tucked up in bed, fast asleep.
But all was not well Dawn was dreaming. Not just any dream. She was having a nightmare.
Faces she had never seen were swooping at her like attacking birds, each one saying, "You killed us, you made it so we don't exist." The dream kept getting worse as the faces began getting more and more horrific. They were also multiplying exponentially soon they were everywhere Dawn found that they covered her all shouting at her.
Dawn woe up screaming, which woke Jason who immediately saw that Dawn was very upset.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"A nightmare nothing to worry about." Dawn said getting out of bed, "I'm just going to get a glass of water."
"Okay." Jason said.
Seconds later Dawn was in the kitchen when suddenly there was a flash of light and The Gatekeeper and Quinn were both standing in the room.
"You had the nightmare too?" Quinn asked.
"Yes, what did it mean?" she asked.
"Those were the Ghosts of the Future." The Gatekeeper answered, "They are the spirits of the people who no longer exist or will no longer exist."
"They were caused by changing the timeline." Quinn said, "We just found out about them."
"Will they ever go away?" Dawn asked.
"Yes, you are only visited by them on the fist night after the change." Quinn said as he and The Gatekeeper sat down.
"Did they visit you two too?" Dawn asked.
"Yes, that's how we knew that you had seen them." The Gatekeeper told her.
"Did you tell Jason?" Quinn asked.
"Hell no, that would only frighten him." she said.
"Mom?" came James' voice from the doorway.
"Yea sweetie?" Dawn said looking at the door.
"What's going on?" he asked, "Why did history change?"
Quinn and The Gatekeeper both swung their heads to look at James.
"What did you say?" Quinn demanded standing up.
"I remember things that didn't happen." James said.
"What things?" The Gatekeeper said standing up beside Quinn.
"Like Dad got kidnapped by some knights and you went on a rampage." James said pointing at Dawn.
"But that's not what happened, is it?" The Gatekeeper asked.
"No, Dad didn't get kidnapped and Mom didn't go on a rampage." the boy answered.
"We seem to have a problem." Dawn said looking between Quinn and The Gatekeeper.
To be continued.
Author - Shane A. Hopkins (thesorcererbard@I-am-the-key.com)
Rating - PG
Disclaimer - What I don't own. Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and 20th Century Fox own Buffy the Vampire Slayer and everything related to them. The Ghost Roads, The Gatekeeper and The Gatehouse come from the Buffy, The Vampire Slayer novels The Gatekeeper Trilogy Books 1, 2 and 3 by Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder (Great set of books get em if you can) What I do own. Everything not owned by the above mentioned people / companies is owned by me but you may use any of it as long as you give me credit. There is one exception to this and that is Quinton Everett III, he is mine and you can't use him whatsoever.
Authors Note - To be introduced to Quinton Everett III please read one of my previous stories "Love's Energy"
Authors Note 2 - This story follows directly on from my previous one "The Reality of War"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
Ghost's of the Future - Part 1
Dawn threw back her head and screamed, light burst from her chest and spread over the surrounding area. It didn't stop there it kept flowing over the surface of the entire planet, her scream with it. The light and scream flowed on until the planet glowed like a new sun.
Then it suddenly stopped. The light rushed back into Dawn, she found that it was too much she wished for someone to help her. Suddenly the power lessened and she could think. Any being that was not on the earth or in the general vicinity of the planet could see that the planet was almost sparkling, as if it were a toy that had just been taken out of it's box for the first time.
Dawn stood up and looked around, she found that to either side of her stood Quinn and The Gatekeeper and that they were all standing on thin air about ten miles off the ground..
"What happened?" she asked.
"You changed reality." Quinn answered.
"Past, present and future." The Gatekeeper said.
"Everything looks brand new." Dawn said as she took a step forward.
"You have restored everything." Quinn said as he stepped up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
Dawn felt energy rush from his hand and into her through her shoulder.
"We have restored everything." The Gatekeeper said as he did the same gesture to Dawn's other shoulder.
The power flowing through them all was almost too much for Dawn to handle, she shook off their hands and turned to look at them a silent question in her eyes.
"We are joined now because we threw our power to you we form the Triumvirate, the most powerful force in creation." Quinn said looking at Dawn.
"But where are all the people?" she asked.
"You recreated the planet but you have yet to start it living again." The Gatekeeper said.
"What will they remember?" Dawn asked.
"What you wanted them to, the war between the Guardians and The Knights never happened, Jason was never taken and no one that was killed by the nuclear devices actually died because the bombs were never dropped." Quinn said.
"Why can we remember?" Dawn asked.
"Because we were protected by the field of energy that actually regenerated the world. It was sentient and it knew that someone would need to remember so it didn't happen again." The Gatekeeper answered her.
"So how did you come back to life?" she asked.
"When the power retreated from the surface of the planet and back into you, you couldn't handle it and you wanted someone to help you." Quinn answered.
"And because our energy was some of what you used it reverted to it's familiar forms, us." The Gatekeeper added.
"How do I restart the world?" Dawn asked.
"We share our power with you and you think what you want to happen." The Gatekeeper said.
"Will they know anything happened?" Dawn asked.
"Most will have the feeling called déjà vu, some will remember fragments and a very few will remember most of what did happen and then there is us, we alone will remember everything." The Gatekeeper said.
"Buffy?" Dawn asked a complex question in that one word.
"She will remember a little, you can tell her if you wish." Quinn answered.
"Let's do it." She said with a determined look on her face.
Quinn and The Gatekeeper stepped forward and took her hands and Dawn felt the power flow through her. She screamed and light burst from her eyes, spreading out to cover the world again and this time when it flowed back to her, she could hear the sounds of a bustling world going on around them.
"Perhaps we should get down from here, before we get hit by a plane or something?" Quinn said with a small smile on his face.
Minutes later they were in the main conference room in the Watchers Council
Headquarters, explaining to the rest of the gang what had happened.
"So everyone died?" Xander asked, "Even you?"
"No I lived, but with The Gatekeeper and Quinn's power, I could fix it so things were different." Dawn told him as she sat in the chair opposite him and next to Jason.
"So, what did you do with Byzantium?" Giles asked.
"He died in the assault on the Knights HQ ten years ago." Dawn answered.
"The demons called off the bounty on The Key and now no one will come after it so Dawn, here, is safe." The Gatekeeper said.
"Good." Jason said as he put his arm around Dawn and hugged her to him.
"Well, we have to get back home to James and Juliet." Dawn said, "Quinn, are you coming?"
"No, I need some time with my beautiful wife." Quinn said walking over to Buffy.
"I suggest that we all head home now that this 'crisis' is over." Giles suggested.
"Good idea." Anya and Xander said together.
Half an hour later Dawn and Jason were back home and tucked up in bed, fast asleep.
But all was not well Dawn was dreaming. Not just any dream. She was having a nightmare.
Faces she had never seen were swooping at her like attacking birds, each one saying, "You killed us, you made it so we don't exist." The dream kept getting worse as the faces began getting more and more horrific. They were also multiplying exponentially soon they were everywhere Dawn found that they covered her all shouting at her.
Dawn woe up screaming, which woke Jason who immediately saw that Dawn was very upset.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"A nightmare nothing to worry about." Dawn said getting out of bed, "I'm just going to get a glass of water."
"Okay." Jason said.
Seconds later Dawn was in the kitchen when suddenly there was a flash of light and The Gatekeeper and Quinn were both standing in the room.
"You had the nightmare too?" Quinn asked.
"Yes, what did it mean?" she asked.
"Those were the Ghosts of the Future." The Gatekeeper answered, "They are the spirits of the people who no longer exist or will no longer exist."
"They were caused by changing the timeline." Quinn said, "We just found out about them."
"Will they ever go away?" Dawn asked.
"Yes, you are only visited by them on the fist night after the change." Quinn said as he and The Gatekeeper sat down.
"Did they visit you two too?" Dawn asked.
"Yes, that's how we knew that you had seen them." The Gatekeeper told her.
"Did you tell Jason?" Quinn asked.
"Hell no, that would only frighten him." she said.
"Mom?" came James' voice from the doorway.
"Yea sweetie?" Dawn said looking at the door.
"What's going on?" he asked, "Why did history change?"
Quinn and The Gatekeeper both swung their heads to look at James.
"What did you say?" Quinn demanded standing up.
"I remember things that didn't happen." James said.
"What things?" The Gatekeeper said standing up beside Quinn.
"Like Dad got kidnapped by some knights and you went on a rampage." James said pointing at Dawn.
"But that's not what happened, is it?" The Gatekeeper asked.
"No, Dad didn't get kidnapped and Mom didn't go on a rampage." the boy answered.
"We seem to have a problem." Dawn said looking between Quinn and The Gatekeeper.
To be continued.