A New Breed of Slayer

A/N: I've re-read the chapters of this story just to refresh my memory on everything that happens. I've made a few errors here and there, the more obvious in Chapter three putting Andrew instead of Anya when Buffy calls the Summers' residence in the grocery story. I'll get around to fixing that, I promise. Also, in the last chapter Faith says, "Look, I'm the slayer in charge." But really I meant her to say, "Look, I'm not the slayer in charge." I have fixed that but I just wanted to make note of it here. Well, here's part two of the last chapter. Will Dawn die, or won't she? Let's find out....

Chapter 6 Renegade Prt.2

    Dawn stopped a second and the First's whispers became louder and louder, her grip tightened on the blade and the muscles in arms prepared to pull...

  ...the blade artfully sliced through her skin and Dawn's hand shaked as she pulled the blade away from her wrist. Her body began to feel more weakened and the warm blood covered her arm like thick a blanket. Staring at her weapon of choice, Dawn leaned back against the wall of the bathtub and awaited the end. The First was still present, congratulating her on success, but Its voice became fainter as the seconds ticked by. Dawn was vaguely aware of any noise around her.

   To her surprise the bathroom door flung open, startled, Dawn dropped the razor blade to the floor and stared up at the bleached blonde Vampire who had appeared in the doorway. She saw him but did not registrar who he was, her mind too far gone to recognize such a familiar face. "Bloody hell," the British voice cursed, "Niblet, what 'appened 'ere?"

   Finally her features showed recognition of the figure in front of her and she smiled cruelly at him, "Come on Spike." The words formed slowly on her tongue, "Come help me die faster, come taste my blood. Angelus seemed to enjoy it."

"Aw, Niblet," Spike took a quick step towards her and came into view of the blade stained with her own blood, "What 'ave you done?"

   The smell of Dawn's fresh blood stung Spike's nose and the demon inside, the demon that had massacred millions, was closer to the surface than ever before. Dawn's blood was fresh and sweet and despite his soul Spike found himself lusting to taste it, longing to have a drink. Spike stared horrifically at Dawn drawing himself away from the temptation that had filled his brain just as Dawn spoke.

"Just what it told me to Spike," the teen drawled innocently, "Its standing right there. Buffy told me to do it. I have to listen to Buffy. And mom."

"Joyce is dead Niblet," Spike reminded her, "Bloody shame too. It's the First telling you these things. Don't listen to it though. Tells lies, that's all it does."

"Not to me," Dawn insisted, "Not to me." 

   A pool of blood began to form on the floor as the blood dripped off of Dawn's arm and onto the tiles around her. Spike stared, not knowing what to do now. He didn't want to go downstairs in fear that if he did, when he returned Dawn would be dead, that it would be too late. He had to get Willow up here though. The witch could probably help, probably heal Dawn. The Vampire's mind raced as he watched Dawn slowly sink to the floor, unconscious. Spike kneeled next to her and checked her pulse on the side of her neck. She was alive, but barely. Dawn had already lost too much blood, what with Angelus feeding off of her, and now this. She wouldn't make the trip to the hospital alive and by the time an ambulance would arrive Dawn would be long dead.

   Then, Spike remembered. The night Glory had tried to open the portal Willow had telepathically communicated with him. He wasn't a witch, and certainly didn't know any spells but maybe if he concentrated hard enough he could reach the witch in time. The First had begun to whisper in his ear but Spike didn't hear, Dawn was in danger and he had to save her or his promise to Buffy to keep her safe would be broken. He concentrated, called out to the witch downstairs as he kept his hand on Dawn's neck, reassuring himself that it was not too late and that they still had time to save her.

(Downstairs at the Hyperion.)

  Willow felt a tug at her brain. She looked towards Xander, wondering if by any chance he was communicating with her, but he was talking furiously with Faith and Cordelia getting the lowdown on the Talisman. Dawn was sleeping and the two had come downstairs to get the 4-1-1 on what was happening with the research.

Red.

 The voice in her head was very British and Willow looked around. Spike wasn't there. She remembered after a moment, Spike had gone off upstairs a while ago claiming to have heard some noise from upstairs. They had all passed it off as just Angel. Dawn was asleep, and even if she had awoken there was nothing in her immediate vicinity to make such a noise. Willow noted the urgency in Spike's tone in her brain and wondered if it had been a mistake ignoring his suspicion that something wasn't right. "What is it?" she spoke aloud even though she knew she didn't have to and the other turned to stare at her.

It's the Niblet.

  Hurry.

   Willow's eyes widened. She barely registered the Hurry Spike had added afterwards. The minute he had referred to Dawn she was already halfway up the stairs. Her legs carrying her as fast as they could, something had happened to Dawn. The other called after her, but Willow ignored their words. She needed to get to Dawn.

    The door to the room Fred had placed Dawn in was open and Willow noticed right away that Dawn wasn't in her bed; the smell of blood was thick in the air. She entered quickly and turned towards the bathroom door. Spike was there, hovering over an unconscious Dawn, her arm covered in her own blood. Willow rushed in, slipping on a pool of blood that had begun to form by Dawn's arm and fell to her knees. Spike had backed away and Willow stared at the girl. This was too much for her to handle. She looked to Spike for an explanation, but he didn't seem to want to give her one. "Can you fix her?" he asked.

"I-I don't know," Willow replied.

"Can't you use your bloody magicks?" Spike asked, "Cast a healing spell of the sorts?"

"Will?" Xander's voice drifted to her from the doorway, "Dawn?" He appeared at the entrance to the bathroom and froze. It took him a second to react, "DAWN!" he rushed towards her and threw himself to the floor, lifting Dawn into his arms and leaned his head against Dawn's, "Oh god, Dawn. Not again. I can't go through this again. Willow, do something!"

"What?" Willow asked. She felt insecure with everyone depending on her to save Dawn's life. All she had learnt over the years about Magick had seemed to have melted away in her brain the minute she had seen Dawn's body sprawled across the bathroom floor. It was just so hard to comprehend what was going on at that moment. 

"Find a spell," Xander instructed, "Make one up, just do something." The others had begun to gather in the room and Faith was now right by Xander's side feeling Dawn's pulse as Spike had done not long ago.

"Shit," she swore, and Faith surprised Willow further by the panicked look that had crossed her face, but the Slayer quickly wiped it away and turned to the Witch, "Better work fast. Her pulse is slowing."

   Willow stared at the group of people around her, looking at her with so much hope. Dawn was on the verge of death, again, for the second time in less than twenty four hours and now her life rested in Willow's hands. Suddenly, Willow felt herself grow stronger, her body felt warm all over and she knew what was happening. Tara was there, to help her do for Dawn what she had been unable to do for her. Latin words flashed through her mind and then she began mumbling a spell she didn't know. One hand over the wound Dawn had inflicted upon herself and the other over the girl's heart.

    A golden light engulfed the room and a blue light emanated from her hands. Slightly unsure of what was happening Willow continued to chant as the words flowed swiftly across her tongue. Dawn's breaths began to become more regular and as Willow managed to glace down at Dawn's cut across her wrist, noticing that the blood seemed to be hovering above the wound and slowly trickling back into it. As the last words were spoken, the wound closed itself up, not a trace of the cut was left. Willow felt the energy drain out of her as closed her eyes and took deep breaths to recuperate, Tara's spirit was now gone. She hadn't had the chance to really rest after returning Angel's soul and this spell really had taken a lot out of her as well.

     Dawn's eyes fluttered opened slowly. She blinked, taking in her surroundings and then closed her eyes again taking in three deep breaths before opening her eyes one more. Xander still held her close to him and she pulled away, turning her body so that she could look at him. Xander's features were covered with concern. Dawn seemed to try and shrink away from them all but they had surrounded her with their concern and she was trapped. "Dawn..." Xander offered her out his hand and Dawn managed to grasp it, Xander pulled her body close to his once again, "God, promise me you'll never ever do that again."

"No, I don't need anymore 'Dawn's the slayer's sister, let's pretend to love her' crap," Dawn pushing herself away from Xander in a sudden fury and hugged her knees tightly, "Just...just leave me alone."

"What's your problem?" Faith demanded, standing up, "The First shows up and tells you all sorts of crap and now we're the enemy? Dawn, you know I really don't give a fuck what Buffy thinks. You an' I both know that Buffy and I don't get along and probably never will. So, if you believe that I'm nice to you an' crap because you're Buffy's little sister you really are nuts."

 Dawn looked up at Faith, her eyes twinkled with unshed tears and the two just stared at each other for a moment. Faith's brown eyes bore into Dawn's blue ones and the two seemed to come to an understanding. The things they needed to tell each other were not easily put into words, especially for Faith, and being in front of all these people didn't help either. They were sisters of the sorts. They knew things about each other that no one else could understand, not even Dawn's own sister. Maybe that was why they got along so well. They were sisters at heart, but not sisters by blood. Dawn loved Buffy; Buffy had done so much for her. She loved Faith too; sisters or not Dawn still considered Faith her sister as well. When through the silence all that was needed to be said between the two was said, Dawn looked down.

  Xander tried to approach Dawn again and this time she let herself fall into his arms and stay there. Xander and Faith had both been there in the past and present when she needed them the most. She had to trust what they said and not betray them by believing what the First whispered to her. They loved her. Not just Faith and Xander but Buffy, Willow and the others as well. Even Spike or else he would've just as easily sucked her dry as he had called Willow for help. The warmth of Xander's body flooded through her and Dawn felt safe. She looked at her arm, not even a scar was left from her attempt at suicide and she looked over to Willow who was resting her eyes next to Dawn. 

"Thank you," Dawn whispered and Willow opened her eyes, "Thank you for saving me."

"Well, you know, I had some help," Willow smiled at Spike first and then up at the ceiling, trying to see wherever it was Tara had gone.

"I know," Dawn managed, "Thank you too Spike."  And Tara she added silently. Dawn had felt Tara's presence in the room as well, she would tell Willow later but not with everyone else in the room. She knew that this was something only she and Willow had had the joy of sharing.

"Just don't tell anybody 'bout this," Spike warned, "'Aving this soul is bad 'nough to ruin a vamp's rep."

"Let's not tell B about this incident," Faith suggested, "She's already going to flip at the whole Angelus bit. No need to give her more reason to a knife through my heart." The others nodded in agreement.

"If that's settled maybe we should get Dawn back into bed?" Cordelia offered from the door where she Gunn, Fred, Wesley stood. Angel had still gone unnoticed by any of them from the door to the room, except Spike. Spike had smelt him but said nothing hoping that for Dawn's sake Angel would slip back to his room before she noticed.

   Xander started to help Dawn up, but being a Summer's and feeling much better now insisted that she could do it herself. As she approached the door Angel tried to duck away before Dawn noticed him, but he was a little late. "Angel," she voiced, "You going to avoid me forever?"

"I was thinking I might," Angel nodded. The others were all on guard for the worst possible thing to happen. Angel and Dawn both shared the haunted, painful, expression. One monster had tortured them both.

"I thought about it too," Dawn admitted, "But Angelus isn't you, I realize that. It's just...he's in you somewhere. You have his face and his voice and it's just...hard." Dawn's voice was strained, trying to get the words out and look at Angel without flinching at his resemblance to his alter-ego.

"I don't blame you," Angel stepped into the room, looked into the faces of his friends and Buffy's gang, "I would avoid me too. I try to avoid me. Dawn, you have to know though that I would never hurt you and the-the things Angelus told you. They're not true."

"I know," Dawn's gaze fell to the floor, "But they're not thoughts that are new to me, most of them anyway. I-I thought a lot about the things that the First and Angelus told me even before tonight, but having someone I cared for tell them to me straight to my face, they just became real. They still feel real to me. I-I don't hate you Angel. I hate Angelus. I hate that hidden part of you, the betrayer, the evil." Angel nodded in understanding.

   A sudden wave of pain washed over to Dawn and she nearly fell to her knees on the floor. Angel caught her just in time and Dawn nearly pulled away at the closeness of him to her, but she knew if she did she would fall and more pain would ensue. So, Dawn allowed Angel and Faith to guide her to her bed and help her in. Within minutes Dawn was dreaming.

(Later.)

    The dreams were a mix of nightmares and happy memories but the dark nightmares seemed to overpower the light and Dawn found herself reliving ever painful moment of her torture once again. She bolted upright in bed, waking up and wondered how long these nightmares would haunt her. To her dying grave would she have to remember that one horrible night of pain and sadness? Dawn knew immediately that she was not alone. That she would not be left alone for a long time. It was neither Xander nor Faith by her bedside, which surprised Dawn, but she was happy to see Willow dozing lightly in the wheelchair they had stolen from the hospital, the light in the room cast a shadow across her features. Being sure not to apply pressure to her broken arm Dawn adjusted her body in the bed and sucked in her breath at the pain shooting through her upper body. Willow woke up at the squeaks of the bed springs. "Hey," she whispered.

"I felt her too," Dawn mentioned, in the moments before Willow had healed her Dawn had been so close to dying again and had been highly aware of Tara's presence in the room.

"You did?" Willow wondered.

"Yeah," Dawn assured the red head, "She must be in a good place, to be able to help out."

"I-I just miss her so much," Willow admitted, and Dawn caught sight of the glisten in Willow's eyes.

"I know," Dawn nodded, "I do too."

"S-sometimes I don't think I can love anyone else like I loved her," Willow had moved over and now sat with Dawn on the bed, "I'm afraid that I'm leading Kennedy on. I mean, during out first kiss I turned into Warren. It can't mean anything good. And every time I do a spell I'm afraid I'll become evil Willow again, except tonight when Tara was with me and when I restored Angel's soul. Those were the two times when I cast a spell that I didn't feel any bit of evil surge through me."

"Why when restoring Angel's soul?" Dawn asked. She liked that Willow was confiding in her. She knew that since Willow had returned from England she had been keeping things inside more often. It wasn't only Willow's introverted ways either that had kept the two from really communicating, it was Dawn as well. She had avoided Willow, just as she planned on avoiding Angel, for some time. 

"Because I remembered the first time I did it," Willow explained, "It was my first big spell, it was just so familiar to me and I remembered Oz being there by me when I did it and I was just able to do it without fear. I miss him too."

"Oz?" Dawn wondered. It had been a long time since any of them had mentioned Oz. They all knew how Willow felt about Oz and how she had felt when he had left Sunnydale, permanently. It had been months before she was able to move on, and when she had it was Tara who she had turned to. 

"Yeah," Willow nodded, "I've thought of him a lot since Tara...died. Sometimes I think that if he ever came back I would want to be with him again, you know?"

"I guess whoever said you only had 'one true love' was wrong," Dawn mused, "You have two. Tara and Oz."

"Maybe you're right," Willow shrugged, "I mean; ever since I met Tara I've only been attracted to other girls, except Oz. I guess I'm just screwed up."  

"You're screwed up?" Dawn laughed, almost bitterly, "I'm seeing dead people who want me to kill myself. Why is the First so interested in me anyway?"

"I don't know," Willow shrugged. Willow had not only sensed Tara when she was healing Dawn, but power. It was power beyond her comprehension. It was not the Key. Willow had felt the power of the Key before, this was something else. Willow did not want to mention it to anyone, not before she could figure out what this power was herself. There was no need to worry Buffy about something like this, not will all the Potential Slayers arriving in town and taking up residence in the Summers' home. 

  There was a knock at the door and both looked towards the entrance to the room as it creaked open slowly. Xander's head appeared first and then his body as he entered the room and closed the door behind him. He was trying very carefully not to wake either up, and then realized they were awake already. "Oh," he sighed, "Guess all the creeping in stuff wasn't necessary."

"Nope," Dawn and Willow shook their head, smiling slightly at Xander. 

"Willow, you mind?" He nodded towards Dawn indicating that he wanted to talk to her alone. Willow shook her head and got up quickly waving to Dawn as she exited the room.

   Once the door shut behind Willow, Xander took her seat on the bed. They sat quietly for a minute, taking in the silence of the hotel before Xander turned and looked at her, "How you feeling?"

"Well, The First is gone for now and there's not so much pain when I stay still," Dawn smiled, Xander tried to keep his eyes focused on Dawn's eyes. He didn't want to see cut across her cheek although he mentally prayed that it would not leave a scar.

"You up for a field trip?" Xander asked.

"Depends on how far from the bed you're taking me," Dawn replied. It was true she was feeling a lot better. After Willow had healed her the First had disappeared and her talk with Angel had helped her some. Other than the dreams, Dawn was able to block out the night before. She was able to act as normal as possible. It wasn't easy, but she managed. Being able to talk normally with Willow before and Xander now was a lot of help. Acting like everything was fine, that the evil was all something they could handle was like medicine.

"Only downstairs," Xander informed her, "There's something I want to show you. Something that I think might cheer you up a bit."

"Can I know what it is?" Dawn queried.

"Not until we get there," Xander smirked, "I want it to be a surprise." Dawn smiled almost giddily at the mention of a surprise.

"Wheelchair?" Xander wanted to know. Dawn shook her head profusely and sat up with her feet over the edge of the bed. Standing up slowly and using Xander as a support Dawn tried to shrug off the pain in her ankle and ribs.

"I need to walk," Dawn said after a while, "I can't very well get wheeled into the house back in Sunnydale, and besides, it doesn't fit in the car."

   Dawn's arm was wrapped around Xander's neck and his own around her waist as they walked out of the room. Carefully, they cleared the stairs with only a few small muttering of pain from Dawn and at the bottom she took his hand instead. The others were no where in sight. Dawn could hear they're voicing carrying over to her from somewhere nearby in the hotel, but they weren't in the room. Here there was just her and Xander.

   Xander instructed her to close her eyes and Dawn muttered her complaints but complied with Xander's wishes. Closing her eyes she stood still and heard Xander walk off in the distance and then return. "Hold out your hand," Xander ordered.

"This better be good," Dawn sighed, holding out her hand. Her other arm, the one with the cast, lay limply by her side and Xander placed a large metal object in her hand. A chain that was attached to it hung over the edge of Dawn's hand. It was a necklace of the sorts. As she waited for Xander's orders to open her eyes she groped the metal object in her hand with her thumb.

"Open your eyes," Xander finale demanded. Dawn did and stared at the necklace. She looked at Xander confused.

"It's a necklace," Dawn decaled, "A very, very old and magickal looking necklace. What do you want me to do with this?"

"You're not going to do anything with it," Xander responded, "Buffy and either Angel or Spike are going to use it to get rid of the First."

"Really?" Dawn's eyes lit up with hope.

"Really," Xander assured, "There's a way to kill it or trap it. We don't know how to use it though. We're still trying to find out."

  Dawn stared wistfully at the talisman. She held everything that they had hoped for since the First had arrived in town. A way to defeat it, this was how they were going to stop the first. Dawn smiled. This talisman would free her, would free them all, from the grasp of the First and save so many young girl's lives. Dawn held the talisman close to her heart. This was a great surprise.

   Then, she fainted. Xander caught her before she fell, tried to take the talisman out of her hands but Dawn seemed to have a death grip on it. Her breaths were normal; her pulse was beating as it should. Xander held her tightly. "Why her?" he asked out loud to the air. He did not call for the others he just held Dawn, he wanted to call for them but something told him not too. Dawn's eye lids fluttered and she moaned, not in pain, and Xander then knew she was dreaming.

  Yet, Dawn was not dreaming, but the talisman had inflicted a vision onto the girl. And as Xander held her Dawn saw the Future. Dawn learnt of things that no one else knew, and that she did not want to know. In her slumber Dawn was receiving a prophecy.

   When Dawn opened her eyes she saw things she shouldn't have seen, knew things that were not for her to know, and yet she did. She stood, hovering in the air a light mist surrounding her and for mere moments Dawn thought she was dead. Yet, she could feel the beat of her heart and her steady breaths and knew that she was still very much alive.

  Without actually realizing what was happening Dawn looked down at the space below her and saw images that brought dread to her heart as much as some brought joy. She saw Sunnydale, and the high school, as well as Buffy, the Potentials and the rest of the Scooby Gang. She saw the First and the Tuork-Ahn, thousands upon thousands of the Ubervamps, and the Bringers. They were the two armies facing off.

   Then, there were flashes. Anya gutted, dead on the ground. Willow becoming a Goddess while Kennedy and Oz, the two people who loved Willow more than she would ever know, kept her grounded. She saw her and Xander fighting side by side to keep the Tuork-Ahn from escaping. Images of Potentials falling to their death, some nameless and others who Dawn recognized, had befriended shortly. Amanda with a sword through her heart, Kennedy, with the air of a slayer handing Buffy a scythe getting her head chopped off, dying a slayer, dying and taking her love for Willow with her.

   The images came quickly and some had passed before Dawn could registrar what she was seeing below her. Slowly, the images seemed to slow and they almost stopped completely when Spike and Buffy held hands, a golden light shooting from the amulet on Spike's chest. The Slayer and her lover stood strong as the light killed the Ubervamps around them. The Potentials, turned slayers, were retreating. Faith was the last one out of the basement hesitating only slightly.

  Then, it was over. Sunnydale was gone, Buffy and Spike apparently gone with it. The injured were waiting helplessly in a bus. They had slayer healing now and were likely to survive. Others, like Wood needed to get a hospital and the aftermath was harsh.

The Fight was over.

  Dawn hovered, shocked by what she saw. Then, someone had joined her. Dawn turned, sensing the presence of another and saw her mother. She glowed as she had the night she had come to Dawn. 'But that was the First' Dawn reminded herself. Willow had told her so. Joyce had not visited from the beyond.

"It was me Dawnie," her mother spoke, "And it is me now."

"Mommy," Dawn managed to find her voice in this strange plain, "Why me?"

"Because you're the only one Dawn," Joyce replied, "The only one who this can be shown to. You will do great things Dawnie; you will have a wonderful life. I know. That, is the Future, part of what is coming. There is more though. I cannot show you the rest, after what you did, what you almost did, I can't."

"What did you mean mom?" Dawn asked, "What did you mean by Buffy won't choose me?"

"There are things you won't understand for a long while Dawn," Joyce touched her daughter's cheek tenderly; "You are special. You always have been Dawnie. The Future will bring great things for you if you make the right choices."

"How do I know what's right?" Dawn wanted to cry, but there were no tears here in this place.

"You'll just know," Joyce replied, and then a scroll appeared in her mother's hand, "Take this Dawnie, and take it back with you. This will help in the battle." Joyce slowly began to fade, "And Dawnie, just remember that I love you and that Buffy loves you no matter what. When the final battle comes down even though Buffy won't choose you, believe that she loves you no matter what."

"Mommy, don't go," Dawn pleaded, sinking to her knees.

Dawn looked down one last time and saw a final stream of images before she was released from her vision. There was a girl, long brown hair, brown eyes, standing tall and staking a gang of vampires. The same girl, her hair shorter and dyed red, standing with two other girls, one with titian red hair and green eyes and another with brown hair and brown eyes. Each girl stood tall in battle and power surged through them. Then, Dawn saw one final image of the girl and knew who she was. She was THE Slayer. Not like the others, she was never a Potential, but had been born a Slayer. Other girls became Slayers when they showed Potential; this one had come into the world a Slayer. She had power above them all. She was THE Chosen. She was the last hope of the world.

  Dawn gasped for air as she came back into the real world. The first thing she saw was Xander's brown eyes looking at her. His eyes were full of concern and worry, but above all she saw love in them. A love that she knew would protect her for years to come. She knew things now, things that she shouldn't know, things that she didn't want to know. Yet, only one thing gave her more hope than anything else she had known. This hope she had not found in the amulet or during the vision, but right that very moment looking into Xander's eyes. Buffy would not choose her, but Xander would. She didn't know how she knew but she did.

"Dawn? Dawn are you alright?" Xander was asking. Dawn hadn't realized that Xander had been speaking until then.

"I-I think I might be now," Dawn replied, and sat up. Xander's arm was still around her, his eyes still watching her every movement. Dawn then felt the scroll in hands and remembered what he mother had told her about it. She stared at the scroll in awe. It was real. "I had a...a vision. I saw parts of the Final Battle, and my mom. She-she gave me this, told me it would help."

"You saw the Future?" Xander queried.

"It's not so great Xand," Dawn admitted, "It's not the end of the world either."

"Y'know what's written in there?" Xander wondered, nodding to the manuscripts in Dawn's hand. 

"No," Dawn shook her head, "Just that it's a prophecy or something."

"Think we should get the others before we check it out?" Xander wanted to know. He watched Dawn closely, trying to read into her expression. Dawn didn't cease to notice that Xander was still holding her and how right it felt for him to do so. She was safe with him.

"I don't know," Dawn sighed, "Xand what do I do? I'm afraid of what it says, of what's going to happen. Mom, she told me that she couldn't show me everything after what I did. I don't know what else there was to show me, but some of the stuff I saw was pretty bad."

"Guess I'm not the only one who sees things now huh?" Xander mused jokingly. Dawn was comforted by Xander's spirit to try and turn her dreadful look into a smile, but she couldn't seem to do so. She knew too much.

"Guess not," Dawn allowed and fingered the scroll. Then, Willow and Faith exited the kitchen and stopped when they saw Xander and Dawn on the floor in the middle of the lobby. At some point the amulet had fallen to the ground and Dawn sat in Xander's arms staring at the scroll. For the first time Dawn realized that she and Xander together like this must be a strange thing to behold. The thought was lost in her mind as she stared at Willow. She knew things that she wanted to forget.

  Willow did not seem to notice Dawn watching her in sadness. Faith had noticed though and Xander, who had gotten to his feet, helping Dawn up in the process, had also caught on to Dawn's look. He was the only one who could put two and two together, the only one so far who knew of her "vision" and Dawn could only imagine what he thought. He thought Willow died. 

"What's happenin' here?" Faith questioned.

"I was showing Dawn the talisman thing," Xander explained, and then looked at Dawn uncertainly, silently asking if he should say anything to them, "And she..."

"I had a vision, sort of," Dawn cut Xander off, "I was holding the necklace and then I was out and..."

"What was the vision of?" Willow asked.

"The Future," Dawn replied bluntly. Willow's eyes widened, she looked at Dawn intently, waiting for her to say more, to tell them the details on what was to happen but Dawn remained silent.

"What's with the scroll?" Faith shifted the topic of discussion over to the scroll Dawn held on to tightly.

"My mom gave it to me in the vision," Dawn enlightened, "It's supposed to be a prophecy that'll help us..."

"Did you open it yet?" Willow curiously questioned.

"No," Dawn then examined the scroll again; it was tied with a thin twine string and its paper was stained yellow from the years that it had survived through. This paper was supposed to help them defeat the First; it was their hope of winning. Dawn did not want to be the one to open it though, she had been the one to receive it but she wanted to leave the rest to someone else.

   Looking between the three in the room, Buffy's friends and the rogue slayer, Dawn made her choice. Taking a deep breath she managed to ignore her rib pains and avoid putting pressure on her damaged ankle as she walked. She stood in front of Willow and Faith and held out the prophecy. "Willow, you do it."

"Me?" Willow took the scroll from Dawn and looked at it in the same awe Dawn had. It was just a paper, but the contents held such importance. It was a burden as well as a joy to be the one to read it, to open it. If Dawn's vision had been right this held the answers they needed.

"You," Dawn affirmed, "I don't want to do it. I want you to. Willow, you're going to do amazing things and this is yours to open."

"I'm going to do amazing things?" Willow looked at Dawn, and the teen could not fully read the witch's expression. Dawn nodded in confirmation.

"So, open it already!" Faith urged.

"Wait, let me just take a minute to grasp what this paper means," Willow paused, "Maybe we should get the others here. Spike and Angel and...And the others, I mean I think they'd like to know about all this..."

"I'm on it," Faith mentioned as she returned through the kitchen door her and Willow had came out of moment earlier. In the meantime, Willow made her way over to the couch in the lobby and say down, still staring at the scroll.

   Dawn watched the witch a little longer before she felt Xander's hand touch her shoulder. Dawn turned and looked at Xander. His eyes pleaded with her to tell him everything she had seen. They begged her to assure him that Willow was going to be alright, that they all were. He had stood silently while Dawn had given Willow the scroll; he had taken everything in and waited for his moment to approach Dawn again.

"Dawn..." he trailed off, knowing that Dawn knew what he was asking.

"She really does do an amazing thing," Dawn muttered, "She used more magicks than she ever has and changed the world. It's not going to be enough. She loves really does Kennedy and Kennedy loves her, but that's not enough to...."

"Oh, god," Xander's knees almost gave out beneath him, "I don't think...she can't..." Before either one could say anymore about Dawn's vision, Faith returned to the room followed by Spike, Wesley, Fred, Gunn, Conner, Cordelia and finally Angel.

"S'what's this all 'bout?" Spike grunted, sipping a package of blood as he leaned against a wall, Angel stood as far away from the other Vamp as possible.  

"Dawnie had a vision," Willow explained, rejoining the group, "And she received this. It's supposed to be a prophecy."

"Hey," Cordelia pouted, "I thought I was vision girl!"

"You are," Dawn assured the ex-cheerleader, "I...my mom told me that it had to be me to see this...I saw parts of the final battle and then I got this."

"Intriguing," Wesley commented, he walked over to Willow and looked the scroll over, "You actually received the prophecy in you vision and it transferred here. It's never happened before."

"Well there's a first for everything," Gunn shrugged, "What does it say?"

"We don't know yet," Willow spoke up again, "We haven't opened it yet."

"Why bloody not?" Spike wondered.

"Dawn wants me to open it and I thought it would be best if we were all here to-to read it," Willow encountered.

"So are you going to open it now?" Fred asked shyly. Willow looked at the group and then back at the scroll.

"Yeah, I am," Willow nodded. She pulled the string around the scroll and let it drop the floor. The group all crept forward, even Conner who seemed not to care at all about this. Angel lingered next to Faith and Cordy, Dawn held tightly onto Xander's hand, and Spike rested his hand on the Dawn's shoulder. Wesley stood next to the vampire with Fred and Gunn beside him, all held their breath as Willow slowly unrolled the scroll. Strange writing appeared, a different language and all felt disappointed raise in their hearts, the idea of research and translations made them all slightly regretful to actually opening it. Then, slowly the writing seemed to change, translating itself. They all watched carefully, as each and ever word changed languages and scripture.

"Looks like we'll be here a while," Cordelia sighed. Then, the words seemed to registrar her voice and language and became English. "Wow, it's smart!"

"Well, what does the thing say?" Conner wondered, speaking up for the first time since he had entered the room.

"A whole lot," Willow replied, staring at the manuscript.