Chapter 8: Into the Woods
November 25, 2000 – Saturday
Sunnydale Memorial
Dawn laid on a couple chairs, her head in Buffy's lap, sleeping as Riley sat next to them. They were waiting for word about Joyce's surgery.
Riley put his hand over Buffy's reassuringly, but she could only smile wanly. The duo heard the sound of footsteps approaching, which woke Dawn. The sisters looked over expectantly to find Giles approaching. "Just me. Sorry," he told the sisters. "Can I get either of you anything?"
"No. Thanks though," Buffy said.
"Thanks, Giles," Dawn added. "I'm good."
Giles nodded as he looked at Riley. "Riley?"
Riley smiled. "I'm fine. Thanks."
Giles nodded as he went and sat opposite the sisters and Riley next to Willow and Xander.
"What time is it?" Willow asked looking at Xander.
"There's a clock on the wall behind you, Will," Xander told her.
"I know - but your watch is right there above your hand," Willow reminded her friend.
With a little bit of effort, Xander sat up and pulled his hand from his pocket. He held his wrist in front of her, showing her the watch.
"That can't be right," Willow said looking at the time. She turned around and looked at the clock behind her and saw that Xander's watch was correct. "Oh."
"I can't stand this, what's taking so long?" Buffy asked as her sister lay her head back down in her lap.
"It doesn't mean anything," Riley told his girlfriend.
"You think?" Dawn whispered, barely heard by the couple.
"Dawn, I'd worry more if your mom was out of surgery quickly," he told the younger Summers sister. "It might mean there wasn't much they could do."
Dawn looked up at Buffy and then both of them nod. It didn't really help the worry either of them felt.
"Dawn," Buffy said as she saw the doctor approaching from down the hall.
Dawn stood up as did Buffy and the rest of their friends. The sisters watched the doctor approach, full of fear and anticipating the worst.
"Okay. Your mom's in recovery—" the doctor told them when he stopped in front of the sisters.
"What happened?" Buffy said cutting him off. "Is she alright?"
The doctor smiled. "Well, it was possible to visualize the tumor completely - which means I was able to get all of it. So, baring complications in recovery, I think your mother's going to be fine."
Buffy and Dawn looked at each other happily.
"Are you kidding?" Dawn asked excitedly as she and Buffy looked back at him.
"I never kid about my amazing surgical skills," he told her. "Of course, we're still going to have to watch your mother's condition and have her back in for follow-up testing, but overall I'd consider the procedure a complete success."
Relief and joy wash over everyone and they fell into each other's embraces.
Near grateful tears, Buffy and Dawn still holding each other turned to face the doctor once again. "Oh My God, Doctor - thank you."
"Thank you so much," Dawn added.
"Believe me, it's my—" he was cut off as the sisters grabbed him in a great big bear hug. "Oh, hey... Uh, owww. Owwww!"
Dawn's eyes went wide as she released the doctor. She realized her sister was using to much of her strength in the embrace. "Buffy," she whispered.
Buffy glanced at her sister and then back at the doctor in realization and let him go. "Sorry, sorry—but thank you, thanks. From both of us. I mean it—" She offered her hand to shake his, but he quickly and politely backed off.
"Really, my pleasure," he said addressing the group. "Your mom's going to be in recovery for a while—you should all go home, get some rest, relax."
Summers Home
Dawn glanced around the corner of the doorway into the living room. She instantly saw lit candles, heard romantic music and Buffy and Riley had pushed the furniture back as they danced, holding each other tight and swaying to the music.
Buffy sighed happily. "Can we put this song on repeat?" she asked.
"Whatever you want." Riley replied.
"Can we put this night on repeat?" Buffy wondered.
Riley smiled. "Absolutely," he agreed.
Dawn smiled as she headed back up the stairs to her bedroom. She was glad that Riley was there to take Buffy's mind off Joyce being in the hospital. "Lynn!" she called out.
Lynn arrived in blue and white orbing lights. "How's your mom?"
"They think the operation was a success," Dawn said as she stepped into Lynn's loving embrace. "Would you like to patrol with me tonight? Riley is with Buffy, I thought I would give them some couple time."
"Sure," Lynn said. "Maybe we can do the same while we're out," she added suggestively.
"Sounds perfect," Dawn said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Good..." Buffy said. "God. I can't believe how relaxed I feel. Like all the tension's just been released from my body..."
"Already?" Riley asked. "I had that scheduled for a little later on."
"Scheduled? Are you planning to seduce me?" Buffy asked, coy.
"Always." Riley said as they smiled and he kissed her tenderly. "I want tonight to be special for you."
"It's more than special. It's perfect." Buffy said.
"I'm glad," he told her.
"Buffy," Dawn said as she stepped into the room. "I'm going out to patrol. You two have fun."
"Are you sure, Dawn?" Buffy said, obviously worried about her sister's first solo outing protecting Sunnydale. "It will be the first time we're not together."
"She won't be alone," Lynn said as she stepped up next to her girlfriend. "I'll be with her, Buffy."
"Okay," Buffy said, she would always be worried about her little sister patrolling alone even while morphed. But the worry was lessened with Lynn at Dawn's side.
"I'll be fine," Dawn added. "I promise. It's Morphin' Time! Zeo Ranger Six White!"
They watched Lynn wrap her arms around the White Zeo Ranger and they disappeared in blue and white orbing lights.
Riley smiled. "You both deserve to have everything be perfect after everything you've both been through."
"It was nothing compared to what Mom had to deal with," Buffy said with a sigh.
"But it was a lot," he told her. "And you and Dawn were both incredible."
"Not really. I was just covering for the weepy chicken within," Buffy admitted. "And I half expect so was Dawn. Especially Dawn. She was just reunited with us on a full-time basis instead of the occasional visit only two months ago."
"Don't sell yourself or Dawn short," Riley said looking his girlfriend in the eyes. "You both stayed strong the whole time, Buffy. Neither of you ever cried."
"Oh, we cried alright. There were a few times neither of us could stop," she told him reluctantly.
Riley took that in, obviously surprised and a little pained at the revelation. Especially when neither sister ever let themselves cry in front of him. "Oh," he said as Buffy snuggled in close to him.
"But that's all over now. Now Mom's out of the woods and I'm here with you—and that's all that matters," Buffy told him.
Restfield Cemetery
Dawn had de-morphed and she and Lynn were leaning against a tree, kissing madly. "We should—" she said as she broke away from Lynn.
"You should morph so we could…" Lynn started as they began to kiss again.
"Yeah, this really isn't patrolling," Dawn told her girlfriend. "At least not in the classical sense. We should get to work."
"You're right. Okay," Lynn agreed as she tried to pull it together, as did Dawn. They walk away from the tree.
"You see anything?" Dawn asked.
"No," Lynn replied.
Dawn smiled. "Okay," she said. "Enough patrolling." She jumped Lynn and they fell together, laughing.
Summers Home
Buffy and Riley laid together in her bed. Riley held Buffy as he watched her sleep contentedly.
Instinctively, in her sleep, Buffy rolled away from him.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 - 0
Outside Spike had been standing watching the house. He was beginning to feel like a real ass for hanging around all moony-like. He threw his cigarette down in disgust just as Riley snuck out the front door.
The vampire watched as the ex-army officer walked down the street. After a moment he followed.
November 26, 2000 – Sunday
Sunnydale Memorial
Buffy and Dawn sat on Joyce's bed next to their mother, who was a little groggy.
Joyce adjusted a very fake looking wig while she looked in a mirror Dawn held. "You two don't think it's too obvious?" she asked. "I think I look like I have a cat on my head."
"But a very well-groomed cat," Buffy insisted.
Joyce rolled her eyes. "Well that's a comfort."
"I think it's fun," Dawn admitted. "We can get you a whole bunch of different wigs. You can be like—Action Mom…"
"Sixties Mom…" Buffy added as she and Dawn began to giggle.
"French Maid Mom..." Dawn said trying to top her sister.
"Maybe get a big green Grinchy-looking one for Christmas..." Buffy finished.
"I must be getting better," Joyce said looking at her daughter. "You two are making fun of me again."
"Well, yeah," Buffy agreed. "We have a lot of lost time to make up." She looked at her sister. "Right, Dawnie?"
"Right, Buffy," Dawn agreed.
"I think you two have more important things to make up," Joyce said. "I know you've both been missing a lot of school..."
"We're fine," Buffy said. "Willow's been bringing me my work. I may have to take a few incompletes, but I'll get through the semester."
"And Lynn has been bringing me my homework," Dawn added. "I may have to make up a few tests. But my teachers are understanding that you come first."
"Well what about slaying?" Joyce asked looking between her daughters. "And your friends?" She looked at Buffy. "I want you to get back to your life."
"I will. I promise," Buffy said.
"Same," Dawn agreed. "Besides when it comes to slaying, we're taking turns right now. I went out last night with Lynn. So not only did I get in a patrol but I got some girlfriend time to boot."
"Anyways," Buffy added. "Right now, we're into being here—and styling your beautiful new plastic dream hair."
"Buffy's right," Dawn agreed as she smiled at Joyce.
"Fair enough," Joyce admitted. "But you two don't have to keep me company all night. Go have fun. Get Girls, why don't you get Riley and Lynn to take you both to a movie or something."
"We are having fun," Buffy said as Dawn nodded in agreement. "Besides, we gave Lynn and Riley the rest of the day off."
"I don't think they think of either of you as a chore," Joyce told her daughters.
"Mom," Dawn said. "Buffy and I told Riley and Lynn to make their own plans tonight because we wanted to have you all to ourselves."
"Dawn's right, okay?" Buffy added. "We can see them anytime. And that's pretty much literal in Dawn's case, remember."
"I remember," Joyce said as she remembered her introduction to Dawn's girlfriend.
"Besides, I'm sure they'll both come around later looking for some—" Buffy started before catching herself, "—bible study."
Joyce looked at Dawn. "Please tell me…" she said knowing instantly what Buffy meant by bible study.
"I'm not having sex with her mom," Dawn said. "We're going to wait till we're older. Promise."
"Well—good," Joyce said as she smiled at her youngest daughter. "As long as you guys are getting come quality time with them."
"We are. Absolutely," Buffy and Dawn agreed.
Summers Home
Buffy was asleep in bed when a noise woke her. As she sat up she held her covers to cover her. "Dawn?" she called out.
Spike stepped out of the darkness before the Slayer. "It's me."
"Spike," Buffy said both surprised and pissed. "Every time you show up like this, you risk all your parts—you know that?"
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't have a good reason. As usual I'm here to help you." Spike told her.
"Get out." Buffy ordered as she reached for her wrist communicator.
"I'm serious..." Spike said, obviously flustered by her nearby nudity.
"Dawn," Buffy said speaking into her communicator.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn woke to the sound of her wrist communicator beeping.
"Get out or I'll drop you out, head first," came Buffy's voice from the communicator.
"I want to show you something," came Spike's voice.
Dawn was out of bed in a heartbeat. "It's Morphin' Time!" she called out. "Zeo Ranger Six White!"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"What?" Buffy asked, clearly suspicious.
"You need to see it," Spike said as the White Zeo Ranger appeared in a beam of white light.
"What are you doing here?" the White Zeo Ranger asked, venom laced in her voice. She looked at her sister. "We really should find a way of disinviting him."
Buffy glanced at her sister for a moment. "Dawn, he said he has something to show me. I think he's on the level." She looked back at Spike. "This better be worth getting out of my warm bed for, or so help me—"
"It is," Spike said. "In fact, you might think about bringing the Nibblet along. It could potentially get messy. Regardless we have to move if we want to get there in time."
Buffy and the Ranger looked at Spike, when he made no move to turn around so Buffy could get dressed.
"Out!" the White Zeo Ranger told the vampire. "Let my sister get dressed or we're going nowhere with you."
Spike scoffed. "Please. Like I give a bloody damn," he said as he turned and walked out in the hall, the Ranger closing the door behind him.
"Thanks, Dawnie," Buffy said.
Vampiric Drug Den
Spike led Buffy and the White Zeo Ranger into an alley and into a building. He led them up the back stairs and into the first floor of the seedy building that looked to the sisters like a cross between a crack house and a low-rent whorehouse. They saw that the walls were covered in graffiti, the floors littered with debris and mattresses...and in the dark of the room the saw a sordid bunch of lowlife humans and vampires.
Through the darkness the sisters could just make out people passed out in the corners of room, people locked in strange embrace with vampires and money changing hands here and there. They instantly knew what was going on. People were paying vampires to bite them.
Spike led Buffy and the Ranger up a flight of stairs. Before they could start for the second floor a tough-looking vampire moved in front of Spike. "What do you think you're doing?" the vampire asked.
"Just having a little look, mate. Keep it down." Spike answered as he tried to move past the vampire, who wouldn't move out of the way.
"You can't just go up there," the vampire said.
Spike grabbed the vampire by the neck and nearly choked the life out of him. "I said, keep it down." He cast the vampire aside, who lay on the ground gasping for breath. Spike continued to lead the sisters up the stairs.
They entered a room which was lit only by one dim bare light bulb.
"Dawn," Buffy said.
"Switching on the headlamps," the White Zeo Ranger replied. A second later the room was flooded with light wherever she looked. The last place she looked was at a soiled mattress, where Riley sat getting bit by a trashy, junkie female vampire.
The sisters are stunned beyond words as they took the scene in before them... the vampire in Riley's arms...the money on the mattress...
Riley, who hadn't noticed Spike or the sisters looked at the vampire. "Harder," he said his tone hard and insistent.
Buffy let out a gasp as Riley looked up for the first time spotting her and the White Zeo Ranger. If Riley could see Dawn's face behind her helmet, he would have seen that like Buffy she had a look of shock, that gave way to horror. Neither of the sisters could believe what they were seeing.
"Buffy—" Riley said in a bit of surprised shock at seeing his girlfriend and her sister standing before him.
"Dawn," Buffy said as she took hold of her sister's gloved hand.
"Buffy!" Riley yelled as he watched as Buffy and the White Zeo Ranger disappear in a beam of white light.
Summers Home
The White Zeo Ranger and Buffy appeared in the middle of the living room, clearly freaked by what they had just seen. Buffy leaned against her sister as Dawn de-morphed.
Dawn slowly helped her sister upstairs and into Buffy's bedroom. There they slept the rest of the night away in each other's comforting arms.
November 27, 2000 – Monday
Buffy followed by Dawn entered the Magic Box, clearly agitated. "Giles, Dawn and I need to find out everything I can about a vamp nest downtown," she told her mentor and former Watcher.
"A nest? What sort of—" Giles started.
"It was like a..." Dawn cut him off, not letting him finish his question, "there were people there. It looked like they were paying vampires to bite them."
"Now I know what to get for the person who has everything." Xander said, jokingly.
"Who would pay to get bitten?" Willow asked.
"It's been going on for centuries. Humans hire vampires to feed off them. They get off on the rush," Anya admitted.
Giles nodded. "And the danger," he told them. "Traveling in the underworld can become addictive for these people."
"Why don't the vampires just kill them?" Xander wondered.
"Because they get cash, hot and cold running blood—and they don't leave any corpses around, so they don't get hunted." Anya explained.
"Still, it's terribly dangerous for humans," Giles added. "People end up dying accidentally or meeting a vampire who only pretends to play by house rules."
The sisters turned and looked at Giles, a little too intensely. "You knew about this and you didn't tell us?" Buffy asked.
Giles was a little surprised by Buffy's attitude. "I—I haven't seen it since my Ripper days. I didn't know it was going on in Sunnydale."
"Morph, Dawn," Buffy said as she moved toward one of the weapons cabinets. She started to load up on weapons. "Well it is, and Dawn and I are going to stop it."
"It's Morphin' Time!" Dawn started.
"Dawn…Buffy, even if I had known about this," Giles said interrupting Dawn's morphing sequence. "I might not have told either of you.""
"What?" Dawn asked.
"Why?" Buffy added.
"I'm not sure this is where either of your efforts are best spent," Giles admitted. "Perhaps you both should focus your efforts on a ... less ambiguous evil. Glory, for instance."
"You said people are dying." Dawn reminded him.
Giles nodded. "But they're willing victims. And there are so many other people who deserve your help who aren't..."
"Not to mention the fact that if you cut off their supply—they'll only look for another fix someplace else." Anya added.
"Vampires are vampires," Buffy said. "And Dawn's and my job descriptions are pretty clear. Are you coming with us or not?"
"What's the rush, Buff?" Xander asked looking at his friends. "If we're going into a nest maybe we should come up with a strategy. Wait for Riley..."
"Riley is dead meat the next time I see him," Dawn said her voice laced with venom. "It's Morphin' Time!" she called out again. "Zeo Ranger Six White!"
They watched as the morphing sequence transformed Dawn. "Back us up or not, we're not waiting," Buffy said as she and the White Zeo Ranger headed for the front door. Giles, Willow and Xander exchanged a look and they gathered their own weapons as they moved to follow the sisters.
"Anya - will you mind the store?" Giles asked the former vengeance demon.
"Sure thing." Anya agreed. She called after them in her cheerful shopkeeper voice. "Have a nice day. Don't get killed!"
Vampiric Drug Den
Buffy, the White Zeo Ranger, Giles, Xander and Willow troop down the stairs that led to the second floor, having found the entire place was deserted.
"I don't know what happened," Buffy admitted. "This place was doing serious business last night..."
"I would say when they saw us last night, that they got scared. The Slayer and the White Zeo Ranger have found where their nest is…" the White Zeo Ranger told her sister.
"You think they'll set up shop again here in town?" Buffy asked looking at her sister but directing the question at Giles.
"It's hard to say," Giles admitted. "I imagine they'll lay low for a while."
"But they're around somewhere," the White Zeo Ranger said. "There's got to be a way we can find these creeps."
Willow shook her head. "Don't worry, Buff…Dawnie. You both will find them."
"Yeah. I'm sure you both will get 'em next time," Xander added.
The sisters looked at Xander, if he could see Dawn's face, he would see that her face was just as steely as Buffy's. Then Buffy grabbed a Coleman stove from the ground and hurled it against the opposite wall. Kerosene splattered everywhere and the whole area went up in flames.
"We'd better get going," the White Zeo Ranger said as she and Buffy led the others out the door.
Giles, Xander and Willow exchanged concerned glances as they followed the sisters, who have apparently turned into the Terminator and they don't know why.
The Magic Box
Riley stood in the doorway of the training room watching as Buffy and Dawn sparred. When the sisters noticed him they faltered for a moment and then continued sparring, their faces going hard. They are both too freaked and upset, for differing reasons, to deal with him.
"We need to talk," Riley addressed Buffy, though he looked at both of them.
"I'm not ready to talk to you yet," Buffy said as her boyfriend moved toward her and her sister.
"Too bad," Riley said moving between the duo.
Buffy and Dawn looked at him angrily for a moment before they began gathering their things. "I'm serious," Buffy said. "Unless you want a fight—"
"So, let's fight," Riley told the sisters. "We need to have this out. All three of us. You and I, Buffy, for a different reason than Dawn and I. Right now." He understood their reactions of course. Buffy's was because she was his girlfriend. But Dawn's was because of her being Power Ranger and a friend. He knew Dawn's worry after all, that she would lose those she cared about, that as a Power Ranger she couldn't stop it.
The sisters turned and glared at Riley. "And say what, Riley?" Dawn growled. "What were you thinking?"
"How long have you been lying to me?" Buffy added. "Nothing you can say right now is going to make it better." She and Dawn tried to move past him as he grabbed their arms holding them fast.
"I realize that," he admitted. "I don't expect... I just need you both to hear me out.".
Buffy and Dawn relented a little, though their expressions remained hard. "Fine. But get your hands off us," Dawn said with such pain and force that Riley unhanded them both.
"I think – I…when this thing started," Riley told the sisters, "it was just some stupid, immature game." He looked at Buffy. "I wanted to even the score after you let Dracula bite you—"
"Buffy told me what happened," Dawn snarled. "She did not let him…"
"I know, Dawn," Riley said with a sigh. "On some level I know that. But I was still spun, and, I don't know…" He looked Buffy in the eyes. "I wanted to know what you felt; I wanted to know why Angel and Dracula had so much power over you…"
Buffy shook her head. "You so don't get it."
Riley looked at the sisters. "I get Dawn, why she is the way she is right this second," he admitted. "She's worried about losing someone as a Power Ranger." He looked at his girlfriend. "But you, Buffy, your right, I don't get it. Which is why I let the first one bite me…I wanted to get it, Buffy. I wanted to get you—"
"So, this is Buffy's fault?" Dawn said trying to keep her voice under control. "Gee, Buffy's so mysterious - I think I'll go almost die. I think I'll let some other woman..."
"Dawn," Riley said with a sigh. "This isn't her fault. And I feel like hell for what I've put you both through. But it's just—these girls—"
"Vampires," Dawn said.
"Killers," Buffy added.
"They made me feel something," Riley admitted. "Something I didn't even know I was missing until—"
Buffy and Dawn started past the ex-army officer. It was too much for both of them. "We can't," Buffy said. "We can't hear this-"
Riley grabbed the sisters by the arms again, desperate to explain to them, to make them understand what was going through his head. "You both need to hear this—"
"Fine," Buffy growled, livid. "Tell us about your whores. Tell us what on earth they've been giving you that I can't."
"They needed me…" Riley explained.
"They needed your money!" Buffy yelled at him. "It wasn't about you."
"No—on some basic level it was about me," Riley admitted. "My blood. My body. When they bit me, it was beyond passion…They wanted to devour me, all of me—"
"Why are you telling us this?" Dawn asked in obvious pain.
"It wasn't real. I know. It was just physical. But the fact that I craved it, that I kept going back..." Riley explained. "Even if it was fleeting - they made me feel like they had such hunger for me..."
Dawn and Buffy looked at each other as it dawned on them what exactly Riley was saying. That Riley did not feel that for Buffy. And that Dawn was being hurt by Riley's choices, it was not intentional. That everything had been about Buffy.
Dawn stepped back and let her sister have it out with her boyfriend. "And - I don't?" Buffy said as she slapped Riley in the face. "Make you feel that way?" When Riley didn't answer she looked at him appalled. "How can you compare me to, to that? How can you say you understand what those vampires were feeling? You're not a passion to them, you're a snack! An idiotic, willing snack!"
"I know exactly what they feel when they bite me—because I feel it every time we're together," Riley explained. "It's like the whole world falls away—and all there is, is you."
"And you don't think I care that way about you?" Buffy asked. "How dare you tell me—"
"You keep me at a distance, Buffy," Riley said. "You do as well to a degree, Dawn. Not to the degree Buffy does, but still."
"I'm sorry we couldn't take care of you when we had our own problems to deal with," Buffy growled as she moved in front of her sister protectively. "Do you know how hard it is when you find out that your mom could die."
"It's about me taking care of you!" Riley told her. "About me taking care of you both. You because you are my girlfriend, but Dawn because she is your sister. "It's about letting me in, so you both don't have to be on top of everything all the time—"
"We do," Dawn said. "See, that's part of what a Slayer or a Power Ranger is."
"And that's really what this is about," Buffy added. "You can't handle that I'm stronger than you. Or the Dawn is a Ranger. We're both super powered and you're not."
"It's hard sometimes, yes," Riley admitted. "But that's not it—"
"Then what?" Buffy asked. "What do you want from us Riley? I've given you everything I have. Every part of me, body and soul—And Dawn she has given you something that is not easy for her to give…friendship. Because of the constant worry that you could be used against her as a Ranger."
"You say that, but I don't feel it," Riley said, anguished.
"Well whose fault is that?" Buffy asked. "Because I'm telling you—this is me." She motioned toward herself. "This is the package." She then looked at her sister and waved at Dawn. "And that is Dawn. "And if my love or Dawn's friendship is so deficient that you need to get your kicks elsewhere then we have a real problem."
That hit Riley hard as he looked at the sisters. "They want me back. The military. It's deep undercover. No contact with civilians. The transport's leaving tonight."
"Tonight?" Dawn said.
"When were you going to tell me about this?" Buffy added.
"I'm telling you both now." Riley admitted.
"Are you going?" Dawn wondered.
Riley shrugged. "I don't know, Dawn. You and I will still be friends regardless, Dawn. Your secret will always be safe with me. But if Buffy and I can't work this out…"
"Then what?" Buffy asked her anger returning ten-fold. "That's it—goodbye? You are unbelievable! You're giving me an ultimatum?"
"I'm not. I—" he started.
"You are!" Buffy yelled at him. "You expect me to get over it now or you're gone!"
"I don't. Buffy—" Riley started as he watched as the sisters move toward the door into the alley. He moved in front of them blocking their way. "That's not what I meant—"
"We've heard enough," Dawn snarled.
"I'm not taking the blame for all of this—" Buffy added.
"I'm not asking you to—" he admitted.
"Dawn," Buffy said with a glance at her sister. Dawn brought out her morpher. "Let's us go, or we'll…"
"What? Hit me? Go ahead," Riley said as the sisters stared at him. He decided to force the issue, wanting the connection—desperately wanting something from Buffy. "Come on, do it."
"Get out of our way," Dawn growled. "Or I will morph."
Riley stood his ground. "I'm serious. One of you hit me. Hit me." Finally, the sisters moved around him, grabbing their things and was almost out the door when he stopped them. "I'm leaving. Unless you give me a reason to stay, Buffy, I'm leaving tonight."
That stopped the sisters and they took it, and then they walked out the door.
Streets of Sunnydale
Buffy and Dawn walked down the alley.
"Is he right?" Buffy asked her sister. "Is the reason you have been distant with him, because your worried that he or Xander or…"
"Could be used against me," Dawn said. "Yes. "After all I am a Power Ranger. I have more enemies than you. The Machine Empire knows I exist, we've been lucky so far that King Mondo hasn't sent Cogs after me. I tried not to push any of our friends away. But that worry is with me all the time. You and Lynn are the ones that don't worry me. Because you are the Slayer and Lynn she can orb out of a situation."
It was then that they weren't alone. That some of the vampires from the drug den had surrounded them.
"The pyro act was a bad idea," the leader said.
"Felt pretty good to us," Buffy said as she looked at Dawn. "Right?"
"Right," Dawn agreed as she pulled out her morpher from behind her back. "It's Morphin' Time," she called out. "Zeo Ranger Six White!"
"I'm not running. And you're not shutting me down," the leader said says as he and the others start to close in on Buffy and the White Zeo Ranger. "In fact—you two are not going to make it through the night."
"Walk away," Buffy told them, her tone pained and lethal, but the vampires continued to move in. "We're both serious. Don't do this. Not now—"
As one of the vampires lunged for Buffy, the White Zeo Ranger called out, "White Zeo Power Sword!" The sisters sprang into action, Buffy ripping a thin, long wooden plank from a boarded-up window nearby. They were blindingly fast, they spun in tandem and thrust their weapons, dusting vampires left and right. The vampires didn't even have time to react. Within moments all but the leader was left. The White Zeo Ranger spun in a wide arc decapitating the leader as he burst into flames before dusting.
As the White Zeo Ranger de-morphed the sisters stood there looking around them.
"So, how'd that work out for the two of you?" Buffy and Dawn turned at the sound of the voice and found Xander stepping out of the shadows. "Make the two of you feel better?"
"What are you doing here?" Buffy asked.
"I thought you both might need to talk," Xander admitted. "Then I saw the two of get into this skirmish..."
"Go home, Xander," Dawn said as she wrapped an arm around Buffy and the sisters began to walk away from their friend.
"Buffy…Dawn—" he started.
"What did Dawn just say," Buffy told him.
Xander followed them. "So am I. Something's up. You two are acting like crazy people."
The sisters took off at a run. They turned a corner trying to get away from their friend. Buffy nudged her Dawn and motioned toward a sliding door of a warehouse that was slightly ajar. They rushed inside hoping Xander would run on past. Instead he followed them inside.
"Take this, for instance. You two don't want to deal, so you hide?" Xander told his friends. "Not very Slayer or Power Ranger-like."
"Just leave us alone, Xander," Dawn growled. He could see tears in her eyes.
"You have no idea what's going on," Buffy added.
Xander sighed. "No? Good. So, you two and Riley aren't imploding?" he asked as the sisters looked at him in surprise. "Doesn't take a genius. What I can't figure out is how you two didn't see it coming?"
"What?" Buffy asked. "Who told you-"
"Nobody told me anything, Buffy," Xander told them. "It's been right in front of my Xander face. The guy would do anything for you—" He looked at Dawn. "And from what he has told me, he holds your friendship, Dawn, in rather high regards."
"The guy got himself bit by a vampire!" Buffy said. "He lied to us both. He ran around behind my back and almost got himself killed. He's hurting not only me but my sister, who has worried about each of you since revealed she was a Ranger. And now he has the nerve to tell us that he's leaving with some covert military operation at midnight, unless I convince him not to. No tell me you understand—because I sure as hell don't."
"Neither do I," Dawn agreed.
"Buffy, are you going to let him go?" Xander asked. "And Dawn, I understand your worries, I do. But are you going to risk a friendship?"
"It's not our decision if he wants to take off—" Buffy said.
"It's more yours than Dawn's, but of course, it is." Xander replied.
"Well, that's not fair!" Buffy shouted.
Xander nodded. "Who cares if it's fair? In about twenty minutes Riley's going to disappear - maybe forever - unless you do something to stop him."
"What is Buffy I supposed to do? Beg him to stay?" Dawn asked. "Or are you suggesting we both have to beg him to stay?"
"More Buffy," Xander replied. "You wouldn't not be facing this if not for…" Xander said before turning his attention toward Buffy. "But Buffy, why wouldn't you? To keep Riley here, you wouldn't –"
Buffy shook her head. "I don't even know who he is! I mean he's...I thought Riley was dependable –"
"Dependable? What is he, State Farm?" Xander asked.
Buffy glanced at her sister and sighed. "He knows what I mean, right?" she asked as Dawn shrugged.
"Yeah, I think you mean convenient," he said answering for Dawn. "I think you took it for granted that he was gonna show up when you wanted him to and take off when you didn't."
"Look who's talking!" Buffy said as she glanced back at her friend. "You've got Anya following you around like a love sick puppy –"
"Oh boy is this not about me –" Xander countered.
"Is she more than a convenience?" Dawn wondered.
"'Cause that'd be kind of a surprise," Buffy added.
Xander stared at the sisters a moment, deadly serious... Maybe they have his number, or maybe he's just got theirs. "If neither of you want to hear what I have to say, I'll shut up right now."
"Good," Buffy and Dawn retorted simultaneously.
"'Cause –" Buffy said.
"I lied. See, what I think? Buffy, you got burned with Angel. Then Riley shows up—" Xander explained.
"Dawn and I both know the story, Xander." Buffy interrupted.
"But you both have missed the point. You shut down, Buffy," Xander explained. "And you've been treating Riley like the rebound guy, when he's the one who comes along once in a lifetime. He's never held back with you—he's risked it all—and you're about to let him fly because you don't like ultimatums?"
Xander looked at the sisters and could tell what he had just said hit Buffy hard. He turned and looked at Dawn. "As I said I understand where your coming from Dawn. You're worried that King Mondo and his Machine Empire might find out and use us to get to you. Or any number of vampires or demons might find out and do the same. You know, Dawn, it surprises me you aren't having this conversation with Buffy, yourself. Trying to persuade her so you don't lose a friend, not to an enemy. That would be easier to take. But to something much more sinister. A broken heart."
Xander turned back toward Buffy as he came at her strong. "If what he needs from you just isn't there—for God's sake, let him go. But if it is? If you can go deeper...Let him get to know that raw, unguarded heart you tried to put away...Maybe you'd better risk something too."
Xander can see that he finally got to both of the sisters as their anger gives way to realization... "Okay. so he's drawn the line. Good. Cause either this is the end—or maybe it's the beginning. It's up to the two of you."
Dawn took Buffy's hand as she hit the teleport button on her wrist communicator and they disappeared in a beam of white light.
Clearing
They appear in the middle of the clearing too late as the helicopter lifted off the ground.
"Riley!" Buffy yelled.
"Riley!" Dawn said into her wrist communicator. And then she saw it lying on a nearby picnic table. Riley had left his wrist communicator behind. "No!" She rushed over and picked it up.
"Riley!" Buffy yelled, desperately. "Dawn, morph, maybe you can get their attention?"
"It won't work," Dawn said as tears fell from her eyes. She walked over to her sister and handed her Riley's wrist communicator. She wrapped an arm around Buffy as they watched the helicopter disappear into the darkness. "I'm sorry, Buffy."
Buffy looked at Dawn and then rest her head on her sister's shoulder as they disappeared once again in a beam of white light.
Summers Home
Buffy and Dawn appeared in the middle of Buffy's bedroom. They sat on the bed in complete sorrow as tears flowed down both of their cheeks. For Buffy the loss was of someone she loved, dearly. For Dawn it was the loss of a friend, her first true loss since she had become a Power Ranger.
They held each other crying till they eventually fell asleep in each other's arms.