Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com
Rating: HIGH Pg almost PG13 very descriptive so if you don't like depressing don't read
Summary: Sequel to Family… Alternate reality to my fanfic the first seconded
Author Note: Confused tell me in a review and I'll explain in a chapter 2 kay? Or an email.
Posting: Email or review leaving email asking and I'll check out your site… my usual answer is HECK YAH! Other than that, ff.net and my web pagey www.geocities.com/starsightvoices
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Promises
4 years from S7 begin(AU), Twelve years before The First Seconded (Approximately)
She shuddered as the cold wind blew through her short brown hair. It flew across her eyes and blocked her vision. Things should not have one down this way. Everything, well almost everything, was wrong.
She looked down at the little girl that held her hand as they walked through the dusty cemetery. They had all hoped… hoped that everything would have been perfect and that this child would have grown up in a relatively normal world.
That plan had been shot to hell.
Literally.
As she glanced down her blue eyes met the child's slitted yellow ones. The child's eyes were filled with confusion and fear.
"Are Mommy and Daddy coming home soon?"
The woman paused mid-step and knelt down to be at eye level with the girl. She smiled sadly as she tucked a piece of wavy dark blonde hair behind the child's ear.
"Yes." She lied easily, the words flowed out of her mouth like sweet honey-wine. "But first you need to do something that will make Mommy and Daddy very proud."
Emotions played across the child's face and the little girl bit her lip, "Wot?"
The woman smiled as she slowly stood, "I'm going to open a pretty green door, and you just need to go through it, understand Nichole?"
Nichole nodded slowly, "That easy!"
She laughed softly and nodded, "Good now close your eyes so I can open the door."
"Wid magic?" Nichole asked, her face scrunched up suddenly uneasy.
"With good magic," She nodded. "Just like Aunt Willow."
"Will auntie Wiwoh be dere?"
"Yah," She smiled as she lied once more. "Now close your eyes."
Nichole scrunched her eyes shut and covered them with her small hands.
Her heart broke as she watched her niece with sad eyes. Reaching into her long, black duster she removed a small dagger. Biting her lip she drew the dagger across her wrist, for some reason she felt no pain when she completed the cut. Blood pooled quickly on her creamy white skin as she drew her sleeve back and turned her hand over.
Dark red blood dripped to the ground and she felt the power stirring inside her. Her mind trailed through a shifting maze of entrances and exits till she found the right one and latched swiftly onto it.
The glow from her blood brightened till she saw streets on the other side.
Another location.
Another Dimension.
"Nichole, open your eyes sweetie." Her voice was devoid of any emotion but love as she tried to stay calm for Nicholes benefit.
Nichole opened her eyes and her mouth formed a perfect 'o'. "Its pwitty!" She giggled. "Do I have to go into dere?"
She smiled and nodded, "You'll make Mommy and Daddy so proud." Dawn stared into the child's yellow eyes remembering when they were still a normal blue with flecks of green. Leaning over she gently kissed Nicholes forehead. "You need to go through the door now, alright Nichole?"
Nich smiled and nodded, "I wanna make Mommy and Daddy pwoud!"
"Good girl," She turned Nichole gently toward the soft green portal. "Now you hurry through."
Nichole nodded and walked forward. Just before she entered it she turned around, "Auntie Dawn?"
"Yes Nichole?" Dawns heart broke as she realized she would never see this child, her niece, every again. Though after tonight she wouldn't be seeing anything ever again.
"Are you coming too?"
Dawn nodded as she bit her lip to keep from crying, her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. "Yes." Her voice cracked as she lied. "I'll be right behind you."
Nichole nodded once more and smiled, "I wuv you auntie."
"I love you too Nich."
Nichole giggled at the pet name Dawn called her, the one her father had always called her. "I'm gonna make Mommy and Daddy pwoud!" She proclaimed.
Dawn felt tears trickle down her cheeks as the little girl she had promised to protect left this world and went to another, hopefully better world.
"A you going to be alright?" A deep masculine voice asked.
Dawn nodded and brushed the salty tears from her pale cheeks, "Yah, I will be."
He nodded, "You won't be able to keep your promise since you stayed here." He told her as the portal disappeared.
"No Connor," She shook her head as they turned back to the burning streets of Sunnydale California. To the world filled with the chaos and pain of hell.
The two sole remaining protectors of the world passed name after name of friends and family laid out in that very cemetery as Dawn continued. "I kept my promise."
Tears, pain and grief were swallowed as they turned to walk back to the final battle.
"To protect her… till the end of the world."
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Please review!
And check out the fic that continues Nich's journey The First Seconded. Note: that takes place post s6 grave and Spike becomes a slayer, Nich is his seer, and Tara is his 'watcher'. It turns into an AU S7 BtVS and an AU S4 AtS.