---------------------------------------------------------
"It was late evening as Lama Dorgi and I climbed up the front porch of the Summers residence and rang the bell. It was opened by a scowling Slayer, who ushered us to the living room, where Brother Michaud and Sister Maria were waiting, along with the other members of the Scooby gang as well as Mrs. Summers and Dawn.
It would be our first council of war together, and neither group was happy. The Scoobies had held out for the Magic Box, where they would have the home advantage. We were insistent on St. Ignatious, probably for the same reason, but also because there would be another probe in a matter of hours. Mrs. Summers had offered the use of her house, raising new protests from Buffy, which, as far as I knew, went unheeded.
I was not happy at the discord, but I had to make do with what I could.
Lama Dorgi bowed slightly as I made the introductions.
"This the one who's going to stay here," Dawn asked brightly, earning a sullen glare from Buffy, who looked ready to protest, but thought better of it.
"With your mother's permission, and if you are truly committed to helping in this."
"I am."
Buffy's scowl deepened.
I turned to Mrs. Summers. ""None of this can, or will, happen without your permission. If at any time you say the word, the proceedings will stop."
"I'm only allowing this because I think you can help Dawn. If she has all this power, then she needs to learn how to control it."
"Mom, we'll help her."
"No, you'd just have Willow or Tara put a spell on me."
"Dawn..."
"I wouldn't..."
"Oh no, you always do what Buffy wants you to."
"I wish," Mrs. Summers interjected, "that I could be so sure. I believe that they would do the best they could for Dawn, but Buffy tends to take the most direct approach. I want Dawn to learn some control before that becomes necessary. Sister Maria has been talking to me, and I think you can help."
Buffy glared at me.
This really wasn't going as I would like it. I sighed.
"The Blessed of the Lord will take the power of the Key into his hand, and shall throw back the legions of Hell, closing the gates behind them."
"That's the prophecy, but how are you going to do it?"
"By co-mingling my mind with Dawns, so she can pass on the energy I need to do what needs to be done."
"How do you do that?"
"Lama Dorgi here is an expert on meditation techniques. He will work with Dawn, and teach her to use meditation techniques, to tap into and control her power. It won't be perfect, an he has agreed to stay on in Sunnydale, after this is all over, and continue to work with her."
"And this co-mingling of the minds?"
That can also be done with meditation. It is difficult, but you can reach a level on which one mind can become aware of another. It took me almost a year of daily practise to attain that level."
"But you don't have a year."
"For the next while, Dawn's education will be focused on attaining that level. Her abilities to focus on that training will have to be intense, but I believe, er hope actually, that she'll be up to the task."
"Maybe there's a spell or something that could help." Willow started to look excited. She missed the odd look Dawn gave her."You know, one that could help her reach the level."
"See, and you just said you wouldn't."
"There will be no spells placed on Dawn. Not for any reason."
"Mom."
"Willow," Mrs Summers spoke calmly, but with purpose. "I want you, and Tara, to swear, in the name of God, or, if you will, Goddess, and by everything you hold Holy, that you will never use magick on Dawn."
"Willow, don't, Mom you can't mean it."
"I do. If they will not swear, and mean it, then they are no longer welcome in my house, or anywhere near Dawn. If I have to, I will take her and move as far away as I can." Mrs Summers spoke calmly and with determination. Buffy knew beyond a doubt that she would. "I can't keep you safe, your the Slayer, but Dawn is not. I will do what I can to keep her safe."
"Mom, we don't know what Dawn is, if we can't use magick, we may not be able to control her." Buffy's voice trailed off, horrified at the logic behind what she was saying. But she was right. She knew what was right. After all, she was the Slayer.
"Is that what this is all about, control?" Mrs. Summers glared at her daughter.
"Willow."
"Willow, you can't." Buffy was desparate. She was sure she was right. She was also sure that once Willow had given her word, especially an oath, she would not break it. Not even for her.
Willow glanced uncertainly at Buffy, then Giles, and then Tara. She had been surprised when Mrs. Summers had made the request, even more surprised at what Dawn had said. Giles gave the briefest of nods. Buffy looked ready to kill. Willow got up to stand before Mrs. Summers.
"Willow, don't. Mom, we have to be free to do what we have to to keep Dawn safe. I mean, it's not like she..."
"Don't say it," Mrs. Summers hissed at her daughter. "Don't you dare say that she's not my daughter. Those Monks did too good a job. To me she is my daughter, and I will protect her. If I have to, I'll protect her from you. Willow."
Willow took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.
"Before the Triune, the Mother and the Father, I swear that except in the direst of necessities, I will in no wise use magick to influence or impede, or otherwise affect Dawn in any way known to me. If this oath is broken, then may I stand revealed for what I am."
"So Mote it Be."
"Tara"
Tara stood and repeated the oath while Buffy glowered at her mother.
Mrs, Summers nodded, satisfied. "Father, please continue."
"Lama Dorgi will be staying here, so he can work with Dawn in what ever time we have left. Other than that, there's really not much more that I can add, except that we will continue to try and find an alternative."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
"Father," Sister Maria gasped behind me. "They're leaking through."
"What?"
"They're probing."
"What, who's probing."
"I have to get back to the church."
"No time, you'll have to fight here. We got the room ready."
I glanced at Mrs. Summers."
"Brother Michaud."
"Yes Father."
"Take Dawn, and the two witches, anyone who wants to go, to San Gabriel Mission. Lama Dorgi, please, go with them." I glanced at Willow. "They're probably probing for the Key. Do what you can to shield her."
I turned to Sister Maria. "Let's go."
We headed for the stairs.
---------------------------------------------------------
"How long can he do this?"
Two days had passed after Buffy had stopped wigging, and the St. Gabriel group had taken that as the all clear signal and returned. I was still sitting in the Summers attic, which had been set up as a small chapel, still in a meditative trance.
Lama Dorgi watched from a corner. "I have known him to go five days before awakening. He is weakened, and coming up through the depths is harder than going down."
"And your going to teach me to do this?"
"Yes, it is what you will need to learn."
Dawn walked deeper into the room, and looked closely at the seated figure. "He's not breathing. You sure he's alive?"
"Yes, he lives. But his breathing is so shallow, so slow, you probably just can't see it."
"Could he die like this?"
"If it is his wish, it is possible for him to enter into the state of death."
"But he's not gonna do that. Is he?"
"No, I don't believe that he will."
"Oh." Dawn looked at me, then back at Lama Dorgi. "Will I be able to do that?"
"It is something that can be taught. I would not teach it, unless I though one was ready to make that transformation."
"Oh that's comforting." Buffy entered the attic behind them. "Sleeping beauty out of it? Nope, I guess not."
"When are we going to start," Dawn asked Lama Dorgi, ignoring the frown Buffy sent her way.
"Now if you will. Please, did Sister Maria not give you a package."
"It had a white dress in it."
"It is a cassock, like the one Father Rosenberg wears. Would you like to put yours on?"
"Okay," Dawn scampered around Buffy to get to the doorway.
"Magick," Buffy asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Atmosphere," replied Lama Dorgi. "I find, I cannot meditate without my robes, which I wear most of the time anyway. I suspect Dawn won't be wearing her cassock much, so I am hoping that she will use it to help discipline herself for meditation. A focus, if you will."
"So what are you going to teach her."
"Simple meditation techniques." Lama Dorgi launched into a description, which Buffy immediately tuned out.
"How long is he going to stay like this?"
"I don't know. He is weakened, but I think, in anther hour he will be conscious to this world."
Dawn clattered into the room. Dark brown hair falling to her white covered shoulders. "I'm ready," she said breathlessly.
"Dawn," Buffy tried to keep her annoyance out of her voice. "Are you sure you want to do this."
"No." Dawn looked up at her sister, her eyes big, doe like. "I don't wanna do this, I rather it just went away , but it isn't is it?"
Buffy shook her head.
"I'm always gonna be this Key thing that others are going to want to control aren't I?"
Buffy nodded, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes.
"Then I gotta learn how to control this, before somebody else does, and I don't want anyone else controlling me." Dawn took a drrp shuddering breath. "Buffy please, I need you, and Mom, to help me through this, but I need you to let me do this. Please Buffy. Don't be mad."
"Come here." The two sisters came together in a hug. "I'm not mad," Buffy whispered. "Just scared."
"Me too," Dawn whispered back.
They held the hug for a few minutes, before breaking apart. Even then, they continued looking into each other's eyes, until finally Dawn turned away.
"Lama Dorgi?"
"Yes?"
"Lets start."
"It was late evening as Lama Dorgi and I climbed up the front porch of the Summers residence and rang the bell. It was opened by a scowling Slayer, who ushered us to the living room, where Brother Michaud and Sister Maria were waiting, along with the other members of the Scooby gang as well as Mrs. Summers and Dawn.
It would be our first council of war together, and neither group was happy. The Scoobies had held out for the Magic Box, where they would have the home advantage. We were insistent on St. Ignatious, probably for the same reason, but also because there would be another probe in a matter of hours. Mrs. Summers had offered the use of her house, raising new protests from Buffy, which, as far as I knew, went unheeded.
I was not happy at the discord, but I had to make do with what I could.
Lama Dorgi bowed slightly as I made the introductions.
"This the one who's going to stay here," Dawn asked brightly, earning a sullen glare from Buffy, who looked ready to protest, but thought better of it.
"With your mother's permission, and if you are truly committed to helping in this."
"I am."
Buffy's scowl deepened.
I turned to Mrs. Summers. ""None of this can, or will, happen without your permission. If at any time you say the word, the proceedings will stop."
"I'm only allowing this because I think you can help Dawn. If she has all this power, then she needs to learn how to control it."
"Mom, we'll help her."
"No, you'd just have Willow or Tara put a spell on me."
"Dawn..."
"I wouldn't..."
"Oh no, you always do what Buffy wants you to."
"I wish," Mrs. Summers interjected, "that I could be so sure. I believe that they would do the best they could for Dawn, but Buffy tends to take the most direct approach. I want Dawn to learn some control before that becomes necessary. Sister Maria has been talking to me, and I think you can help."
Buffy glared at me.
This really wasn't going as I would like it. I sighed.
"The Blessed of the Lord will take the power of the Key into his hand, and shall throw back the legions of Hell, closing the gates behind them."
"That's the prophecy, but how are you going to do it?"
"By co-mingling my mind with Dawns, so she can pass on the energy I need to do what needs to be done."
"How do you do that?"
"Lama Dorgi here is an expert on meditation techniques. He will work with Dawn, and teach her to use meditation techniques, to tap into and control her power. It won't be perfect, an he has agreed to stay on in Sunnydale, after this is all over, and continue to work with her."
"And this co-mingling of the minds?"
That can also be done with meditation. It is difficult, but you can reach a level on which one mind can become aware of another. It took me almost a year of daily practise to attain that level."
"But you don't have a year."
"For the next while, Dawn's education will be focused on attaining that level. Her abilities to focus on that training will have to be intense, but I believe, er hope actually, that she'll be up to the task."
"Maybe there's a spell or something that could help." Willow started to look excited. She missed the odd look Dawn gave her."You know, one that could help her reach the level."
"See, and you just said you wouldn't."
"There will be no spells placed on Dawn. Not for any reason."
"Mom."
"Willow," Mrs Summers spoke calmly, but with purpose. "I want you, and Tara, to swear, in the name of God, or, if you will, Goddess, and by everything you hold Holy, that you will never use magick on Dawn."
"Willow, don't, Mom you can't mean it."
"I do. If they will not swear, and mean it, then they are no longer welcome in my house, or anywhere near Dawn. If I have to, I will take her and move as far away as I can." Mrs Summers spoke calmly and with determination. Buffy knew beyond a doubt that she would. "I can't keep you safe, your the Slayer, but Dawn is not. I will do what I can to keep her safe."
"Mom, we don't know what Dawn is, if we can't use magick, we may not be able to control her." Buffy's voice trailed off, horrified at the logic behind what she was saying. But she was right. She knew what was right. After all, she was the Slayer.
"Is that what this is all about, control?" Mrs. Summers glared at her daughter.
"Willow."
"Willow, you can't." Buffy was desparate. She was sure she was right. She was also sure that once Willow had given her word, especially an oath, she would not break it. Not even for her.
Willow glanced uncertainly at Buffy, then Giles, and then Tara. She had been surprised when Mrs. Summers had made the request, even more surprised at what Dawn had said. Giles gave the briefest of nods. Buffy looked ready to kill. Willow got up to stand before Mrs. Summers.
"Willow, don't. Mom, we have to be free to do what we have to to keep Dawn safe. I mean, it's not like she..."
"Don't say it," Mrs. Summers hissed at her daughter. "Don't you dare say that she's not my daughter. Those Monks did too good a job. To me she is my daughter, and I will protect her. If I have to, I'll protect her from you. Willow."
Willow took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.
"Before the Triune, the Mother and the Father, I swear that except in the direst of necessities, I will in no wise use magick to influence or impede, or otherwise affect Dawn in any way known to me. If this oath is broken, then may I stand revealed for what I am."
"So Mote it Be."
"Tara"
Tara stood and repeated the oath while Buffy glowered at her mother.
Mrs, Summers nodded, satisfied. "Father, please continue."
"Lama Dorgi will be staying here, so he can work with Dawn in what ever time we have left. Other than that, there's really not much more that I can add, except that we will continue to try and find an alternative."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
"Father," Sister Maria gasped behind me. "They're leaking through."
"What?"
"They're probing."
"What, who's probing."
"I have to get back to the church."
"No time, you'll have to fight here. We got the room ready."
I glanced at Mrs. Summers."
"Brother Michaud."
"Yes Father."
"Take Dawn, and the two witches, anyone who wants to go, to San Gabriel Mission. Lama Dorgi, please, go with them." I glanced at Willow. "They're probably probing for the Key. Do what you can to shield her."
I turned to Sister Maria. "Let's go."
We headed for the stairs.
---------------------------------------------------------
"How long can he do this?"
Two days had passed after Buffy had stopped wigging, and the St. Gabriel group had taken that as the all clear signal and returned. I was still sitting in the Summers attic, which had been set up as a small chapel, still in a meditative trance.
Lama Dorgi watched from a corner. "I have known him to go five days before awakening. He is weakened, and coming up through the depths is harder than going down."
"And your going to teach me to do this?"
"Yes, it is what you will need to learn."
Dawn walked deeper into the room, and looked closely at the seated figure. "He's not breathing. You sure he's alive?"
"Yes, he lives. But his breathing is so shallow, so slow, you probably just can't see it."
"Could he die like this?"
"If it is his wish, it is possible for him to enter into the state of death."
"But he's not gonna do that. Is he?"
"No, I don't believe that he will."
"Oh." Dawn looked at me, then back at Lama Dorgi. "Will I be able to do that?"
"It is something that can be taught. I would not teach it, unless I though one was ready to make that transformation."
"Oh that's comforting." Buffy entered the attic behind them. "Sleeping beauty out of it? Nope, I guess not."
"When are we going to start," Dawn asked Lama Dorgi, ignoring the frown Buffy sent her way.
"Now if you will. Please, did Sister Maria not give you a package."
"It had a white dress in it."
"It is a cassock, like the one Father Rosenberg wears. Would you like to put yours on?"
"Okay," Dawn scampered around Buffy to get to the doorway.
"Magick," Buffy asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Atmosphere," replied Lama Dorgi. "I find, I cannot meditate without my robes, which I wear most of the time anyway. I suspect Dawn won't be wearing her cassock much, so I am hoping that she will use it to help discipline herself for meditation. A focus, if you will."
"So what are you going to teach her."
"Simple meditation techniques." Lama Dorgi launched into a description, which Buffy immediately tuned out.
"How long is he going to stay like this?"
"I don't know. He is weakened, but I think, in anther hour he will be conscious to this world."
Dawn clattered into the room. Dark brown hair falling to her white covered shoulders. "I'm ready," she said breathlessly.
"Dawn," Buffy tried to keep her annoyance out of her voice. "Are you sure you want to do this."
"No." Dawn looked up at her sister, her eyes big, doe like. "I don't wanna do this, I rather it just went away , but it isn't is it?"
Buffy shook her head.
"I'm always gonna be this Key thing that others are going to want to control aren't I?"
Buffy nodded, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes.
"Then I gotta learn how to control this, before somebody else does, and I don't want anyone else controlling me." Dawn took a drrp shuddering breath. "Buffy please, I need you, and Mom, to help me through this, but I need you to let me do this. Please Buffy. Don't be mad."
"Come here." The two sisters came together in a hug. "I'm not mad," Buffy whispered. "Just scared."
"Me too," Dawn whispered back.
They held the hug for a few minutes, before breaking apart. Even then, they continued looking into each other's eyes, until finally Dawn turned away.
"Lama Dorgi?"
"Yes?"
"Lets start."