Angel and Dawn sat side by side, across the desk from the Junior High Principal, a Hispanic woman with graying hair. They were mid-conversation. Buffy couldn't make it because she had to go drop out of college to make sure she was there to watch Dawn 24/7. Angel had insisted that she stay, but Buffy was too stubborn and wouldn't hear any of it.

"You lied to us, Dawn?" Angel asked.

"Didn't lie, exactly.." Dawn said, studying her fingernails.

"Oh, yeah? What about all the times we asked you how school was and you said, 'fine.'"

"Well it was! You didn't ask if I was in it.. when it was fine.."

Angel turned to the principal. "I don't know what to say. I guess you probably know it's been a really hard time for Dawn these last few months and not that that's an excuse."

"I understand. Her mother was a lovely woman and we'll all miss her very much. I know how difficult it must be."

"It is. For Buffy and Dawn, especially. I mean, she's just a kid."

"Hmmm. Well.. I think we both know that Dawn is a lot more than 'just a kid.' She's a talented young girl with a sharp mind. When she puts the effort in."

"Look, I realize there's been some ball dropping, but I'm sure this'll all.."

"Dawn. Why don't you wait outside for a few minutes?"

Angel watched Dawn go and then turned back to the principal with a small look of dread. He had never been in the principal's office before and he was playing Dad now, so he was probably going to have to get used to it.

"Mr. Angel.."

"Just Angel."

"Angel.. I know you're not exactly Dawn's legal guardian, but once you and her sister get married, you will be. That's why I feel that I should tell you that if you and Miss Summers don't buckle down and start cracking down on Dawn, social services will take her away."

"What? Why?"

"Please, don't panic. They've taken notice in Dawn's case because of all the school she's been missing and because Dawn chose to stay with you and Miss Summers instead of going to her father. All I'm saying is: watch your step with her. Make sure she attends school and doesn't get in any trouble. If you like, we can help you out here."

"How?"

"We can have someone check up on Dawn in every class, make sure she gets to class, things like that."

"You can do that?"

"We can."

"Then by all means. Whatever helps Buffy out, I'll agree to almost anything. And speaking of, I have to pick her up. Will you excuse me?"

"Certainly. We'll start Dawn on this new system and see how it turns out."

"Thank you."



Angel and Dawn walked into the Magic Box and found everyone there. Buffy included. She looked up and smiled. She was doing better despite what had happened last week. Spike had made a robot that looked exactly like Buffy that it had fooled all her friends while she, Angel, and Giles had gone on a little mission to help her get back on her slay feet. Spike had been taken and tortured by Glory so she could find out where the Key was. He hadn't talked and Buffy had thanked him for it.

"Hey sweetie." Buffy said.

"Hey."

"Everything went ok?"

"We need to talk."

"What?"

"Not here. Away from Dawn actually."

"Oh."

"How bout you? Everything go all right?"

"Yup. I'm all dropped out."

"I wish you hadn't."

"Well, this is just for now. I'm thinking I'll probably go back next semester."

"Sounds like a plan. We need to talk now though."

"Ok."

"Giles, can we talk to you in the back?"

"Sure." Giles said, heading back.

Buffy turned to look at Dawn. "Um, Dawn, why don't you get started on your homework, okay? If you need help.. Will, could you..?"

Willow nodded and Buffy followed Angel and Giles to the backroom.



"I don't know what to do. She's messing up. I'm messing up. It's a mess." Buffy said after Angel finished telling her and Giles what the principal had said.

"You're going to have to put your foot down with her." Giles said.

"I try. My foot's not used to being put down. I want you to do it. Can't you be the foot-putting-downer?"

"No, Buffy, I don't think so."

"He's right Buffy." Angel said. "We both need to do this."

"Listen to Angel."

"Please? Pretty please?" Buffy pleaded. "C'mon, your feet are way bigger than mine! I mean, you're so much more a grown-up than me. She needs an authority figure, a strong guiding hand. She'll listen to you.."

"Just like you always have?"

"I listen." Giles raised his eyebrows. "I do."

"Then perk up your ears. I may be a grown-up, but you're her family. Her only real family now. She needs you to do this. She needs both of you."

"Right. She needs me. She needs us." Buffy headed towards the door. "Me the grown up. Me the authority figure. The guiding hand and stompy foot that is me."

"That's the spirit."

"Okay, I can do this."

"I know you can."

Buffy turned back. "Please?"

"No."

"Right. Here we go." She headed towards the outer part of the Magic Box. "Early to bed, early to rise; balanced breakfasts; hospital corners; museum visits. It's a new beginning: discipline, authority.. Order..?" Buffy stopped and stared at Willow, Anya, and Xander, lying in the shape of a triangle on the floor of the Magic Shop. Dawn stood in the middle of them. Willow and Dawn were laughing hysterically. "What is this?" Dawn froze. "Dawn, I thought I told you to do your homework."

"I was!" Dawn said.

"Please don't lie to me."

"I'm not."

"We were acting out a geometry problem." Willow said. "Cause I just read this really neat article that said kids learn math better when you tap into their visual learning patterns; you know, using the right brain too, instead of just the left and stuff like that"

"Uh huh."

"So we made a triangle with our bodies. And that's when I called Xander 'obtuse' and he got all grumpy and then Dawn said we were an 'acute' triangle and, well.. hilarity ensued."

"Right. Well, you know what? I think maybe Dawn should do her geometry at home."

"But it was working. I was really learning." Dawn defended.

"Go get your stuff."

"Fine. Don't listen to me." Dawn said under her breath.

"Don't get all grouchy at her.. Who among us can ignore the allure of really funny math puns?" Willow said to Buffy.

"It's really important Dawn finishes her school work right now." Buffy said.

"I know it is. And I'm a big fan of school. You know me, I'm all: 'Go school, it's your birthday'! Or something to that effect."

"Look, I know you mean well but you just don't understand. And there's no way you could."

"I do so understand. You're stressed out."

"I'm more than stressed out. I'm freaked out."

"Yeah. Well, maybe you need a little break to de-freak. You could come to the World Culture Fair, if you want, with me and Tara."

"Nah, I don't think so."

"C'mon, you could bring Angel and Dawn and it could be really fun. I mean educational type fun, in a discipline-y sort of way. Supposedly the highlights last year were baked sushi and some inexperienced yogis who tried to walk on burning coals and.."

"Can't do it Will. But don't worry. It's not like I don't have a life. I do. I have Dawn's life." Buffy turned to Dawn. "You ready?" Dawn looked away. "Angel, we're going home!"

Angel came out and followed Dawn and Buffy out the door.



"Okay, so I think the next step is to make a chart. A schedule. I'll write down all the things you're supposed to do and when you have to do them and there'll be a box for everything and you can make a big X in it when you've accomplished your task." Buffy said, folding the little towels while Angel folded the bigger ones. Dawn looked up at them and glared. "What? You want gold stars, you can have gold stars."

"I don't want gold stars. I don't want any of this." Dawn replied.

"We're just trying to give you a normal life." Angel said.

"That's a laugh coming from you. And good luck." Buffy glared at Dawn and her little sister caught it. "What? What am I doing wrong now?"

"This is for real, Dawn." Buffy said.

"No, it isn't. I'm not real, so why would my exciting graph of chores be real? Who cares if a Key gets an education anyway?" Dawn put down her pen and shoved her homework to one side defiantly. Angel pushed it back in front of her.

"It's not a graph. It's a chart. And you are real."

"Yeah? Those Monks put grades K through eight in my head. Can't we just wait and see if they drop nine in there too?"

"Damn it, Dawn, this is serious!"

"Why? Why should I care about any of this?"

"Because they'll take you away!"

"Take me away? What do you mean?"

"They'll take you away from us. That's what your principal told me when you weren't in the room." Angel said. "If we can't make you go to school, we won't be found fit to be your legal guardians."

"Where would I go?"

"I don't.. your father, maybe. Or foster care? I didn't.. I didn't really want to ask."

"You guys could've told me that."

"We just did." Buffy replied. She sighed and picked up the basket of towels and carried them upstairs to the closet with the towels.

Angel followed her. "Are you ok?"

"I just need her to understand all this. She's being so hard headed about it."

"Just like her sister was about finding out she's the Slayer."

"This is.. It's different."

"How?"

"She's a Key. I'm a Slayer. She doesn't have any superhuman strength to take care of herself. She's only fourteen."

"And you were only fifteen when you became the Slayer. You acted in the same way. You shunned Merrick every time he tried to help you."

"That was only in the beginning! After that, I accepted."

"No you didn't."

"The only time I quit was when Merrick died. I got fed up with it. Dawn can't quit being the Key until Glory dies.. Or Dawn does."

"She's not going to." Angel pulled Buffy to him. "We won't let it."

"I wish you could guarantee that because I am so scared that this time, maybe we can't win." Suddenly the phone rang. Buffy went into her room and picked up the phone. "Hello? Hey Will. We're fine.. What? Are you serious? No, we'll be right there." Buffy hung up and turned to Angel. "We need to go to the hospital. Tara.. Glory got her."

"Oh God." Angel said.

"No. No.. She's ok. Sorta. Glory.. Sucked her brain."



After dropping Dawn off at Spike's crypt, Angel drove fast to the hospital and Buffy and him ran to the room Willow told them to meet her in. Xander, Giles, Willow, and Anya stood around Tara who sat on the examination table.

"Will. I'm so sorry." Buffy hugged her best friend tightly.

Tara looked at Buffy. "They kill mice."

"Tara." Buffy tried to hug Tara, but she remained stiff.

Angel looked at Willow. "I'm sorry it took us so long. But we're here now and Dawn's with Spike so we can stay as long as you need us."

Willow nodded to show her gratitude. "I'm so scared."

"I know." Angel hugged her just as a doctor came in the room.

"Miss Rosenberg, we're going to take Tara now," he said.

"Take Tara? Where?" Buffy asked.

"Just for observation. She'll be returning home tomorrow." The doctor turned to Tara. "Ok Tara. Let's get in the wheelchair."

At first Tara resisted, but Willow put a comforting hand on her shoulder and Tara hopped into the wheelchair. "Don't.. please don't with that treachery. I told the cats. And now I beg my mother, sitting all alone."

"Bye Tara. I'll see you tomorrow. I love you." Willow said. At the last second, she couldn't let Tara go. She tried to follow her out the door, but Xander caught her in his arms, holding her.

"Will, no. It's just for one night." Xander said.

"Yeah, I know. But it's a whole night and I don't think I can sleep without her."

"You can sleep with me." Anya said. "You know, that came out a lot more lesbian than it sounded in my head."

"Will, you just have to rest. Right now there's nothing you can do."

Willow looked up, determined. "Yes, there is."

Buffy understood. "No. No way." Willow exited into the hallway and Buffy and Angel followed.

"You can't even think about taking on Glory." Angel said.

"You saw what she did to Tara. I can't let her get away with it."

"No, you have to let her get away with it." Buffy said. "Even Angel and I are no match for her, you know that."

"But maybe I am." Willow started away from her, but Buffy blocked the witch.

"You're not. And I won't let you go."

"It's not your choice, Buffy. It's mine."

"This is not the time."

"When, Buffy? When is? When you feel like it? When it's someone you love like I love Tara? When it's Dawn or Angel, is that it Buffy?"

Buffy couldn't answer. Angel answered for her. "No. When we have a chance. We'll fight her when we have a chance. You wouldn't last five minutes, Willow. She's a god."

Willow nodded slowly. Then she slumped as if every atom in her body was giving up. "Fine. I'll wait."

"It's the only choice."

"Yeah." Willow turned around and walked off in the opposite direction.

"Can we do anything.."

"Just let me be alone."

Buffy and Angel watched her go, slowly making her way down the hall. Finally they headed in the opposite direction to the exit. They went to Spike's crypt to pick Dawn up.

"So, what'd the doctors say? Is Tara.. like those guys in the mental ward, or, is it different somehow?" Dawn asked.

"They said there's no way of knowing right now." Angel said.

"Cause.. none of those guys got better. I mean, none of them."

"Dawn honey.. Tara might not either." Buffy said.

Dawn started to cry. "It's all my fault."

"It's not your fault." Angel said, sitting next to Dawn and hugging her.

"How's Willow?"

"She was looking to go all pay-back-y on Glory for a minute there, but Angel and I cooled her down a little." Buffy shrugged. "Actually, a lot."

"She's not gonna do anything rash, then." Spike asked.

"We explained, you know, there was no point."

"Uh huh."

"What?"

"So, you're saying a powerful and mightily pissed-off witch was planning to go out and spill herself a few pints of God blood until you two.. explained?"

"You think she'd..? No. We told Willow, fighting Glory'd be suicide."

"I'd do it." Buffy looked at Spike. He looked to the ground. "Right person. Person I loved." He looked back to her eyes. "I'd do it."

"Think, Buffy. If Glory'd done that to me.."

Buffy looked at Angel, knowing. They took off out of the crypt and dove into the convertible. Angel punched the accelerator and sped to Glory's apartment. They ran into the room and found it in shambles. Glory stood over an injured Willow talking.

"You know what they used to do to witches, Lover?" Glory asked. She raised the knife high, ready to plunge it into Willow. Willow could watch but she couldn't move. "Crucify em." The knife blade came whistling down then stopped. Buffy held Glory's wrist tightly.

"They used to bow down to gods." Buffy twisted Glory's wrist straight back, making her drop the knife with a small cry of pain. "Things change."

As Angel went to help Willow, Buffy let loose with a solid roundhouse kick, tagging Glory square in the head and sending her whole body whipping sideways. Buffy pressed the attack, landing a quick series of blows. Glory took them in stride, and then countered. Buffy evaded Glory's blows, but was backed up against the couch. In a moment of tremendous strength, Buffy pushed the fainting couch at Glory, knocking the wind out of her. Buffy rushed over to Angel and Willow. Glory thrust the couch aside and strode forward toward them with purpose and confidence.

Willow weakly raised up one hand, held it palm-out at Glory and said, "Thicken."

Glory stopped, pressing on an invisible barrier. "This isn't over." She called at them as they ran out. "Do you hear me? It isn't over!"

Buffy and Angel ignored her and ran with Willow to the convertible. They tossed her in and drove off.



The next day, Buffy, Angel, and Dawn sat with Tara and Willow in Tara's room. Tara sat crossed-legged on the bed wearing flannel pajamas and a blank expression. Willow, Buffy, Angel, and Dawn sat on the edges of the bed, around her. Willow looked exhausted. Buffy opened a bag of sandwiches. The mood was peaceful, safe. Like they'd found a quiet eddy in the storm. Though they joked, they were neither boisterous nor forced, just dear and tired friends allowing themselves to have a moment of calm.

"Chicken salad?" Buffy asked.

"Right here." Willow said.

"Eggplant, that's me. And, what is this, peanut butter and.. ew, salami, Dawn?" Dawn took the sandwich. "Yeah, like eggplant is normal. It's what? Half- egg, half-plant? Cause that's just unnatural."

"What's Tara got?" Willow asked.

"I got her tuna. Does she like.. Tara, you like Tuna?"

"Plastic and their six sisters. Six sick sisters. Willow?" Tara asked.

"We'll just start a little slow today, okay?" Willow said. "Angel, can I have that?" She indicated some applesauce. Angel handed it to her. Willow looked to Tara. "Okay, Darling.." Willow opened the jar and filled a spoon. Then gently, tenderly, she fed Tara. Like a child. "There we go. Yeah, that's my girl. It's okay. I'm right here."

"Can I help?" Dawn asked.

Willow smiled and handed the applesauce to Dawn, allowing her to feed Tara as Willow, Buffy, and Angel talked.

"What are you gonna need?" Angel asked.

"I don't know.. They gave me a lot of stuff to keep her calm. They said I might need to restrain her at night, but.. Sometimes she's fine, she looks at me and she's fine." Willow said.

"I'm sorry I couldn't have.." Buffy said.

"It's okay. I can do this. I'm gonna take care of her. Even if she never.. She's my girl."

"I understand." Buffy said. She looked at Angel lovingly and then at Dawn.

"I know you both do." Willow said to Buffy and Angel. She turned to Tara and looked at her. "Hear that, baby? You're my always."

Angel took Buffy's hand as she watched Willow kiss Tara's forehead. Suddenly the wall behind them was ripped away and sunlight streamed into the room. On instinct, Angel moved away from it, but realized almost as suddenly that he didn't need to shy away. Standing in the sunlight, Glory stood among the wall's ruins staring in at them.

"I told you this wasn't over." Glory said.

"No! The place is cracking, cracking. No, no, no.." Tara wailed.

"Tara, it's okay. It's okay." Dawn said.

Tara looked at Dawn and suddenly was fixated, as if seeing a rainbow for the first time. "Look at that.. the light, it's so pure.. Such a pure green energy. It's so beautiful."

Buffy, Willow, Angel, and Dawn's eyes widened as Glory looked at Dawn. She knew Buffy's sister was the Key.