Title: The Lesser
Series: Leave it Behind
Author: Autumn
Email: autumnleaves@autumnpenguins.com
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Co. own everything.
Series Summary: An AU of season Six. 'What if Buffy hadn't been the one to die?"
Story Summary: Giles makes a hard decision.
Author's Notes:
Story order: Equilibrium, The Lesser
Precious installments can be found on Fanfiction.net
Or:
Takes place two days after the events of 'Equilibrium'
******************
The lights of the Magic Box remained unlit and the blinds drawn in honor of the secret meeting taking place within the store's bowls. Two old colleagues sat across from each other in the dark room, the candles on the table offered feeble light.
" I'm surprised at you Rupert. You're well aware of the consequences."
"Yes. You know this is the only way to get Buffy back. As head of the council, I'd expect you to jump at the opportunity."
"This is no time to get shirty with me. While we desire nothing so much as having our Slayer back, I'm afraid it's not as simple as that. Any resurrection can go horribly wrong."
"Don't speak to me like a child. I know what I'm asking. You get Dawn back, and I will get my Slayer back on active duty."
"Rupert, we don't know what on earth we would be compromising if we were rash enough to consider harnessing such magiks."
"There are consequences to everything. However, failure to act this time will cause far greater damage to Buffy herself, and endanger your precious Slayer line."
"Your affection for the girl is clouding your judgement yet again Ruppert.
"While I don't deny my relationship with my Slayer is unusually close, it does not cloud my judgement, it gives me more clarity as a matter of fact."
"Do you really believe that?" Quentin asked incredulously.
The old Ripper boiled to the surface, and came out for the first time since the battle with Glory. "For the last time, will you help or not? I guarantee you that you will not get your Slayer back until you do as I ask. Faith will be in jail for quite some time, so it will be entirely your fault if the Hellmouth is left without a guardian."
Quentin Travers gripped the bridge of his nose, and slumped further back into his chair, conceding defeat. "We don't have anybody strong enough to be the vessel of these kinds of magiks. No human in this world is strong enough to bear the forces necessary to channel such forces."
"We have a vessel." Giles said simply.
"Who, do you propose bear this burden?"
"I'll bring the vessel here. It has to be tomorrow, the elements will be in close alignment." Giles finished, rising from his seat.
The two remained silent as they left the Magic Box and went their separate ways.
*********************
Giles sat in his car, debating on exactly what he would say to get Spike to go along with the plan. For all the help that the blonde vampire had offered the Scoobies in the past few years, Giles wasn't one to forget exactly who William the Bloody was.
"Don't you people ever knock?"
"Spike."
"What do you want? Help I expect, since that's the only time you show your face round my place."
"Yes, since we're the best of friends, Giles said sarcastically "I need your help."
"Figured as much."
"Willow wasn't entirely wrong about bringing Dawn back."
"That's a complete turnaround isn't it, Mr. Resurrection-spells-are-wrong."
"Willow isn't the one who's going to perform the spell."
Spike looked curiously at the Watcher. "You want to perform some seriously dark mojo, and you want my help?"
"You're the vessel Spike. Someone stronger than a human is needed. But it can't be someone with a soul."
"So, what you're really saying is that you need someone who's expendable."
Giles didn't answer, but removed his glasses and cleaned them with his jacket.
Spike pulled out a cigarette and lit it, taking a few slow puffs. "Supposing I go along with the mumbo black magic stuff, what happens after? Will Dawn come back right?"
"I suppose it depends on where she ended up. But from what Buffy said, after Angel came back from hell he was wild, but he was fine-eventually."
"Yeah, well Angel always was slow on the uptake. I'm not and I can't help but notice that you're not answering my question. Is Dawn going to be herself if you can pull this off?"
"I don't know. But we have to try."
"Again, what makes you ready to pull off something this risky when you and I both know that it's against your nature to do something like this?"
"Buffy. She's been through enough already, it wasn't right that she lost her mother and her sister so close together."
"You're holding something back from me." Spike said flatly.
"I don't have time to spell everything out for you Spike. You'll either help, or I'll make you help. Come to the Magic Box at sundown." Giles left before Spike had time to reply.
Spike knew that he would help the minute Giles had asked/commanded, but he had unanswered questions about exactly what it was that he was getting himself into. He suspected there was a lot more too it than Giles led on and that he was being kept in the dark for a reason. With Giles reluctance to involve the Scoobies it had to be deep stuff, and Spike suspected it was much riskier than the resurrection spell Willow had suggested, or the one Dawn had attempted to use to bring back Mrs. Summers.
"Bollucks" he muttered to himself and crushed his cigarette against the wall of his crypt.
Spike gathered up his duster and his crossbow and left the crypt Hopefully there'd be daemons by the dozens tonight, he was itching for a good spot of violence.
************************
Back in the Summer's home, Willow, Tara, Anya and Xander had come over upon Giles request to keep Buffy Company. It was the first time they had all been together again since the fight with Glory. The group sat awkwardly around the living room furniture. Despite Buffy's brief 'awakening' with Giles, she had reverted back to a state of semi-oblivion.
"Hey Buffy." Willow said softly.
"We miss having you around, you know sane and all." Anya tried.
"Anya." Xander admonished.
"What? Are you saying that we don't want a sane Buffy?" Anya volleyed, annoyed at Xander trying to correct her yet again.
"I'm sorry." Buffy said, not looking at anybody.
"Who are you talking too?" Tara asked.
"I'm sorry for everything. I-I can't do this now with all of you here- I need" Buffy broke off.
"It's okay Buffy, just tell us what you need." Willow cupped her face, relieved to have her friend speaking more than three words at a time.
Buffy began looking around at all of her friends. Really focusing on their faces, seeing them for the first time, and seeing who wasn't there. It finally hit home what had happened in the past few months. "I need to see her" Buffy rose to her feet as she spoke, and walked towards the door.
"We'll take her." Tara said, understanding what Buffy meant.
She and Willow followed closely behind the Slayer. "We'll take the Buffybot patrolling and catch up with you at the-place." Xander said.
******************
Dawn Marie Summers
December 31st 1985-May 22nd 2001
"That's all it says?" Buffy turned towards Willow and Tara.
"We didn't feel it was right to add an epitaph without you knowing what it said." Tara told Buffy gagging her face with a careful countenance.
"That was thoughtful."
"Buffy, we couldn't think of anything to say that was fitting enough for what Dawn did, and like Tara said it just wasn't right to take that liability when you're her real family."
"I thought she wasn't real. But this feels real." Buffy finished in a broken voice.
Tears were rolling silently down her cheeks as she turned back to the headstone.
****************
"Take that, you evil, soulless fiend!" The Buffybot rang out cheerfully as she staked a vampire.
"Did you teach her that one Xander?" Anya asked.
"What, me? Why?"
"Well, because she only says that when she stakes blonde vampires. Blonde, male vampires."
"Speaking of evil, soulless fiends. What are you doing here Spike?"
"I happen to live around here. Unlike you two. You kiddies shouldn't be wandering around like this what with the Slayer not slaying and all that."
"The sex-bot that you had built is almost as good at slaying. And the puns she says are almost as lame as the stuff Buffy comes up with." Anya added.
"How is the Slayer?"
"If you try to take advantage of her now that-"
"Save it Harris." Spike snarled
"You could go ask her yourself. She's over there with Willow and Tara." Anya answered Spike's query.
The threesome fell silent as they approached the women at the Summers gravesite. The Buffybot was forgotten, and left to her own devices. Buffy was still kneeling in front of Dawn's grave and appeared to be unaware of the five people around her. Willow motioned for them to head out of Buffy's hearing range.
"She's just been sitting there for awhile now. But she hasn't said much." Willow informed everyone.
"I think she's gonna be here for awhile. Maybe it'd be better if just one us stays here with her." Tara agreed.
"I'll bring her home."
"Again with the, never-gonna-happen" Xander broke in.
"It makes sense Xander. Even if he wants too he can't hurt Buffy, he's all chippy and she's still got Slayer strength even though she's not actually using it." Anya pointed out, irritated at the constant male posturing.
"I think maybe Tara and I should just get the Buffybot and head home. Could you guys swing by Giles and let him know where Buffy is?"
"Fine. Let evil undead have a chance to hurt our friend."
"Sod off. Just because you would think of taking advantage of a bird in this situation doesn't mean I would, and I'm evil. So what does that say about you?"
"Okay boys, let's just back off into our own separate corners now. Spike'll take Buffy. Anya you take Xander, and Willow and I will grab the robot." Tara decided, and physically nudged everyone into the desired direction.
********************
Throughout the night, Spike kept close to the catatonic Slayer. He got his wish for violence, and took out three vampires into the late hours of the night. "You gonna stay here much longer pet? Cause much as I'd like to baby-sit you, the sun is fast becoming an issue."
"I'll take it from here Spike." Giles announced.
With a last glance at Buffy, Spike jogged off towards his crypt, reaching safety just as the sun shone its first deadly rays. He had a feeling that the night ahead of him would decide the fate of Dawn, Buffy and everything that was connected to them. He suddenly understood exactly where Giles was coming from. It was the last thought he had before darkness over took him.