In the last chapter of Help Me Live.

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1. What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

Why was THAT important? Something lies within me. Alright. But what??

2. It's not the age in the years that count, but the years in the age.

Something about how old she is. In age I have the body of eighteen.... In actuality though.... I really am over 4,000. Is that what it means?

3. It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.

How is that supposed to help me? Alright... the key doesn't hold be back. That means... the human part of me is holding me back!

4. Every man dies. Not every man truly lives.

Man.... Can't be talking about me. Man cuts out Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gimli, Gandalf, and Legolas. Aragorn and Boromir left. Boromir. He's not living? Or does this mean he is going to die? Could mean Aragorn. He isn't living cause he left Arwen and doesn't have anyone to love? Is that it?

5. The best way to predict your future is to create it.

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"Oh." Dawn had just realized something.

"Oh." The word was about to become a mantra that was muttered over and over in the darkness of the cave. She had never. expected this. Never even fathomed her importance. Yes. she was now able to fight faster. Yes. she occasionally sensed and knew things. Yes. she was able to appear a few feet away from where she began. So what? Right? Nope. There was a lot more than she could have even hoped for. And now? There was too much. And she didn't know what to do.

"Oh."

Willow had once told Dawn about what had happened the fateful day the Tara died. What she had felt. What she had done. All of it. At one part of the story, Willow had used many adjectives. It was when she was describing how she felt after she took Giles' power from him. It had felt. well. for lack of any better words. like she was on a high. Like she was on some sort of drug that made you feel every single piece of magick within you. Willow felt like she was on some drug that put all her cares away, made her feel content and satisfied.

"Oh."

That was how Dawn felt now. Satisfied. Content. Filled. It may sound kind of wrong. but that was what she felt like. She would never be able to fully understand her capabilities. but what she knew now? Content with the knowledge. Filled with her magick. Satisfied with how she had found out.

The question was.

"Now what?" Dawn looked around her. The cave seemed empty. No sounds of orcs or goblins. No shouts from the Fellowship. Nothing. The nothingness brought a sense of eerie silence that kept Dawn on her toes. What now?

Join the Fellowship again? Definitely.

Tell them what she knew? No way in Hell.

Try to reciprocate the feelings that others felt for her?

What did they even feel for her?

Buffy? Some sort of sisterly care and protection that only family can feel. Or did she even still feel the same way she felt three years ago? Did she still feel like she would sacrifice everything for Dawn? Dawn felt that way towards Buffy. But. Dawn had been spying on Buffy that fateful day when Giles took Buffy for a lesson on being a General. She remembered when Giles commented that Buffy had changed. He had said that if Buffy was faced with the same challenge again. she would have let Dawn die. Worse? Buffy had agreed. Now what? Which way did she feel? And the others?

Merry and Pippin? Like she was some sort of sister they never had. They'd protect and love her to the best of their ability.

Sam? As a good ole friend. Though probably still wary around her.

Frodo? He probably thought he was in love with her, when in actuality he just loved her and cared for her welfare.

Gimli? A sense of wariness. Boromir most likely felt that way too.

Aragorn? That hunk of salty goodness has fallen for the savior that is Buffy. He probably felt like a father or an older brother figure to her.

Legolas? . What were those questions and glances for? Did they mean anything? Doubtfully. They probably meant concern for the Fellowship.

Back to the question of what to do and how to do it. Check for injuries. Did anything feel painful? Just her heart and a slight pain in her back, probably from sitting for to long in an upright position. Now what to do. find the Fellowship. And so it begins. again.