Just a few quick questions.
Is Dawn ever going to do anything?
Her first words are in this chapter. From here on out, she's remembering bits and pieces.
Xander and Cho... bliss/trouble in paradise?
They have a rockier relationship around a wedding than Xander did with Anya... and Cho still doesn't know much about Anya. Look for the American Ministry to try everything in their power to separate these two.
Can we get away from the Slayage for two seconds?
Look for two fun-filled chapters... Chapters in the teens as the girls in the story and the boys in the story take much needed R&R.
How long will this thing be?
I estimate around 25-30 chapters. I also promise lots of drama and angst to come. And, even though we're still relatively early in the story yet, a major character death.
Will Dawn ever be reunited with her baby?
Yes. And her baby is now 15 months old.
- - - - -
Chapter 9
Sights and Sounds
- - - - -
It was after sunset when the party of six from London got off the plane in New York City. Harry's first impulse was to run to the first window he could find and look out into the city, but it was Hermione's nagging voice that told them they only had forty minutes to find and board the plane taking them to Los Angeles.
Harry sighed and grabbed his duffel bag, fully prepared to run to the other end of the airport if necessary. London's airport was particularly large.
New York's turned out to be more complex though as they ran down corridors and passageways they never knew existed. Twice, Hermione had to stop and ask a security guard where their gate was. After demanding to see all of their passports, he sent them off on their way.
By the time they reached the gate, tempers were running high. Ron was longingly staring at a sports bar a short distance away while Ginny was overcome with a sweet tooth and disappeared inside the first convenience store she could find. Hermione took all of their tickets and went to the desk to get boarding passes, leaving Harry and Draco sitting side by side, surrounded by luggage.
"Some city," Draco yawned, checking the clock. "We have thirty minutes until we board the plane."
"You don't know Hermione," Harry replied, cracking open his bag to search for a bottle of water he'd tucked inside. The plane ride across the Atlantic had left him with shaking knees.
Hermione returned, handing each one of them their packets. "We're all set!" she announced, before grabbing her purse and rummaging inside.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked in amusement as Hermione handed him all of the trinkets inside.
"Looking for this," Hermione said in triumph, pulling out a calling card. "I bought one of these at the airport when Percy wasn't looking."
Harry glanced over to where Percy was hovering protectively over his younger brother. "What for?"
"I'm going to alert Los Angeles we're on our way," Hermione replied, pulling out a business card and handing her purse over to Harry. "I'll be back in five."
Draco yawned and stretched next to him and rose. "I need something to eat," he said, his eyes also on the bright neon sign of the sports bar just a few short steps in the other direction. "Be back in a few..."
So Harry was left alone in a crowded airport, holding a woman's purse and an empty bottle that had once contained water. Feeling even more foolish, he was half tempted to stand up and walk away when he noticed Ginny's flame-red hair. She joined him less than a minute later.
"I thought you might be hungry," she said, handing him a small plastic bag stuffed with brightly-colored packages of candy and a large bottle of water.
"You know me too well," Harry said, hugging her in relief, finally setting Hermione's purse down.
"Where's everyone else?" Ginny asked, unwrapping a Milky Way bar. She broke off a piece and bit into it. "This is good."
"We have those in England," Harry pointed out, searching through his bag. "Oh, look... a Mars bar."
They ate in silence for a few moments until Hermione returned, looking breathless but pleased nonetheless. Maybe it was because she was containing a large bag full of fast food, or maybe it was because she was waving the calling card in the air and promising that there would be someone picking them up in five shy hours.
"We'll get there in the middle of the night," Draco moaned as the three boys approached.
"Actually, it'll be midnight by the time we get there," Hermione announced, taking her seat and opening her paper bag. "Time differential."
Ron rolled his eyes and glanced longingly at the plate of food in Hermione's lap. "C'mon, Harry... let's get some food for the road."
"You only have eleven minutes!" Hermione's voice trilled behind them as the two wandered back down the hall and into the concourse.
"Over here looks good," Ron said, leading them both into a Mexican fast-food restaurant. After ordering, they both took their bags of food back into the concourse. It was then that Harry spied a large plate-glass window overlooking the eastern gates.
"Look!" Harry cried out as they both ran to the window. Even though the sky outside was darkening, they could see a large city glimmering in the distance.
"Wow," Ron whispered, his eyes bouncing back and forth from building to building. "This is amazing."
"I hope we can spend more time here on the return trip," Harry said eagerly as they both turned back and returned to their gate, where Percy and Hermione were both waiting impatiently.
"Finally!" Percy huffed as Ron and Harry collected their luggage. "Where were you two?"
"Just taking a look at the city," Harry said blithely as they handed over their boarding passes and boarded the plane.
"Well, take a good long look," Hermione muttered from behind them. "It might be a while before we see it again. These tickets are only one way!"
- - - - -
"I'm not so sure this was such a good idea," Spike muttered as he and Angel entered the hospital from the basement, climbing eight stories to the floor where Dawn was kept in silent isolation.
"Relax, will you?" Angel replied as he checked the door and pushed it open. At the end of the hall, Angel saw Cordy and Connor arguing, but it took another few steps before he heard their voices. "You guys, stop... what is it?"
"Hello, Dad," Connor said abruptly, his eyes casually looking over the bleached blonde vampire at Angel's left side.
"Where is she?" Spike asked. Cordelia gestured toward the door and Spike disappeared inside.
Just inside the doors, he noticed that Dr. Cretin was already inside. He was bent on his knees in front of Dawn, shining a flashlight into her eyes.
Next to him was a tiny glass jar and an open needle.
Spike immediate bristled. Sinking back into the shadows and gently sticking his hand outside the slowly closing door, Spike motioned for Angel to come in.
Angel entered, closing the door with a soft click.
Dr. Cretin reached for the needle, shoving the jar on top of the plastic tubing and waited until the tubing was full of a clear liquid. After ticking the metallic point, he turned toward Dawn. "I'm sorry, but you're leaving me with no choice..."
Spike growled and stepped into the light.
Dr. Cretin's hand slipped and the needle clattered harmlessly to the floor. "Visiting hours are over."
"We're not here to visit though, are we?" Angel retorted, stepping into the mild light from the fire.
Dr. Cretin suddenly looked nervous. "Look... I know what you two saw..."
"I know exactly what we saw, you bastard," Spike growled, stepping directly in front of Dawn to protect her. "You've been poisoning the girl."
"I...I have done no such thing!" Dr. Cretin stammered.
Angel bent down and picked up the needle of the ground, tossing it harmlessly into the fire. His sights next lay on the jar and he picked it up. His gaze darkened as he turned toward the Doctor. "Not poison?"
Dr. Cretin glanced desperately at the door.
"There's no one there... they can't hear you."
Outside the door, they heard scuffles as two orderlies suddenly realized two vampires were in the isolation ward. Cordelia and Connor had quickly risen to cut them off from calling in extra aid.
"We are quite alone," Spike retorted. "And we're going to make a little discharge."
"I-I'm af-afraid that that's out of your hands, gentlemen," Dr. Cretin said kindly, glancing at the door in open panic.
"Because we're not guardians, right?" Angel asked, tossing the jar into the fire too.
"Because of that, yes," Dr. Cretin said, his back suddenly against a wall as he forcefully looked away from the two approaching vampires. "You two can't feed... I'm mortal... you have souls..."
"You think we'd feed off of lying, disgusting garbage like you?" Spike asked, viciously throwing the Doctor aside toward the fireplace.
The Doctor moaned as he fell to his knees, shaking. "Wh-What do you want from me?"
"As I already said," Spike said, pulling a thick packet of papers from his pocket. "We're making a discharge. Signed and dated today, by Buffy Summers."
Angel turned toward Dawn and gently lifted the girl from the seat.
"You... You can't do that..." Dr. Cretin said hurriedly. "She's not ready to go back out there yet... I'm telling you..."
"We're not going empty handed," Angel said, his back turned toward the door as it slowly creaked open, exposing his sights to several bodies laying silent on the floor and Cordy spinning around, eyes wide with shock. "Spike?"
The Doctor moaned again as Spike took him by the arm. As they were about to leave the room, Spike drew his prisoner up to him. "He might not feed on anyone because he has a soul... it doesn't mean I won't," he hissed, grabbing the handcuffs from the small table outside the door and quickly latching them onto the Doctor. "And you'll notice I'm not bringing a key."
It must have been quite a sight as Spike and Angel appeared out the front entrance, carrying a patient and dragging a Doctor, with two civilians in tow.
- - - - -
"Yes... yes! Thank you!"
Buffy hung up the phone and turned excitedly to the group of Watchers gathered behind her. "It's done. She's out."
"Good job," Giles said, removing his glasses to clean them. "Although I'm sure that they might disagree. It was a brilliant plan."
Buffy turned and smiled her thanks to both Willow and Faith, who had plotted every move to the last. "They couldn't refuse two vampires," Faith said in appreciation. "Not bad."
"So my sister is a mere hour and a half away," Buffy said, ticking off points on her fingers, "Harry Potter and the others are due to arrive in about two hours, and we still have a wedding to plan. Sounds great to me."
"If only it were," Giles said in a low voice. He had been sifting through the mail and pulled out a thick envelope, handing it to her. She took it and read the return address, her eyes narrowing.
"We still have to deal with a few issues is all," Buffy said, her voice tighter as she handed the letter back. "Willow, will you pick up Harry and the others? You might want to take the bus."
"I'll go with her," Faith volunteered.
"Good," Buffy nodded as she turned back to the Watchers. "Let's continue this..."
- - - - -
"This was a fantastic idea," Spike said as the convertible drove at top speed north along the interstate. Stars twinkled above them and loud rock music blasted out of the speakers as Connor, shoved up in front between Angel and Cordy, was fiddling with the radio.
"You-You'll be sorry," a voice stammered next to Spike.
He turned and jovially tapped the Doctor on the shoulder. On one side was Dr. Cretin. On his other, her hair flying peacefully in the breeze, was Dawn.
Spike slipped a comfortable arm around her, feeling a lot more pleased with the turn of events than in recent days.
He closed his eyes, the wonderful sensation of wind in his hair as he tilted his head back, eager to enjoy the soaring sensation as the convertible took the sharp curves at top speed.
He was suddenly jerked out of his reverie by a sharp tap on the breaks, Cordy screaming, and Connor yelling, "What the hell?".
Spike's eyes flew open as the car came to a stop.
Ahead of them was a roadblock, complete with flashing red lights and loud, unique sirens. There was a small line of people walking towards them, all dressed in business suits, all carrying briefcases.
"I'm sorry," a man said cheerfully, stepping forward and leaning toward Angel. "But we're going to have to ask that you turn over this car and your passengers to us."
Angel's eyes narrowed, always a dangerous sign. "Under who's authority?"
"That would be the Ministry of Magic, I'm afraid," a woman said, coming to the man's side. "See, you're carrying valuable Ministry property."
"Like hell we are," Spike said as Connor switched off the radio, the sound deadening in the night. "We aren't turning the Bit or the good Doctor over to you until you explain why he was poisoning the girl."
"Proper precautions," the woman said unblinkingly, turning her interest back to Angel. "Perhaps we are not being clear enough." In the blink of an eye, she had pulled out a gold cross and was holding it at Angel.
Slowly, the other members of the group were surrounding the car, some brandishing guns, others stakes and crosses.
Cordelia gulped. "Angel?"
"Not now," he hissed, turning back to the man and woman, who were both positively gleaming with evil smiles. "Why do you want her for?"
"She belongs to us," the man said plainly, turning his face which showed no emotion back to the woman's.
"They took us away."
Spike and Angel both whipped around to stare at Dawn, who had just spoken for the first time in nearly a year and a half, just as Cordelia screamed when a vision overcame her.
Dr. Cretin looked positively petrified as Cordy suddenly straightened, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Angel..." she whispered.
"They beat us down."
Angel turned from where Dawn had spoken her second phrase to glance at Cordy, who was very pale and shaking. "We have to get out of here now." She cast an uneasy glance toward the man and woman. "They're not human."
Angel's hands froze on the steering wheel as he checked his rearview mirror. If he would have had a heart, it would have stopped beating as he casually spied weapons hanging midair without figures holding them.
"Bloody hell," Spike muttered behind him, realizing.
Angel seemed to be making up his mind before he turned and smiled at the two. "I'm afraid you'll get these two back over our born-again undead bodies," he smirked as he suddenly gunned the engine and sprang forward. "Get down!" he shouted as bullets ricocheted around them.
Driving at over a hundred miles an hour, the tires squealed as they took the turns. Finally, as they grew closer to the Academy, he slowed down to a stop.
"What the hell was that?" Angel asked, his voice mystified. He turned to Cordy. "How did you know they weren't human?"
"Those two are demons," she said, pointing a shaking finger behind them. "The others were all vampires."
"All working for the American Ministry?" Spike asked, his eyebrows raised.
Together, all three of them turned to see Dr. Cretin, who looked even more terrified than before. "Just wait until the Slayer gets her hands on you," Angel said, putting the car into drive and turning down the long, winding road leading to the Slayer's Academy. "If you're not dead when we get through with you, you'll wish you were."
- - - - -
To be continued...
Chapter 10 -- Draco tells Buffy everything. Dr. Cretin undergoes interrogation.