- 1 -
In the midst of all the conversations and deliberations, Blake decided to leave them be and get some time alone. He needed it to think about what's just happened. After all this time, nothing could have prepared him for this moment, and it's finally hitting him. He walks far away, towards the shore, to the boats and cargo ships. As a human child, he'd always liked boats. He liked to watch them float and wonder if a future on one would prosper in his direction. But fate had other ideas for poor Blake. It wasn't going to let him get off so easy. He thought to himself, over and over again, he asked himself the same question. Why has she come back, or why has he come back, or why have they found one another again, and why under these circumstances. Over and over again, he would confuse himself with the recurring thought. What's the higher purpose? If every event of every second plays a valuable part of the intricate tale that is the reality of the universe, then why on earth has he come back and why is she human? In his mind, he thinks things through, as dark and incomprehensible as his mind may be, it is also smart. But this time, he won't make use of it. He can't think straight, he can't see the situation for what it really is. Is it just his reward for his efforts depressing the darkness that would have otherwise overturned good? Is she finally in his life just to show him, that there is still good in this world? This is a conclusion his heart refuses him to finalize with. It would have too many possibilities to backfire. He would never let his heart open up to anything or anyone after all this time living his life. But who's to say things can't change.
- 2 -
"You're not sleeping with him!" "But Buffy, he's so cute" Dawn whined "Dawn, your fifteen for god's sake, you keep begging to be treated like an adult, act like one!" Buffy counter argued "Fine!" Dawn complained as she threw her teddy at Buffy who caught it and left Dawn's room holding, not to let it remain within her sister's grasp. Buffy walked down the hallway towards her room, quickly at first, pleased at her latest victory over the young teenager, but slowed as she studied the teddy bear. She looked at it long and hard. Rustling its soft fur, and looking at it's beady button eyes, it got to her. At the same time she envied her little sister, yet she, as any older sister would, she loathed her sister's innocence. Buffy never got that chance. When Buffy was Dawns age, she had a job doing night shifts accompanied by a watcher. But Dawn, she's just a simple teenager with simple needs and wants. Buffy wanted that more than anything. But she knew it would never be. She looked at the teddy bear and dreamed of another life where she was fighting with her sister about boys, who gets the television remote, and fighting for their mother's love. But here they are, with a mother deceased, fighting over weather Dawn gets to see the gruesome happenings or weather Dawn did or did not get involved in the black arts. We all play the hand we were dealt, but no one more than Buffy hated her hand more. She wanted normality, but the standard normality. Not the normal where the opening conversation words are 'Kill anything last night?' It can't be good for the soul. "Buffy?" Dawn said. Buffy didn't reply, she was too deep in thought. Dawn approached her and laid her hand on Buffy's shoulder. It surprised her so much Dawn jumped back. "I'm sorry" Dawn said hesitantly. "No, sorry, it's alright, I was just thinking" "About what?" Dawn asked "I doesn't matter, just little things" "I'm sorry about that" Dawn apologised again "No, I was jumpy" "Not that, about my bear" "Oh, it's alright, I just forgot that your still a kid" Buffy said "I'm not a k." "I didn't mean, I, you know what I meant" Buffy tried to clarify. "I knew what you meant. But if I can't sleep with my bear, can I at least sleep with you?" "Sure" Buffy accepted. They both walked to Buffy's room and Buffy handed Dawn the bear. "No, you keep him" Dawn smiled. And at that Buffy hugged the little teddy and Dawn hugged Buffy making then trip and fell straight on the floor, Buffy first, instinctively taking the fall and letting Dawn's fall be broken by her. They both squealed at first, but started to laugh. They got up to have Willow and Tara at the bedroom door with curious eyes and ready questions. The second they saw the girls happy faces, they gave a small smile, rolled their eyes, and went back to bed. While in bed, Dawn asked. "Buffy?" But Buffy didn't respond. Dawn gave her a little poke in the side.
"Uh, Dawn?" "Oh, your awake, I want to ask you something" "Yeah, I'm awake thank you very much, what do you want?" "You've known all sorts of vampires. Evil ones, good ones, well there was Angel, and then there's spike, he's evil, but he does good, you can sense these things better than I can." "Is this about Blake?" Buffy asked "What? No, it's about me." "About you? Dawn, your not a vampire! You're not that girlfriend of Blake's. Your Dawn. That vamp, what's her name, is dead." "But I'm still in her body, there might be some of her left" "Dawn, do you think I wouldn't' have noticed?" "I guess not" Buffy knew very well, that she said that to keep Dawn happy, to keep her curiosities to a minimum. The thought in the back of her mind, constantly pushing it's way to the conscious lobe, was the fact of weather the monks did or did not completely remove Allyah's mind. But weather it's the vampire Allyah or the human Allyah that's in Dawn, she will only discover in due time.
- 3 -
"We have a problem" "Blake, your on the hellmouth, of course there will be problems" "Areathea'us, you don't understand, Allyah is here" "Are you sure? It's not someone like her? I heard rumors of her death not too long ago" "I wouldn't be surprised if they were entirely accurate Areathea'us." "For what on earth do you mean?" "What I mean is that she was.wait" Blake stopped, he heard something from outside. He laid the phone down and went to inspect the sounds. So quiet, he crept outside through the back way for a better view of the situation. He could see a silhouette hidden in some bushes near his front door. He approached it confidentially. The shadow jumped to its feet and merely defended itself, no attack, Blake could only sense fear. "Who are you?" Blake asked the shadow. "I I, my names Alice." She stuttered. "What do you want with me?" "I er, I heard the infamous vampire was in town. I had to see myself." "What do you want with me?" "You already said that" "Because you haven't answered it." "Well, I.." "Wait" Blake interrupted." He went inside for a moment to conclude his call and bid farewell. "Now, talk" "Well, I.." "You aren't human?!" "No, I'm the same as you" "Then god help you, how do you think you can compare yourself with me?" "They said you were invincible, they didn't tell me that you were also vain" "Tell me why you're here now!" He said in a stern voice. "I wanted help, I live everyday with a conscience, I live my life, or if you could call it one, and care." "What do you want me to do about it?" "I don't know. I thought you might know" "How on earth should I? If I were the same as you, I wouldn't know more than you. Now how can I help you?" "I could help you?" "I don't need help" "I'm sure you could do with some, sometime, somewhere." She approached him with calm eyes. Normally a being in her situation would be weary and full of fear, yet she didn't feel it. She seemed to look into him. "I can help you, no-one needs to do anything alone. Not even the doomed." At that, Blake went into his house and walked through his doorway not closing it. So, she followed. "Why are you here anyway?" Alice asked. "Business" He said "What business?" "My business" "Fine" Alice concluded. She looked around the room. Little belongings, a few newspapers, a fridge of course, probably with sachets of blood in it, and what she noticed most of all, there were no weapons. None of any kind. For some reason, this didn't surprise her. She didn't really expect a warrior, she didn't expect to find some vampire strewn with weapons and blood, she expected to find a young, vulnerable kid lost in a world that wouldn't except him. The reason for this being the fact that it's exactly how she feels and thinks. She's just hoping to find another like her to share her pain with. "Where are you from?" Blake asked breaking the silence. "I can't remember. I just woke up one day, and I was what I am now. I can't recall life before this, and I couldn't think of how I could be what I am." "And what's that?" "Dead, yet still feeling the emotions of someone alive" "Yeah, well life's a bitch, weather your living it or not" "I know, and you know it as well as I do, don't you. Living a dead life, caring for the people who inevitably outcast you for what you are. Never to see the light of day. Doomed for eternity. Doomed for eternity alone" "And why do you think I, of all people would give you asylum?" "Because you want to, you need me, you need someone like you to be with, someone who knows exactly what your going through" "You know nothing of what I'm going through" "Maybe not specific details, but the general effect, I know how it feels to be like us" Blake didn't argue. He just looked into her eyes, long and hard. He searched her, he started to understand her and agree with her, but most importantly, accept her. She was right, no-one should have to cope alone. Not even them.
- 4 -
Morning broke; sun shining, Blake and Alice confined to their refuge, while the others bask in the light. "Buffy?" Dawn asked. "What Dawn" She labored. "I just wanted to know if you wanted breakfast" "What are you making?" "Dunno yet, I thought I'd decide after I asked you" "Oh. Well, you choose. Breakfast isn't the most important thing on my mind" "Well it should be, you can't be the best slayer you can be without a good breakfast." "Yeah, thanks Dawn, I'll have whatever you want" Buffy said invoking a giggle from Dawn. "Great, I'll try something new then" "Except one of your weird concoctions." Buffy enforced. "Not fair, you said anything I wanted" Dawn moaned "Yeah, anything normal." "Fine, normal pancakes it is, with normal butter and syrup" "Sounds nice" Buffy said as she laid back into her bed. While Buffy was having her last bite of her pancake, Dawn asked; "This is your day off right?" "Day off what?" "Off slaying!?" "Oh yes, cause the powers of darkness always have Sunday off to rest" "Oh come one Buffy, I was hoping we could do something today." "Like what?" Buffy forced out knowing she had something in store for her. "I dunno, what do sisters normally do?" Dawn asked as she sat next to Buffy. "Well, I'll go steal your favorite doll, and you can go complain to M." Buffy paused and gave Dawn a painful look. Dawn returned it and approached Buffy with a hug. "Alright, we'll do something. What did you have in mind" Buffy said trying to get back to the level. "The movies? Shopping? Topped off with a very unhealthy dinner?" "Sounds like a plan" "Great! I'll go get dressed" Dawn said excitedly as she ran straight to her room. Buffy just sat there for a moment. She was still a little upset about her little self-reminder of her mother's absence. On their way to the cinemas Dawn stopped. "What's wrong?" "I don't know" Dawn stated. She looked around a little. Confused, she said to Buffy. "I feel something, I don't know what, but I feel something here" "What exactly?" "I have no idea, It feels strange, Like Dé ja veau, but then again, it's sort'a not. Let's just go" "Sure" Dawn looked around a little more as they left. She studied the area hoping to find something strikingly familiar, but nothing would jog her memory. But she did see one thing, a statue. She stopped, but this time Buffy didn't query her change of course, she just stopped as well and watched her sister. Dawn lost all emotion in her face as she started to walk towards the statue. She got to about three, maybe four meters within its proximity until something struck her. A feeling rushed through her like a steam train, until everything went black.
- 5 -
"..Dawn.." "..Dawn.." Dawn was just lying there, motionless with her head resting in Buffy's lap.
"Dawn" At that her eyes began to flicker and she awoke with a fright and jumped to her feet and backed off quickly. "Dawn, what's wrong?" Buffy promptly said trying to help her sister. "What the hell was that?" Dawn said "What was what?" "What just happened?" Dawn said with fear in her eyes and voice. "You walked up to that statue, stopped, and fell down. Why? What do you think happened?" "Buffy I don't want to go to the movies. I want go home." "Sure, are you alright?" "Physically, maybe, but emotionally, well, don't ask." "You know I'm going to break that soon and ask, Dawn" "Just leave it a while please" "Ok, consider the interrogation averted for the while." "Yeah, thanks" Dawn said as she walked and moved closer to Buffy turning on the occasion to check up on the statue. There was something she couldn't explain about it, but it seemed to scare her, but she didn't fear it. Dawn knew what happened, she didn't understand it and it was because of this, she kept it to herself. "Dawn?" Buffy asked still worried about Dawn's facial blankness. "I'm fine alright" Dawn scolded "Geez, quick to jump, I was going to ask why you were so quiet about it all. I would have thought you were so eager for sister day. I know I was." "Sorry, I just got a shock is all." "What shocked you?" "Oh, nothing, just the blackout" Buffy wasn't convinced. She wanted to know what was going on in that little head, and was prepared to wait as long as it takes.
- 6 -
"Want to get some breakfast?" "No"
"Come on, I'm so hungry and I want company." "I'm sure your sense of insecurity and ungrounded optimism is company enough." "I spose your right, I am optimistic, but I'm willing to wait. I got patience" "Yeah, I'd hope so, you've got eternity to wait." "Blake, please, for what I heard, you were in the business of helping people." "Your not people" "Neither are you" "Not the point" "Blake! It's exactly the point. You're always brooding about your eternity of depression, grow up for god's sake. I'm willing to be a friend. Who have you got in your life who's in my position besides me? As much as you don't want me here, it's gotta be better than being alone. Look at what it's done with the remains of your soul" "I'm hungry" Alice looked down for a moment, conjured a smile and gave it to him. Blake saw and felt better for it, he felt better for his acceptance, and found something he hadn't had before. Alice walked to the door and displayed herself at the door inviting him to leave first. Blake, regardless of who it was, would never turn his back on someone on request. So he stood there with Alice looking disappointed, walked through the door. She wasn't too disappointed, she knew she was asking too much of him that night. He's still a vampire after all. "Alice, there are vampires like us, others, why me?" "I don't know. I just saw you once and felt the strangest feeling towards you. It was an unspoken connection" "Oh really?" Blake splurted sarcastically. "And I couldn't sound more corny and cliqued if I tried. But you know what I mean, I'm sure it's happened to you." "Well yeah, I guess there have been incidents." "Of which I doubt I could ever get out of you" "Bingo" "Well I guess I won't try then." "Clever girl" Alice stopped to have Blake stop with her and look at her with curious eyes. "But I assure you, if I knew, I'd tell you. You know that right?" "What you're here for?!" "Well, yeah, that and what it is that I feel." "I know you will" Blake said with power in his voice that seemed to show her not that he did indeed have power, but that if she want's to be on his good side and be friends, she should keep her word and divulge all that she knows, he'd only find out anyway. "Blake?" These words were only too familiar. The tone, the sound, and the patriotism in the voice. Blake only just turned and looked, no reaction, no emotion, no response what so ever. "So nice to see you again, who's this then, so much for the lone wolf act" It was Buffy and she wasn't too understanding towards the being whom recently intruded into her life and that of her sisters. "I'm Alice. You are?" "I'm none of your business. You're really a piece of work Blake. I thought you were against that kind." Blake just stared through her. He knew of what she was implying, and where she was going with it, and he didn't appreciate it. "Unless you have matters concerning Allyah, I'll be asking you to leave." "It's Dawn, your little girlfriend is dead, ya know? Deceased, no more! And she's not coming back. She's Dawn now." Buffy seemed to be feeling a lack of power since his arrival, she needed to get that out, just to satisfy her ego. Alice instantly stepped in between Buffy and Blake disrupting his view of her. "Back off. I don't care who you are, back the hell off" As much as Blake surely didn't need her help, he liked the fact someone was on his side because they wanted to be. When it was Dawn defending him, she was overwhelmed with emotion about her connection with him. Not like this, Alice's friendship was clear. Free from emotions of the effect. Alice stepped aside while Blake looked into Buffy. "You know, presumptions get you no where. They'll just get you killed cause of a lack of accurate knowledge. Well, I guess I can only hope then. Buffy. The fact that you're protecting her is the only fact that may be keeping you alive right now. I don't like you. I'll ask, sorry, tell you now. Unless your presence is needed, don't give it to me. It's the last thing I need." As he said that Buffy became more on the offence. She approached Blake to have Alice return to her position between them but Buffy wouldn't have it. She gave Alice a hook to the side of the head sending her some distance into a gutter to have her head thump against the concrete leaving a large gash in her scalp. Blake didn't directly do anything in her defense, although his point was made clear when Buffy saw the anger in his every facial feature. So full of anger, in it's every demonic instance. He changed and emitted a low, quiet, deep throat growl. Alice watched him as he slowly approached Buffy. She knew what he was implying, and she wasn't feeling up for a fight. "Be seeing you," She said while turning and walking away watching Alice all the way. Blake turned to Alice and returned to normal. He watched her for a moment while she got up. Nursing her head, Blake approached at looked at her wound. He left her to enter a nearby shop, which sold kitchen goods. He grabbed a kitchen towel and left. The shopkeeper was too busy watching his comedy programs. He went up to her and soaked up the excess blood with it and after it was all gone, he held it to her wound, but Alice placed her hand over Blake's indicating to him that she wanted to hold it. Blake backed off and she gave him a gratifying smile. There was something strange about her that seemed familiar. It wasn't who she was, it was something different. It might have just been the fact that she was so willing to confide in him, making him feel something he'd been missing in so long. Maybe he has just grasped the opportunity as much as someone in his situation could. Never the less, she's exactly what he needs, a friend. Her smile quickly faded as they started back to Blake's place.
- 7 -
Buffy slowly walked in the back door to have Dawn run up to her giving her an excruciatingly tight hug. "Who died?" Buffy asked "No one, just glad to have you home" "What happened, what did you break?" "Nothing" Dawn said aloud. Buffy went straight to the fridge, grabbed the milk and drank straight from the carton. "You sure do make up for the lack of father figure influence don't you" Dawn laughed. "You wouldn't guess who I ran into tonight" "Blake?" Dawn said with haste. "Oh, good guess. He's got himself a new girlfriend" "What?" Dawn was eager to find out about this new girl. As much as it wasn't her business, she felt as if it concerned her in someway. Or it could be the curiosity of the teenager. "Oh, a girl called Alice. Vampire" Dawn didn't say anything after that, she just looked away, and went upstairs to her room. Dawn thought to herself why she felt weird about Blake being with another girl. To Dawn, this situation was just Blake wanting to be with his own kind, there's no room in his life for a kid human. At least it's only a presumption of hers and not a fact.
- 8 -
The next day would bring a great change in how all would see, and perceive each other, some forever, some for the moment. But in the end, this will be a day no one will ever forget, mind you, all will try. "Buffy, I was thinking" "Well, your not at school, so I'm not surprised" "Shut up. I was thinking we should try that sister day again. There's a new movie out and I really want to see it with you" "If you want to, I have the day off, sure. Let's go" Buffy said invoking a huge smile from her sister. "Great" Dawn enthusiastically called on her way up the stairs. "Going somewhere?" Willow asked as she walked in through the back door. "Willow! Hi!" "Hey" "How'd you know?" "I heard Dawn from outside and if she's that happy about something, she must be doing something with her big sis." "Well, yeah, we're going to the movies" "Good for you." "You don't want to come do you?" "Oh no, I'm meeting with Tara today, we got a few things we need to do" "Ok." Dawn came parading down the stairs like there was a fire all ready for action. "Ready?" Dawn asked Buffy "Oh, Hey Willow" "We were meant to get ready?" "My rushed preparation wasn't a big enough sign?" "Yes Dawn, I'm ready. Let's go, Bye Willow" "Yeah, bye Willow, ya don't wanna come do you?" "No Dawn, it's alright, I have to meet Tara today anyway." "Oh, ok, have fun." Dawn was so pleased at first, but when they got to the letterbox, she hesitated. Buffy stopped and inquired. "Dawn, are you alright?" "Yeah, I'm fine sorry. It's just that I was thinking about the last time." "We can avoid the statue!?" "Yeah, alright" They pushed on. By the time the movie finished, it was time for lunch, so the girls thought it was more then enough cue to have some unhealthy take away. Post lunch, they topped off the afternoon with some excessive shopping. During this, the others were grouped in the Magic Shop in their usual research mode. "Does anyone know what a rathcahn is?" Xander asked the others. "Where did you find that?" Giles asked him "In this book here. Kinda old lookin'." "Of course it's old looking, most of these are centuries old." Giles said as he picked up the book and proceeded to read the passage concerning the rathcahn. "Xander, I think you've found something of extreme relevance to Dawn" "Damn it" Xander pouted "That's relevance Xander, that's a good thing," Willow corrected "Oh, how so?" Xander asked but Giles didn't' respond; he was too immersed in the book. "It says here, the rathcahn is a demon who was banished to an orb a few millenniums ago. Since then he resided in this orb, trapped" Giles said breaking the silence. "And?" "Well, rathcahn was a very powerful demon, possessing power of the physical and immense spiritual kind. Apparently, this orb places all his power into the orb itself. If someone were to possess this orb, they, if used properly, could control his power. But what does it have to do with all this?" As time went by, information was accumulated and charted. "I think I have it" Giles called making Willow jump, Tara drop her water, and woke Xander making him fall from his chair. "Oh dear, sorry. The only way Rathcahn could have a connection with this is if the monks used the orb as the pivotal ritual piece." "Huh" Xander right on queue questioned Giles "Well we have the key, the pivotal piece, and the subjects. They can't just use the key; they need fuel for it, which may have been the orb. But the only ritual I can find is one where they used two subjects for the ritual to hide the key." Giles explained. "So I'm guessing one of them was Dawn, or Allyah." Tara contributed "Yes, but there was another one. Allyah took the key's power, and the other took Allyah's demonic inhabitance. It would have been a bin for the ritual." "But they would have killed them though, right?" Willow asked "Not sure" Giles said
- 9 -
It was dark by this time and Dawn and Buffy were on their way back. By mistake, they passed through the vicinity of the statue. Dawn saw it and gave a small moan of displeasure. "Buffy." "Yeah, back the way we came" But they were stopped by the presence of Blake and Alice. "Following us were you?" Buffy inquired "If you like" Blake patronized "Your Alice?" Dawn asked "Yeah, hi" She said with an optimistic tone. "Are, are you Allyah?" "Dawn!" Dawn said with subtle anger in her voice. "Sorry, I'm adjusting" But Dawn wasn't too accepting, she didn't' like to see her with Blake for some reason. "You been alright?" Blake asked Dawn "Yeah, fine I guess" She replied to have Buffy grab her arm and drag her away, but Dawn didn't want to leave, she pulled away and went back. "Dawn! Get away from them, we're going home." "What's wrong, what's with the change of tune?" Dawn asked "No change, I just don't like them. I don't want you around them" Dawn refused to comply so Buffy persisted to enforce her ascertain by stepping in Dawns path and pushing her in the direction of home. Blake stood in their way to have Buffy strike him sending him against a wall. "Stay out of this! I don't care who you are, you have no right here" Blake rose to his feet and returned to his position in their way to have Alice join him. Dawn backed away, but Buffy didn't follow, she was concrete in front of the two ready for battle. Buffy struck Alice in the chest with a sidekick sending her some distance opening up her previous wound. Blake jumped to the moment striking Buffy two times in either side of her head until Buffy blocked them and kicked Blake in the torso sending him backwards while Alice took his place fighting Buffy. Alice tried once, twice, but couldn't take her, so all else failed, reverted to her demonic side and punched Buffy clean in the head sending her flying through the air. Alice turned to Blake, but he didn't move. He was frozen. He saw Alice's face, and couldn't speak. He approached her slowly inspecting her demonic features with great detail. Buffy jumped to her feet and tried to attack the pair, but Blake changed and grabbed Buffy by the throat. "That's it! That's the end of it. Leave now!" Blake said with loud power that sent chills down Buffy's spine. Blake looked hard into Alice's face. "I thought you knew" Alice questioned. But Blake wasn't worried about that. "You don't know where you came from?" "No" "Allyah" "What?" "Your Allyah. Your face" "What?" "I don't know, but your demon is Allyah's demonic face" Blake couldn't comprehend what was happening. "How could this be?" While all this took place, Dawn watched in amazement. She wasn't sure what to think. She wasn't in the slightest sure of what was happening in the first place. Buffy took Dawn home while the other two were left to bask in the uncertainty. How was Blake meant to comprehend this, and how was he supposed to accept it. Something like this isn't taken lightly when it comes to acceptance. Especially when it comes to people such as this. Set so much in his ways, living the same for half a lifetime, events of this extent can do awful things to the mind. For the rest of the night, Blake and Alice retired to his hotel room for the remaining hours deliberating their pasts, and their present thoughts trying to bring order and comprehension to the chaos at present. "Are you alright Dawn?" Buffy asked. "I dunno. I guess I'll be fine." Dawn responded as she slowed slightly. Buffy joined her in the deceleration. "He said she was Allyah. How can she be Allyah?" Dawn continued "I don't know, don't worry about it Dawn, it's not our concern for now, let's just get home." Buffy assured "But I want to know, I have to know" "I'm sure it'll all work itself out in time, for now, let's just ease up alright, we'll just go talk to Giles, he'll know what to do" Buffy said again trying to re-assure her sister, also in the process trying to re- assure herself. Buffy needed it just as much, or maybe more than her sister. All things considered, her little sister was in for a long time of excruciating awakenings. And Buffy knew it as clear as day. At that moment, Dawn stopped. Completely still, she looked towards her sister, but not properly focussing on her, she looked past her to a point beyond her position. 'Buffy.." Dawn faintly gasped out as she swayed back and forth slowly, then while Buffy was on her way to catch her, she fell too fast for her sister to help. She hit the ground with a thump knocking her head leaving a small wound. Small enough not to need stitches, but big enough to allow blood to flow freely. "Dawn!" Buffy screamed as she clasped her sister will loving arms for what seemed forever. She lay there limp and lifeless. Breathing with a pulse, but unconscious she remained for some time until suddenly she arose with a large gasp of air and wide frightened eyes. She let out a cry and tears started to pass over her cheeks, slowly at first, but soon a stream of tears joined them when she tried to explain to her older sister of her. "Dawn, what happened and don't just say you blacked out" "I saw things" "What things?" "Awful things" "More information please" "I don't know, I think they were memories. First I thought they were nightmares but they are too vivid." "Memories of what?" "Allyah" Buffy looked into Dawns fear riddled eyes, not wanting to dive further into her mind; she had to know what she was going through. "What did you see?" "I saw fire, little robe people." "Monks?" Buffy corrected "Yeah, them. I think it was the ritual. I remember what Allyah felt. What she thought. She was there to stop them. Alice was there too. She was trying to kill her. She was going to kill the monks too." Dawn started to cry harder until Buffy intervened. "Don't worry, we'll talk about this later. But Dawn, you said you thought they were like dreams at first. How long have these been going on?" "At the stature, just before and once at home when you weren't there." "I think we need to see the other's about this." "Wait, I don't want them to hear about this." Dawn cried "Dawn, they have to know if we are to find out what's going on so we can end this. It can't be kept secretive. It's too late for that" Dawn accepted her sisters plead and they set off for the Magic Shop. "Buffy, I don't want to go, I just want to go home tonight. I just want to be alone tonight." "But we need you there" "You'll be fine with what you have. I'm going home." "I'll walk you" "Thanks Buffy" They set off for home, and Dawn went straight to her room and instantly to bed. Buffy stayed for a while until she went downstairs and called the others. "Hello?" "Giles, its Buffy" "Oh, where are you?" "I'm at home, I need you and the others to come here and bring some dirt on the monks who performed the ritual that made Dawn, and I want everything you know on the monks themselves, everything! And all you have on Blake. There's this new girl with Blake. Her name's Alice. Something happened, and Blake called her Allyah when she turned vamp. Blake said something about Allyah's demon. Oh, she's a vampire." "I already got that Buffy" "Bring anything that sounds relevant" "Oh, Buffy, I think we have exactly what your looking for, but can't you come here, this is rather inconvenient" "Dawn's not leaving the house, and neither am I" "Alright, see you soon" Buffy hung up and resided to the lounge room couch until the other's arrived.
- 10 -
They got there, set up shop all while Blake and Alice tried to get to the bottom of their dilemma. As much as they tried, they couldn't figure out what was happening. All discussions were interrupted by a knock at the door. Blake walked slowly to the door, completely distracted with the current situation, opened the door to find Dawn standing there. "Sure this is the best place to be?" Blake asked "I think so" Dawn said with confidence in her voice. "Alice" Dawn greeted "Dawn" Alice returned. "What do you want?" Blake asked with a tone consisting of anger and unsteady emotions. "What? What's wrong with me being here, it's Buffy that doesn't like you, not me." "You're her sister" Alice added but to have Dawn look upon her gravely which was very unsteadying for Alice. Dawn approached her without an ounce of fear or uncertainty. "You don't remember me?" Dawn questioned not expecting the response she had "No, well yeah" "How?" Dawn asked "You were Allyah until the monks got to you." "Remember the monks?" Dawn perused "How would I remember them?" "Gee, quite easily. From when you were there." "Where?" "You were there when they performed the ritual. Stop playing us!" Dawn screamed "Playing who? What the hell are you talking about?" Alice defended approaching Dawn. But Blake was there to step in between them. "Dawn what are you talking about?" Blake said trying to bring reason to it all. "What, you can't tell me you've fallen for her act?" "What act?" Alice screamed "Alice, settle down, Dawn, explain from the beginning" "Well." Dawn's glares phased from Blake to Alice. "Alice was there when I was made and tried to kill me." 'Hmmph' Alice let out a grunt. "I honestly don't know where you got that from. I'm serious. Please, I know who you are and the last thing I want is for you to think like that about me. I'm here as a friend of Blake. Not to become anyone's enemy." "Where did you get this from Dawn?" Blake asked "Just so happens, Allyah's not gone after all" Dawn explained. Blake just looked at her, gave her a hard look which drew the information from her. "Allyah's always been in me, but recently, she's been finding her way out." And then Dawn looked into Alice's eyes, cold and hard, and said. "I see you". This invoked fear in Alice. For Dawn to say something like that to her scared her. To Alice, all this was new. She only knew what she's had recently been told. But Dawn wasn't going to be easily convinced of Alice's loss of memory. Although that's hardly a valid reason for the lack of justice. "Blake, can I please talk to Dawn privately for a moment?" Blake looked questionably at Alice for a moment. "Please?" Alice pleaded. Blake looked to Dawn to have her nod to him. So he left for a moment, but he didn't go far. "So how do you see me?" Alice asked her. "You tried to kill me." "I did?" "And the monks" Dawn said which induced a strange look from Alice, which turned slowly into a small smile. "I did!" "You can't keep playing him. He's stronger than you, his mind is stronger than you." Dawn said "But you see little girl. I never tried to kill you. It's not your death that I wanted; it was your demon. Blake will be the most powerful demon this world this world will ever see, and it's your demon which can control him. I have it, I am it. I will control him. I win. And I do hope now that I'm talking to Allyah, not Dawn." "I hope you are, cause then when I kill you, it will be Allyah, not Dawn." Dawn said as her eyes turned to anger and hate. She was starting to remember more of her past. Her association with Alice and who she was. They were simple rivals. Both on their missions to help their side. Allyah to create Blake to turn the side of good and Alice to control the ultimate paradox to satisfy her power lust. Although Allyah had no idea her creation of Blake was the start of the paradox that was prophesized, all she knew that she was told that her life consisted of living a life dead, and being the tool that helped the side of good. She just didn't know how. Alice on the other hand, made her own prophecies. She was to be the controller of this world. She was to become the power revered and feared in this world. Or that's what she said. Once she knew of Blake, she did everything in her power to become a part of his life to make him a part of hers. She just knew a little too much. Hence she killed the sacrifice and replaced herself with it. This way she would possess the one thing in this world that could ever come close to Blake. But from then, it was up to her to find him. All this was always in Dawn, but it resided deep in her mind. Deep down and it was a moment like this that triggered it. "So..Dawn. When were you intending on killing me?" Alice got up from her seat and approached her, but Dawn jumped up and hit her in the side of the head with a lamp and ran out the front door. Blake came out from the other room and ran straight out the door and called after Dawn. But she was quick enough to escape his sights. "What the hell happened?" Blake questioned Alice tried to look sweet and innocent and replied "I don't know. She jumped to these strange conclusions and hit me in the head with the freaken lamp. Did that open up that cut again?" "No, it's alright" Blake looked hard into Alice's eyes, but his glares weren't returned, she was busy trying to look innocent. He didn't have the heart to condemn her at the moment, but he was more than prepared for the worst.
- 11 -
Dawn ran straight home expecting to find an empty house, she thought Buffy would be at the Magic shop with the others. But she ran through the front door, running to Xander, and seeing the group in the lounge room huddled around a pile of books and papers. With tears streaming down her face Buffy jumps to her feet and rushes over to Dawn. "What the hell do you think your doing leaving the house like that?" "Buffy" Dawn whimpered. "You could have been hurt or something" "Buffy" Dawn whimpered again with a slight increase in volume "I can't believe you are so irr." Buffy was interrupted. "Buffy!" Dawn cried. The others got up and fully focussed their attention on Dawn. "Blake's in trouble" Dawn told her. "How?" Buffy asked "Alice want's to control Blake. She did something to me.." "Yeah, we know who she is. There were two people in the ritual to make you. Alice and you. Alice got Allyah's demon." Buffy explained "No! Alice killed the other sacrifice so she could take its place to get my demon. So she can control Blake with it." "Allyah's demon!" Buffy scolded. "Buffy get over it!" Dawn said "and I think she want's to kill me. Then she won't have anything to hold her back" "Are you sure about this Dawn" Giles asked "Yeah" she responded. "Saddle up!" Buffy called to the others. "Dawn stay here. Tara, can you stay with her?" "Sure" Tara agreed "No, I'm not staying here" Dawn argued "Like hell you aren't! You're not going anywhere and that's final Dawn!" Buffy looked her hard in the eyes, she wasn't going to take anything that night, she had someone who wants to kill her sister, and history show's that Buffy isn't the easiest person to talk to during these times. They all got weapons and set off for Blake's hotel. Dawn slumped onto the couch to have Tara sit down next to her and held her close comforting her. They were beginning to settle down until Buffy stormed back through the door. "Where is his place?" Buffy asked Dawn. "Near the statue" Dawn answered. And Buffy left once more. "She might hurt Blake." Dawn said with fear. "Don't worry Dawny, Buffy knows what's best, He'll be fine" Tara reassured Dawn. They sat there silent and still awaiting their return. Alice and Blake were sitting calmly in their room until a crossbow arrow flew through the window taking out the television. Blake jumped into position and Alice fled into a retreat behind the armchair. Buffy kicked the door in and jumped into the hotel room brandishing a large sword. "Where is she?" Buffy ordered "Get the hell out of here" Blake commanded. Buffy spotted Alice crouched behind the chair and made for her but to no avail. Blake struck her dead on with a roundhouse to the upper torso sending her through the window. The others all made way into the house to lend some assistance, but if he were to send the slayer away with such ease, the scoobies wouldn't be too far behind. Alice Ran straight the front door but ran into Xander. He held her until she hit him with the back of her head giving him a blood nose. Then Giles was behind him who struck her with a baseball bat knocking her into the side of the house. He approached her for another until Blake approached him. Giles tried to attack Blake, he swung the bat at him but Blake simple punched the bat and broke it in two. It was all chaos. Everyone mixed up in blood and messy fighting all the while Alice backed away unnoticed. But she stopped in her tracks when something caught her eye. Someone was watching her. It was Dawn, standing in the shadows. She stepped out of her dark hole into the light where she was joined by Alice. "So innocent. So damned oblivious" Alice patronized Dawn. "No, I'm completely aware. I understand your little games. It's the end." Dawn watched Alice walk towards her and circle her. Dawn pulled out a drink bottle and started to drink from it. "I hope you enjoy that, it'll be your last" "Yours too" Dawn returned to get a strange and startled look from Alice, until Dawn splashed the water over Alice invoking screams of pain. Holy water. Everyone heard the screams and made towards them. The two were found standing aside each other ready to pounce upon the first chance. "Careful about what your about to do" Blake called. "Yeah, I'd be careful," Alice added. "I'm talking to both of you" Blake corrected All focus was on the two girls. But that changed when Buffy struck Blake with all her strength sending him a great distance back through the window into the hotel room. At that Alice changed and made for Buffy and all the others went to Buffy's defense. Alice Dodged Buffy's offensive and struck her with several hooks to the head and kicked her into Willow and Xander. Giles tried to make up for it but was fast sent to the others in a similar fashion. Blake jumped back out through the window but felt relieved to see Alice safe. But that all changed when Alice's face turned to pain and fear and soon, to dust revealing Dawn behind her holding a stake. Blake's entire being changed from anger to something beyond that. A cataclysmic hate that drives him in every day was released in its entirety at that one moment. Buffy saw this in his eyes and saw that these eyes were looking at Dawn. Buffy and the others all went for Blake while Dawn tried to retreat behind them. They all had weapons. Buffy had a large dagger, Xander had the remains of the baseball bat, Giles had another large dagger, and willow was using the other end of the broken bat. Blake struck Xander's weapon sending that flying, then hit him Xander himself in the back. Defeated Willow in a similar fashion, then Giles and Buffy came at him with their all. But Blake took it as it came. Giles lunged towards Blake but he swiped the dagger from his hands sending it soaring through the air until it ended up in a wall centimeters from Dawn's head. Dawn saw it and stopped in her tracks. Buffy, enraged, went at him once more but Blake kicked the dagger from her hand sending it flying to the other side of Dawn's head. From there, Blake kicked Buffy in the upper body where she fell backwards into her friends while Blake approached Dawn. "I do know one thing now." Blake said to her. He looked into her eyes in a way that filled her with a painful fear. She had no idea what he would do. She couldn't imagine the awful thoughts streaming through his mind at that time. "Allyah's dead. I know that for sure now" he finalized as he swept away while the others ran to Dawn. Buffy stopped when she reached her distressed sister to have her collapse in her arms. "He tried to kill you" Buffy told her sister. "No he didn't, to him, I'm already dead"
Buffy Chimera
Paradine Rogue
In the midst of all the conversations and deliberations, Blake decided to leave them be and get some time alone. He needed it to think about what's just happened. After all this time, nothing could have prepared him for this moment, and it's finally hitting him. He walks far away, towards the shore, to the boats and cargo ships. As a human child, he'd always liked boats. He liked to watch them float and wonder if a future on one would prosper in his direction. But fate had other ideas for poor Blake. It wasn't going to let him get off so easy. He thought to himself, over and over again, he asked himself the same question. Why has she come back, or why has he come back, or why have they found one another again, and why under these circumstances. Over and over again, he would confuse himself with the recurring thought. What's the higher purpose? If every event of every second plays a valuable part of the intricate tale that is the reality of the universe, then why on earth has he come back and why is she human? In his mind, he thinks things through, as dark and incomprehensible as his mind may be, it is also smart. But this time, he won't make use of it. He can't think straight, he can't see the situation for what it really is. Is it just his reward for his efforts depressing the darkness that would have otherwise overturned good? Is she finally in his life just to show him, that there is still good in this world? This is a conclusion his heart refuses him to finalize with. It would have too many possibilities to backfire. He would never let his heart open up to anything or anyone after all this time living his life. But who's to say things can't change.
- 2 -
"You're not sleeping with him!" "But Buffy, he's so cute" Dawn whined "Dawn, your fifteen for god's sake, you keep begging to be treated like an adult, act like one!" Buffy counter argued "Fine!" Dawn complained as she threw her teddy at Buffy who caught it and left Dawn's room holding, not to let it remain within her sister's grasp. Buffy walked down the hallway towards her room, quickly at first, pleased at her latest victory over the young teenager, but slowed as she studied the teddy bear. She looked at it long and hard. Rustling its soft fur, and looking at it's beady button eyes, it got to her. At the same time she envied her little sister, yet she, as any older sister would, she loathed her sister's innocence. Buffy never got that chance. When Buffy was Dawns age, she had a job doing night shifts accompanied by a watcher. But Dawn, she's just a simple teenager with simple needs and wants. Buffy wanted that more than anything. But she knew it would never be. She looked at the teddy bear and dreamed of another life where she was fighting with her sister about boys, who gets the television remote, and fighting for their mother's love. But here they are, with a mother deceased, fighting over weather Dawn gets to see the gruesome happenings or weather Dawn did or did not get involved in the black arts. We all play the hand we were dealt, but no one more than Buffy hated her hand more. She wanted normality, but the standard normality. Not the normal where the opening conversation words are 'Kill anything last night?' It can't be good for the soul. "Buffy?" Dawn said. Buffy didn't reply, she was too deep in thought. Dawn approached her and laid her hand on Buffy's shoulder. It surprised her so much Dawn jumped back. "I'm sorry" Dawn said hesitantly. "No, sorry, it's alright, I was just thinking" "About what?" Dawn asked "I doesn't matter, just little things" "I'm sorry about that" Dawn apologised again "No, I was jumpy" "Not that, about my bear" "Oh, it's alright, I just forgot that your still a kid" Buffy said "I'm not a k." "I didn't mean, I, you know what I meant" Buffy tried to clarify. "I knew what you meant. But if I can't sleep with my bear, can I at least sleep with you?" "Sure" Buffy accepted. They both walked to Buffy's room and Buffy handed Dawn the bear. "No, you keep him" Dawn smiled. And at that Buffy hugged the little teddy and Dawn hugged Buffy making then trip and fell straight on the floor, Buffy first, instinctively taking the fall and letting Dawn's fall be broken by her. They both squealed at first, but started to laugh. They got up to have Willow and Tara at the bedroom door with curious eyes and ready questions. The second they saw the girls happy faces, they gave a small smile, rolled their eyes, and went back to bed. While in bed, Dawn asked. "Buffy?" But Buffy didn't respond. Dawn gave her a little poke in the side.
"Uh, Dawn?" "Oh, your awake, I want to ask you something" "Yeah, I'm awake thank you very much, what do you want?" "You've known all sorts of vampires. Evil ones, good ones, well there was Angel, and then there's spike, he's evil, but he does good, you can sense these things better than I can." "Is this about Blake?" Buffy asked "What? No, it's about me." "About you? Dawn, your not a vampire! You're not that girlfriend of Blake's. Your Dawn. That vamp, what's her name, is dead." "But I'm still in her body, there might be some of her left" "Dawn, do you think I wouldn't' have noticed?" "I guess not" Buffy knew very well, that she said that to keep Dawn happy, to keep her curiosities to a minimum. The thought in the back of her mind, constantly pushing it's way to the conscious lobe, was the fact of weather the monks did or did not completely remove Allyah's mind. But weather it's the vampire Allyah or the human Allyah that's in Dawn, she will only discover in due time.
- 3 -
"We have a problem" "Blake, your on the hellmouth, of course there will be problems" "Areathea'us, you don't understand, Allyah is here" "Are you sure? It's not someone like her? I heard rumors of her death not too long ago" "I wouldn't be surprised if they were entirely accurate Areathea'us." "For what on earth do you mean?" "What I mean is that she was.wait" Blake stopped, he heard something from outside. He laid the phone down and went to inspect the sounds. So quiet, he crept outside through the back way for a better view of the situation. He could see a silhouette hidden in some bushes near his front door. He approached it confidentially. The shadow jumped to its feet and merely defended itself, no attack, Blake could only sense fear. "Who are you?" Blake asked the shadow. "I I, my names Alice." She stuttered. "What do you want with me?" "I er, I heard the infamous vampire was in town. I had to see myself." "What do you want with me?" "You already said that" "Because you haven't answered it." "Well, I.." "Wait" Blake interrupted." He went inside for a moment to conclude his call and bid farewell. "Now, talk" "Well, I.." "You aren't human?!" "No, I'm the same as you" "Then god help you, how do you think you can compare yourself with me?" "They said you were invincible, they didn't tell me that you were also vain" "Tell me why you're here now!" He said in a stern voice. "I wanted help, I live everyday with a conscience, I live my life, or if you could call it one, and care." "What do you want me to do about it?" "I don't know. I thought you might know" "How on earth should I? If I were the same as you, I wouldn't know more than you. Now how can I help you?" "I could help you?" "I don't need help" "I'm sure you could do with some, sometime, somewhere." She approached him with calm eyes. Normally a being in her situation would be weary and full of fear, yet she didn't feel it. She seemed to look into him. "I can help you, no-one needs to do anything alone. Not even the doomed." At that, Blake went into his house and walked through his doorway not closing it. So, she followed. "Why are you here anyway?" Alice asked. "Business" He said "What business?" "My business" "Fine" Alice concluded. She looked around the room. Little belongings, a few newspapers, a fridge of course, probably with sachets of blood in it, and what she noticed most of all, there were no weapons. None of any kind. For some reason, this didn't surprise her. She didn't really expect a warrior, she didn't expect to find some vampire strewn with weapons and blood, she expected to find a young, vulnerable kid lost in a world that wouldn't except him. The reason for this being the fact that it's exactly how she feels and thinks. She's just hoping to find another like her to share her pain with. "Where are you from?" Blake asked breaking the silence. "I can't remember. I just woke up one day, and I was what I am now. I can't recall life before this, and I couldn't think of how I could be what I am." "And what's that?" "Dead, yet still feeling the emotions of someone alive" "Yeah, well life's a bitch, weather your living it or not" "I know, and you know it as well as I do, don't you. Living a dead life, caring for the people who inevitably outcast you for what you are. Never to see the light of day. Doomed for eternity. Doomed for eternity alone" "And why do you think I, of all people would give you asylum?" "Because you want to, you need me, you need someone like you to be with, someone who knows exactly what your going through" "You know nothing of what I'm going through" "Maybe not specific details, but the general effect, I know how it feels to be like us" Blake didn't argue. He just looked into her eyes, long and hard. He searched her, he started to understand her and agree with her, but most importantly, accept her. She was right, no-one should have to cope alone. Not even them.
- 4 -
Morning broke; sun shining, Blake and Alice confined to their refuge, while the others bask in the light. "Buffy?" Dawn asked. "What Dawn" She labored. "I just wanted to know if you wanted breakfast" "What are you making?" "Dunno yet, I thought I'd decide after I asked you" "Oh. Well, you choose. Breakfast isn't the most important thing on my mind" "Well it should be, you can't be the best slayer you can be without a good breakfast." "Yeah, thanks Dawn, I'll have whatever you want" Buffy said invoking a giggle from Dawn. "Great, I'll try something new then" "Except one of your weird concoctions." Buffy enforced. "Not fair, you said anything I wanted" Dawn moaned "Yeah, anything normal." "Fine, normal pancakes it is, with normal butter and syrup" "Sounds nice" Buffy said as she laid back into her bed. While Buffy was having her last bite of her pancake, Dawn asked; "This is your day off right?" "Day off what?" "Off slaying!?" "Oh yes, cause the powers of darkness always have Sunday off to rest" "Oh come one Buffy, I was hoping we could do something today." "Like what?" Buffy forced out knowing she had something in store for her. "I dunno, what do sisters normally do?" Dawn asked as she sat next to Buffy. "Well, I'll go steal your favorite doll, and you can go complain to M." Buffy paused and gave Dawn a painful look. Dawn returned it and approached Buffy with a hug. "Alright, we'll do something. What did you have in mind" Buffy said trying to get back to the level. "The movies? Shopping? Topped off with a very unhealthy dinner?" "Sounds like a plan" "Great! I'll go get dressed" Dawn said excitedly as she ran straight to her room. Buffy just sat there for a moment. She was still a little upset about her little self-reminder of her mother's absence. On their way to the cinemas Dawn stopped. "What's wrong?" "I don't know" Dawn stated. She looked around a little. Confused, she said to Buffy. "I feel something, I don't know what, but I feel something here" "What exactly?" "I have no idea, It feels strange, Like Dé ja veau, but then again, it's sort'a not. Let's just go" "Sure" Dawn looked around a little more as they left. She studied the area hoping to find something strikingly familiar, but nothing would jog her memory. But she did see one thing, a statue. She stopped, but this time Buffy didn't query her change of course, she just stopped as well and watched her sister. Dawn lost all emotion in her face as she started to walk towards the statue. She got to about three, maybe four meters within its proximity until something struck her. A feeling rushed through her like a steam train, until everything went black.
- 5 -
"..Dawn.." "..Dawn.." Dawn was just lying there, motionless with her head resting in Buffy's lap.
"Dawn" At that her eyes began to flicker and she awoke with a fright and jumped to her feet and backed off quickly. "Dawn, what's wrong?" Buffy promptly said trying to help her sister. "What the hell was that?" Dawn said "What was what?" "What just happened?" Dawn said with fear in her eyes and voice. "You walked up to that statue, stopped, and fell down. Why? What do you think happened?" "Buffy I don't want to go to the movies. I want go home." "Sure, are you alright?" "Physically, maybe, but emotionally, well, don't ask." "You know I'm going to break that soon and ask, Dawn" "Just leave it a while please" "Ok, consider the interrogation averted for the while." "Yeah, thanks" Dawn said as she walked and moved closer to Buffy turning on the occasion to check up on the statue. There was something she couldn't explain about it, but it seemed to scare her, but she didn't fear it. Dawn knew what happened, she didn't understand it and it was because of this, she kept it to herself. "Dawn?" Buffy asked still worried about Dawn's facial blankness. "I'm fine alright" Dawn scolded "Geez, quick to jump, I was going to ask why you were so quiet about it all. I would have thought you were so eager for sister day. I know I was." "Sorry, I just got a shock is all." "What shocked you?" "Oh, nothing, just the blackout" Buffy wasn't convinced. She wanted to know what was going on in that little head, and was prepared to wait as long as it takes.
- 6 -
"Want to get some breakfast?" "No"
"Come on, I'm so hungry and I want company." "I'm sure your sense of insecurity and ungrounded optimism is company enough." "I spose your right, I am optimistic, but I'm willing to wait. I got patience" "Yeah, I'd hope so, you've got eternity to wait." "Blake, please, for what I heard, you were in the business of helping people." "Your not people" "Neither are you" "Not the point" "Blake! It's exactly the point. You're always brooding about your eternity of depression, grow up for god's sake. I'm willing to be a friend. Who have you got in your life who's in my position besides me? As much as you don't want me here, it's gotta be better than being alone. Look at what it's done with the remains of your soul" "I'm hungry" Alice looked down for a moment, conjured a smile and gave it to him. Blake saw and felt better for it, he felt better for his acceptance, and found something he hadn't had before. Alice walked to the door and displayed herself at the door inviting him to leave first. Blake, regardless of who it was, would never turn his back on someone on request. So he stood there with Alice looking disappointed, walked through the door. She wasn't too disappointed, she knew she was asking too much of him that night. He's still a vampire after all. "Alice, there are vampires like us, others, why me?" "I don't know. I just saw you once and felt the strangest feeling towards you. It was an unspoken connection" "Oh really?" Blake splurted sarcastically. "And I couldn't sound more corny and cliqued if I tried. But you know what I mean, I'm sure it's happened to you." "Well yeah, I guess there have been incidents." "Of which I doubt I could ever get out of you" "Bingo" "Well I guess I won't try then." "Clever girl" Alice stopped to have Blake stop with her and look at her with curious eyes. "But I assure you, if I knew, I'd tell you. You know that right?" "What you're here for?!" "Well, yeah, that and what it is that I feel." "I know you will" Blake said with power in his voice that seemed to show her not that he did indeed have power, but that if she want's to be on his good side and be friends, she should keep her word and divulge all that she knows, he'd only find out anyway. "Blake?" These words were only too familiar. The tone, the sound, and the patriotism in the voice. Blake only just turned and looked, no reaction, no emotion, no response what so ever. "So nice to see you again, who's this then, so much for the lone wolf act" It was Buffy and she wasn't too understanding towards the being whom recently intruded into her life and that of her sisters. "I'm Alice. You are?" "I'm none of your business. You're really a piece of work Blake. I thought you were against that kind." Blake just stared through her. He knew of what she was implying, and where she was going with it, and he didn't appreciate it. "Unless you have matters concerning Allyah, I'll be asking you to leave." "It's Dawn, your little girlfriend is dead, ya know? Deceased, no more! And she's not coming back. She's Dawn now." Buffy seemed to be feeling a lack of power since his arrival, she needed to get that out, just to satisfy her ego. Alice instantly stepped in between Buffy and Blake disrupting his view of her. "Back off. I don't care who you are, back the hell off" As much as Blake surely didn't need her help, he liked the fact someone was on his side because they wanted to be. When it was Dawn defending him, she was overwhelmed with emotion about her connection with him. Not like this, Alice's friendship was clear. Free from emotions of the effect. Alice stepped aside while Blake looked into Buffy. "You know, presumptions get you no where. They'll just get you killed cause of a lack of accurate knowledge. Well, I guess I can only hope then. Buffy. The fact that you're protecting her is the only fact that may be keeping you alive right now. I don't like you. I'll ask, sorry, tell you now. Unless your presence is needed, don't give it to me. It's the last thing I need." As he said that Buffy became more on the offence. She approached Blake to have Alice return to her position between them but Buffy wouldn't have it. She gave Alice a hook to the side of the head sending her some distance into a gutter to have her head thump against the concrete leaving a large gash in her scalp. Blake didn't directly do anything in her defense, although his point was made clear when Buffy saw the anger in his every facial feature. So full of anger, in it's every demonic instance. He changed and emitted a low, quiet, deep throat growl. Alice watched him as he slowly approached Buffy. She knew what he was implying, and she wasn't feeling up for a fight. "Be seeing you," She said while turning and walking away watching Alice all the way. Blake turned to Alice and returned to normal. He watched her for a moment while she got up. Nursing her head, Blake approached at looked at her wound. He left her to enter a nearby shop, which sold kitchen goods. He grabbed a kitchen towel and left. The shopkeeper was too busy watching his comedy programs. He went up to her and soaked up the excess blood with it and after it was all gone, he held it to her wound, but Alice placed her hand over Blake's indicating to him that she wanted to hold it. Blake backed off and she gave him a gratifying smile. There was something strange about her that seemed familiar. It wasn't who she was, it was something different. It might have just been the fact that she was so willing to confide in him, making him feel something he'd been missing in so long. Maybe he has just grasped the opportunity as much as someone in his situation could. Never the less, she's exactly what he needs, a friend. Her smile quickly faded as they started back to Blake's place.
- 7 -
Buffy slowly walked in the back door to have Dawn run up to her giving her an excruciatingly tight hug. "Who died?" Buffy asked "No one, just glad to have you home" "What happened, what did you break?" "Nothing" Dawn said aloud. Buffy went straight to the fridge, grabbed the milk and drank straight from the carton. "You sure do make up for the lack of father figure influence don't you" Dawn laughed. "You wouldn't guess who I ran into tonight" "Blake?" Dawn said with haste. "Oh, good guess. He's got himself a new girlfriend" "What?" Dawn was eager to find out about this new girl. As much as it wasn't her business, she felt as if it concerned her in someway. Or it could be the curiosity of the teenager. "Oh, a girl called Alice. Vampire" Dawn didn't say anything after that, she just looked away, and went upstairs to her room. Dawn thought to herself why she felt weird about Blake being with another girl. To Dawn, this situation was just Blake wanting to be with his own kind, there's no room in his life for a kid human. At least it's only a presumption of hers and not a fact.
- 8 -
The next day would bring a great change in how all would see, and perceive each other, some forever, some for the moment. But in the end, this will be a day no one will ever forget, mind you, all will try. "Buffy, I was thinking" "Well, your not at school, so I'm not surprised" "Shut up. I was thinking we should try that sister day again. There's a new movie out and I really want to see it with you" "If you want to, I have the day off, sure. Let's go" Buffy said invoking a huge smile from her sister. "Great" Dawn enthusiastically called on her way up the stairs. "Going somewhere?" Willow asked as she walked in through the back door. "Willow! Hi!" "Hey" "How'd you know?" "I heard Dawn from outside and if she's that happy about something, she must be doing something with her big sis." "Well, yeah, we're going to the movies" "Good for you." "You don't want to come do you?" "Oh no, I'm meeting with Tara today, we got a few things we need to do" "Ok." Dawn came parading down the stairs like there was a fire all ready for action. "Ready?" Dawn asked Buffy "Oh, Hey Willow" "We were meant to get ready?" "My rushed preparation wasn't a big enough sign?" "Yes Dawn, I'm ready. Let's go, Bye Willow" "Yeah, bye Willow, ya don't wanna come do you?" "No Dawn, it's alright, I have to meet Tara today anyway." "Oh, ok, have fun." Dawn was so pleased at first, but when they got to the letterbox, she hesitated. Buffy stopped and inquired. "Dawn, are you alright?" "Yeah, I'm fine sorry. It's just that I was thinking about the last time." "We can avoid the statue!?" "Yeah, alright" They pushed on. By the time the movie finished, it was time for lunch, so the girls thought it was more then enough cue to have some unhealthy take away. Post lunch, they topped off the afternoon with some excessive shopping. During this, the others were grouped in the Magic Shop in their usual research mode. "Does anyone know what a rathcahn is?" Xander asked the others. "Where did you find that?" Giles asked him "In this book here. Kinda old lookin'." "Of course it's old looking, most of these are centuries old." Giles said as he picked up the book and proceeded to read the passage concerning the rathcahn. "Xander, I think you've found something of extreme relevance to Dawn" "Damn it" Xander pouted "That's relevance Xander, that's a good thing," Willow corrected "Oh, how so?" Xander asked but Giles didn't' respond; he was too immersed in the book. "It says here, the rathcahn is a demon who was banished to an orb a few millenniums ago. Since then he resided in this orb, trapped" Giles said breaking the silence. "And?" "Well, rathcahn was a very powerful demon, possessing power of the physical and immense spiritual kind. Apparently, this orb places all his power into the orb itself. If someone were to possess this orb, they, if used properly, could control his power. But what does it have to do with all this?" As time went by, information was accumulated and charted. "I think I have it" Giles called making Willow jump, Tara drop her water, and woke Xander making him fall from his chair. "Oh dear, sorry. The only way Rathcahn could have a connection with this is if the monks used the orb as the pivotal ritual piece." "Huh" Xander right on queue questioned Giles "Well we have the key, the pivotal piece, and the subjects. They can't just use the key; they need fuel for it, which may have been the orb. But the only ritual I can find is one where they used two subjects for the ritual to hide the key." Giles explained. "So I'm guessing one of them was Dawn, or Allyah." Tara contributed "Yes, but there was another one. Allyah took the key's power, and the other took Allyah's demonic inhabitance. It would have been a bin for the ritual." "But they would have killed them though, right?" Willow asked "Not sure" Giles said
- 9 -
It was dark by this time and Dawn and Buffy were on their way back. By mistake, they passed through the vicinity of the statue. Dawn saw it and gave a small moan of displeasure. "Buffy." "Yeah, back the way we came" But they were stopped by the presence of Blake and Alice. "Following us were you?" Buffy inquired "If you like" Blake patronized "Your Alice?" Dawn asked "Yeah, hi" She said with an optimistic tone. "Are, are you Allyah?" "Dawn!" Dawn said with subtle anger in her voice. "Sorry, I'm adjusting" But Dawn wasn't too accepting, she didn't' like to see her with Blake for some reason. "You been alright?" Blake asked Dawn "Yeah, fine I guess" She replied to have Buffy grab her arm and drag her away, but Dawn didn't want to leave, she pulled away and went back. "Dawn! Get away from them, we're going home." "What's wrong, what's with the change of tune?" Dawn asked "No change, I just don't like them. I don't want you around them" Dawn refused to comply so Buffy persisted to enforce her ascertain by stepping in Dawns path and pushing her in the direction of home. Blake stood in their way to have Buffy strike him sending him against a wall. "Stay out of this! I don't care who you are, you have no right here" Blake rose to his feet and returned to his position in their way to have Alice join him. Dawn backed away, but Buffy didn't follow, she was concrete in front of the two ready for battle. Buffy struck Alice in the chest with a sidekick sending her some distance opening up her previous wound. Blake jumped to the moment striking Buffy two times in either side of her head until Buffy blocked them and kicked Blake in the torso sending him backwards while Alice took his place fighting Buffy. Alice tried once, twice, but couldn't take her, so all else failed, reverted to her demonic side and punched Buffy clean in the head sending her flying through the air. Alice turned to Blake, but he didn't move. He was frozen. He saw Alice's face, and couldn't speak. He approached her slowly inspecting her demonic features with great detail. Buffy jumped to her feet and tried to attack the pair, but Blake changed and grabbed Buffy by the throat. "That's it! That's the end of it. Leave now!" Blake said with loud power that sent chills down Buffy's spine. Blake looked hard into Alice's face. "I thought you knew" Alice questioned. But Blake wasn't worried about that. "You don't know where you came from?" "No" "Allyah" "What?" "Your Allyah. Your face" "What?" "I don't know, but your demon is Allyah's demonic face" Blake couldn't comprehend what was happening. "How could this be?" While all this took place, Dawn watched in amazement. She wasn't sure what to think. She wasn't in the slightest sure of what was happening in the first place. Buffy took Dawn home while the other two were left to bask in the uncertainty. How was Blake meant to comprehend this, and how was he supposed to accept it. Something like this isn't taken lightly when it comes to acceptance. Especially when it comes to people such as this. Set so much in his ways, living the same for half a lifetime, events of this extent can do awful things to the mind. For the rest of the night, Blake and Alice retired to his hotel room for the remaining hours deliberating their pasts, and their present thoughts trying to bring order and comprehension to the chaos at present. "Are you alright Dawn?" Buffy asked. "I dunno. I guess I'll be fine." Dawn responded as she slowed slightly. Buffy joined her in the deceleration. "He said she was Allyah. How can she be Allyah?" Dawn continued "I don't know, don't worry about it Dawn, it's not our concern for now, let's just get home." Buffy assured "But I want to know, I have to know" "I'm sure it'll all work itself out in time, for now, let's just ease up alright, we'll just go talk to Giles, he'll know what to do" Buffy said again trying to re-assure her sister, also in the process trying to re- assure herself. Buffy needed it just as much, or maybe more than her sister. All things considered, her little sister was in for a long time of excruciating awakenings. And Buffy knew it as clear as day. At that moment, Dawn stopped. Completely still, she looked towards her sister, but not properly focussing on her, she looked past her to a point beyond her position. 'Buffy.." Dawn faintly gasped out as she swayed back and forth slowly, then while Buffy was on her way to catch her, she fell too fast for her sister to help. She hit the ground with a thump knocking her head leaving a small wound. Small enough not to need stitches, but big enough to allow blood to flow freely. "Dawn!" Buffy screamed as she clasped her sister will loving arms for what seemed forever. She lay there limp and lifeless. Breathing with a pulse, but unconscious she remained for some time until suddenly she arose with a large gasp of air and wide frightened eyes. She let out a cry and tears started to pass over her cheeks, slowly at first, but soon a stream of tears joined them when she tried to explain to her older sister of her. "Dawn, what happened and don't just say you blacked out" "I saw things" "What things?" "Awful things" "More information please" "I don't know, I think they were memories. First I thought they were nightmares but they are too vivid." "Memories of what?" "Allyah" Buffy looked into Dawns fear riddled eyes, not wanting to dive further into her mind; she had to know what she was going through. "What did you see?" "I saw fire, little robe people." "Monks?" Buffy corrected "Yeah, them. I think it was the ritual. I remember what Allyah felt. What she thought. She was there to stop them. Alice was there too. She was trying to kill her. She was going to kill the monks too." Dawn started to cry harder until Buffy intervened. "Don't worry, we'll talk about this later. But Dawn, you said you thought they were like dreams at first. How long have these been going on?" "At the stature, just before and once at home when you weren't there." "I think we need to see the other's about this." "Wait, I don't want them to hear about this." Dawn cried "Dawn, they have to know if we are to find out what's going on so we can end this. It can't be kept secretive. It's too late for that" Dawn accepted her sisters plead and they set off for the Magic Shop. "Buffy, I don't want to go, I just want to go home tonight. I just want to be alone tonight." "But we need you there" "You'll be fine with what you have. I'm going home." "I'll walk you" "Thanks Buffy" They set off for home, and Dawn went straight to her room and instantly to bed. Buffy stayed for a while until she went downstairs and called the others. "Hello?" "Giles, its Buffy" "Oh, where are you?" "I'm at home, I need you and the others to come here and bring some dirt on the monks who performed the ritual that made Dawn, and I want everything you know on the monks themselves, everything! And all you have on Blake. There's this new girl with Blake. Her name's Alice. Something happened, and Blake called her Allyah when she turned vamp. Blake said something about Allyah's demon. Oh, she's a vampire." "I already got that Buffy" "Bring anything that sounds relevant" "Oh, Buffy, I think we have exactly what your looking for, but can't you come here, this is rather inconvenient" "Dawn's not leaving the house, and neither am I" "Alright, see you soon" Buffy hung up and resided to the lounge room couch until the other's arrived.
- 10 -
They got there, set up shop all while Blake and Alice tried to get to the bottom of their dilemma. As much as they tried, they couldn't figure out what was happening. All discussions were interrupted by a knock at the door. Blake walked slowly to the door, completely distracted with the current situation, opened the door to find Dawn standing there. "Sure this is the best place to be?" Blake asked "I think so" Dawn said with confidence in her voice. "Alice" Dawn greeted "Dawn" Alice returned. "What do you want?" Blake asked with a tone consisting of anger and unsteady emotions. "What? What's wrong with me being here, it's Buffy that doesn't like you, not me." "You're her sister" Alice added but to have Dawn look upon her gravely which was very unsteadying for Alice. Dawn approached her without an ounce of fear or uncertainty. "You don't remember me?" Dawn questioned not expecting the response she had "No, well yeah" "How?" Dawn asked "You were Allyah until the monks got to you." "Remember the monks?" Dawn perused "How would I remember them?" "Gee, quite easily. From when you were there." "Where?" "You were there when they performed the ritual. Stop playing us!" Dawn screamed "Playing who? What the hell are you talking about?" Alice defended approaching Dawn. But Blake was there to step in between them. "Dawn what are you talking about?" Blake said trying to bring reason to it all. "What, you can't tell me you've fallen for her act?" "What act?" Alice screamed "Alice, settle down, Dawn, explain from the beginning" "Well." Dawn's glares phased from Blake to Alice. "Alice was there when I was made and tried to kill me." 'Hmmph' Alice let out a grunt. "I honestly don't know where you got that from. I'm serious. Please, I know who you are and the last thing I want is for you to think like that about me. I'm here as a friend of Blake. Not to become anyone's enemy." "Where did you get this from Dawn?" Blake asked "Just so happens, Allyah's not gone after all" Dawn explained. Blake just looked at her, gave her a hard look which drew the information from her. "Allyah's always been in me, but recently, she's been finding her way out." And then Dawn looked into Alice's eyes, cold and hard, and said. "I see you". This invoked fear in Alice. For Dawn to say something like that to her scared her. To Alice, all this was new. She only knew what she's had recently been told. But Dawn wasn't going to be easily convinced of Alice's loss of memory. Although that's hardly a valid reason for the lack of justice. "Blake, can I please talk to Dawn privately for a moment?" Blake looked questionably at Alice for a moment. "Please?" Alice pleaded. Blake looked to Dawn to have her nod to him. So he left for a moment, but he didn't go far. "So how do you see me?" Alice asked her. "You tried to kill me." "I did?" "And the monks" Dawn said which induced a strange look from Alice, which turned slowly into a small smile. "I did!" "You can't keep playing him. He's stronger than you, his mind is stronger than you." Dawn said "But you see little girl. I never tried to kill you. It's not your death that I wanted; it was your demon. Blake will be the most powerful demon this world this world will ever see, and it's your demon which can control him. I have it, I am it. I will control him. I win. And I do hope now that I'm talking to Allyah, not Dawn." "I hope you are, cause then when I kill you, it will be Allyah, not Dawn." Dawn said as her eyes turned to anger and hate. She was starting to remember more of her past. Her association with Alice and who she was. They were simple rivals. Both on their missions to help their side. Allyah to create Blake to turn the side of good and Alice to control the ultimate paradox to satisfy her power lust. Although Allyah had no idea her creation of Blake was the start of the paradox that was prophesized, all she knew that she was told that her life consisted of living a life dead, and being the tool that helped the side of good. She just didn't know how. Alice on the other hand, made her own prophecies. She was to be the controller of this world. She was to become the power revered and feared in this world. Or that's what she said. Once she knew of Blake, she did everything in her power to become a part of his life to make him a part of hers. She just knew a little too much. Hence she killed the sacrifice and replaced herself with it. This way she would possess the one thing in this world that could ever come close to Blake. But from then, it was up to her to find him. All this was always in Dawn, but it resided deep in her mind. Deep down and it was a moment like this that triggered it. "So..Dawn. When were you intending on killing me?" Alice got up from her seat and approached her, but Dawn jumped up and hit her in the side of the head with a lamp and ran out the front door. Blake came out from the other room and ran straight out the door and called after Dawn. But she was quick enough to escape his sights. "What the hell happened?" Blake questioned Alice tried to look sweet and innocent and replied "I don't know. She jumped to these strange conclusions and hit me in the head with the freaken lamp. Did that open up that cut again?" "No, it's alright" Blake looked hard into Alice's eyes, but his glares weren't returned, she was busy trying to look innocent. He didn't have the heart to condemn her at the moment, but he was more than prepared for the worst.
- 11 -
Dawn ran straight home expecting to find an empty house, she thought Buffy would be at the Magic shop with the others. But she ran through the front door, running to Xander, and seeing the group in the lounge room huddled around a pile of books and papers. With tears streaming down her face Buffy jumps to her feet and rushes over to Dawn. "What the hell do you think your doing leaving the house like that?" "Buffy" Dawn whimpered. "You could have been hurt or something" "Buffy" Dawn whimpered again with a slight increase in volume "I can't believe you are so irr." Buffy was interrupted. "Buffy!" Dawn cried. The others got up and fully focussed their attention on Dawn. "Blake's in trouble" Dawn told her. "How?" Buffy asked "Alice want's to control Blake. She did something to me.." "Yeah, we know who she is. There were two people in the ritual to make you. Alice and you. Alice got Allyah's demon." Buffy explained "No! Alice killed the other sacrifice so she could take its place to get my demon. So she can control Blake with it." "Allyah's demon!" Buffy scolded. "Buffy get over it!" Dawn said "and I think she want's to kill me. Then she won't have anything to hold her back" "Are you sure about this Dawn" Giles asked "Yeah" she responded. "Saddle up!" Buffy called to the others. "Dawn stay here. Tara, can you stay with her?" "Sure" Tara agreed "No, I'm not staying here" Dawn argued "Like hell you aren't! You're not going anywhere and that's final Dawn!" Buffy looked her hard in the eyes, she wasn't going to take anything that night, she had someone who wants to kill her sister, and history show's that Buffy isn't the easiest person to talk to during these times. They all got weapons and set off for Blake's hotel. Dawn slumped onto the couch to have Tara sit down next to her and held her close comforting her. They were beginning to settle down until Buffy stormed back through the door. "Where is his place?" Buffy asked Dawn. "Near the statue" Dawn answered. And Buffy left once more. "She might hurt Blake." Dawn said with fear. "Don't worry Dawny, Buffy knows what's best, He'll be fine" Tara reassured Dawn. They sat there silent and still awaiting their return. Alice and Blake were sitting calmly in their room until a crossbow arrow flew through the window taking out the television. Blake jumped into position and Alice fled into a retreat behind the armchair. Buffy kicked the door in and jumped into the hotel room brandishing a large sword. "Where is she?" Buffy ordered "Get the hell out of here" Blake commanded. Buffy spotted Alice crouched behind the chair and made for her but to no avail. Blake struck her dead on with a roundhouse to the upper torso sending her through the window. The others all made way into the house to lend some assistance, but if he were to send the slayer away with such ease, the scoobies wouldn't be too far behind. Alice Ran straight the front door but ran into Xander. He held her until she hit him with the back of her head giving him a blood nose. Then Giles was behind him who struck her with a baseball bat knocking her into the side of the house. He approached her for another until Blake approached him. Giles tried to attack Blake, he swung the bat at him but Blake simple punched the bat and broke it in two. It was all chaos. Everyone mixed up in blood and messy fighting all the while Alice backed away unnoticed. But she stopped in her tracks when something caught her eye. Someone was watching her. It was Dawn, standing in the shadows. She stepped out of her dark hole into the light where she was joined by Alice. "So innocent. So damned oblivious" Alice patronized Dawn. "No, I'm completely aware. I understand your little games. It's the end." Dawn watched Alice walk towards her and circle her. Dawn pulled out a drink bottle and started to drink from it. "I hope you enjoy that, it'll be your last" "Yours too" Dawn returned to get a strange and startled look from Alice, until Dawn splashed the water over Alice invoking screams of pain. Holy water. Everyone heard the screams and made towards them. The two were found standing aside each other ready to pounce upon the first chance. "Careful about what your about to do" Blake called. "Yeah, I'd be careful," Alice added. "I'm talking to both of you" Blake corrected All focus was on the two girls. But that changed when Buffy struck Blake with all her strength sending him a great distance back through the window into the hotel room. At that Alice changed and made for Buffy and all the others went to Buffy's defense. Alice Dodged Buffy's offensive and struck her with several hooks to the head and kicked her into Willow and Xander. Giles tried to make up for it but was fast sent to the others in a similar fashion. Blake jumped back out through the window but felt relieved to see Alice safe. But that all changed when Alice's face turned to pain and fear and soon, to dust revealing Dawn behind her holding a stake. Blake's entire being changed from anger to something beyond that. A cataclysmic hate that drives him in every day was released in its entirety at that one moment. Buffy saw this in his eyes and saw that these eyes were looking at Dawn. Buffy and the others all went for Blake while Dawn tried to retreat behind them. They all had weapons. Buffy had a large dagger, Xander had the remains of the baseball bat, Giles had another large dagger, and willow was using the other end of the broken bat. Blake struck Xander's weapon sending that flying, then hit him Xander himself in the back. Defeated Willow in a similar fashion, then Giles and Buffy came at him with their all. But Blake took it as it came. Giles lunged towards Blake but he swiped the dagger from his hands sending it soaring through the air until it ended up in a wall centimeters from Dawn's head. Dawn saw it and stopped in her tracks. Buffy, enraged, went at him once more but Blake kicked the dagger from her hand sending it flying to the other side of Dawn's head. From there, Blake kicked Buffy in the upper body where she fell backwards into her friends while Blake approached Dawn. "I do know one thing now." Blake said to her. He looked into her eyes in a way that filled her with a painful fear. She had no idea what he would do. She couldn't imagine the awful thoughts streaming through his mind at that time. "Allyah's dead. I know that for sure now" he finalized as he swept away while the others ran to Dawn. Buffy stopped when she reached her distressed sister to have her collapse in her arms. "He tried to kill you" Buffy told her sister. "No he didn't, to him, I'm already dead"
Buffy Chimera
Paradine Rogue