Chapter 5
Dawn was waiting at the merry-go-round. She was waiting for Spike. He walked up to her and said,
"Hello Cutie."
"Oh good, you're finally here. I want to get on. Please Spike."
"I can't ride this ride with you all the way Nibblet."
"Why not?"
"Look on the other side...The Sun's out. If I go over there...I won't be able to protect or watch over you...I'll be burnt to a crisp."
"Oh...I didn't see the sun. Does it always sneak up on you like that."
"Nope...and it's only over there. So if we stay where we are...we're safe."
As soon as he said it...a group of Byzantium knights surrounded them,
"Give us the key! We must Destroy the Key!"
Spike and Dawn ran towards the other side of the Merry Go round.
"Go on Nibblet," Spike said stopping before the sun's deadly rays could burn him.
"But what about you, " she said, seeing that the Knights were close to him.
"Don't worry Sweet Bit, said laughingly, "I'll hold them off for a while." He changed into his demonic form. "They don't call me The Big Bad and William the Bloody for nothing. Now don't forget, I love you."
With that...he pushed her into the sunny side and turned around and leapt into battle with the knights.
Dawn screamed "NO" as she was pushed.
But when she turned around to look for him and the battlefield, there was nothing. Everything around her was bathed in light. As her eyes adjusted, she realized that she was in the desert.
I wonder why I'm here. Where am I here?
"This is where you've always been," whispered a voice on the wind.
Dawn turned to follow the direction of the voice, but she couldn't track it, for it had seemed to come from everywhere at once. And when she had looked around, there was no one but her.
Dawn started to cry.
I'm all alone, she thought.
"No, your not, " again came the voice.
When Dawn turned to look, this time. She saw that a mountain cliff had formed behind her and a Bobcat sat on the top staring down at her.
"Was that you," she asked the cat, knowing instinctively that it wouldn't hurt her.
The cat cocked its head to the side, reminding her a bit of the way Spike did that when he was listening to her.
It turned and then looked to see if she was picking up the hint.
"Okay," she said starting toward the path at the base of the mountain cliff, " I'll follow...but if I'm going to be lunch, I'm not going to be happy."
She thought she heard a giggle, but it wasn't coming from the cat.
She finally reached Mr. Bobcat, as she thought of him, and he lead her to a river, then disappeared.
Great, she thought, now what.
Across the river she thought she saw two women, at a campfire. It was very light on her side but on their side, it was kind of getting dark.
She squinted to see them clearly, and then got the shock of her life. They looked like they were... Oh my God, it is.
"Mom, Buffy!!!"
The two women, stood up and looked in her direction, and then waved.
"Mom, Buffy!!! Help me get across!"
"Oh sweetheart, we can't do that. You can't get over here yet. The only way to cross the river is to die," her mother's voice drifted across to her.
"But I miss you both so much. Please, can't I come."
"No Dawny," it's not your time. You have work to do."
"Please mommy, Buffy," Dawn screamed, dropping to her knees and extending her hand as if to reach them.
Buffy put out her hand in response...and a small green light came out of both girls and connected them. The light then made a bridge, but Dawn was stopped from crossing it by an invisible barrier. As well as her mother was, on her side.
Buffy on the other hand, could cross the bridge and was walking toward her slowly.
Dawn heard a chant in the back ground, as Buffy came across slowly:
Key of worlds,
Blood of Souled,
Use Scroll of life
To find one more
When all is bound,
In time and place,
The two parts of one
Connect and Raise
Buffy had crossed over to stand before Dawn on her side of the barrier. She put her hands up on the barrier on one side and Dawn placed her hands over hers on her side.
"Buffy," Dawn said weeping.
"Don't cry, Pumpkin' Belly," Buffy said, softly.
"I miss you."
"I miss you as well, but I need you to do something."
"What?"
"Remember all that you have seen. Tell Spike first, and then tell Giles."
"Okay...I'll remember it all...I love you and I miss you both so much."
"We love you too, and you'll never be alone. We love you...Dawn, now wake up and tell Spike."
Dawn woke up abruptly. Then shouted, "SPIKE!!!"
TBC…