Okay, so a small slew of questions, and then we'll go into it again.

A bit of a longer chapter again, but I don't think you'd mind.

So is Dawn's situation anything like Connors?
Appearances REALLY are deceiving, aren't they? To the one reviewer who asked, I have never seen Charmed before and I'm not going to start with the imitations now. Dawn and Connor are a lot alike as they're the "offspring" of superheroes. Dawn's baby is a key, but not the key you'd think. There is a twist on things, and since we're not even halfway into the story yet, giving too much away cheapens the effect the final "arc" would. I digress.

Is the American Ministry evil?
They traded gold for a pregnant woman. Maybe they're not evil but just working under their own pretenses. Maybe they're just doing what's best for their organization. Or maybe they really are evil. You'll just have to wait and see. They do use hit demons and vampires to do their dirty work for them, so they already know about the Slayer. Hint. Hint.

Where is Dawn's baby, damnit(!)?
Everyone wonders where the child is. Dawn did have the baby. The baby is in the current custody of the American Ministry. Mother and daughter and father will be reunited soon enough.

Did Dawn recognize Draco?
Oh, come on... they made a baby together. You'd think that warrants a deeper connection. There are no ties thicker than blood and water. She shares the blood of her sister. And Draco practically owns her heart.

Any more questions? I hope I'm not being contradicting here...

I did borrow a wee quote in this Chapter, but only because it just gets across the power of this Chapter. Just think... two more chapters and we're half done!

- - - - -

Chapter 13
Flesh and Blood

- - - - -

Dr. Cretin still appeared nervous when he was brought before the Slayer, sitting in her Administrative office. She was browsing on a laptop when he came in and she rose. "Good afternoon."

"H-Hello," he stammered.

"I assume you know why you've been brought here," she said, her voice sounding distant as she stared out the window. "I'm releasing you back to the Ministry."

His face paled considerably. "B-But... you ca-can't! I can't g-go back there! They'll... they'll..."

"They'll kill you if you show your face again, won't they?" she asked in the same quiet voice, still not looking at him.

He nodded in a terrified way behind her back.

"You will not tell your employers of this place," Buffy warned him, finally turning to face him. He was startled by the fire in her eyes. "If you know our plan which I'm sure by now you do since it was recently discovered you're a telepath, well... Willow's curse will be enough to destroy you. There's a car waiting at the end of the driveway. The barrier protecting this school will be dropped for a few moments allowing you to escape."

"B-But I can't go..."

"You pose a serious threat to my sister as long as you stay," Buffy said, sitting down. "This is not open to negotiation. I know you are not human and unable to feel compassion, but maybe, just maybe, you're as fallible as those of us who are made of flesh and blood."

He nodded his pale head. "What will become of Dawn?"

Buffy glanced down a moment. "She made a connection with the Father of her child," she replied in a slow voice, as though reluctant to tell him anything. "She will regain her humanity. And you, dear Doctor, will just have to give your life for that, I'm afraid. She's worth more to me than some quack who comes in here thinking he can poison my sister."

"She was meant to stay the way she was," he said as two Slayers entered and pried him from his seat. "She was supposed to stay unconscious! You don't know what will happen, how this will end!" As he was dragged from the large office, his voice rose in hysteria. "They have plans for both mother and childe! They will not stop!"

Buffy stood up as the door closed heavily. "What did you think?"

The closet door parted as Willow stepped out. "I think at last we got to him," Willow replied.

"Consider that one plan in motion," Buffy said, bending over to tap her speaker phone. "Guys, did you get all that?"

"We did," Giles voice came through. "The getaway car just arrived to take him to the airport."

"Let him go," Buffy replied, turning toward Willow who nodded nervously. "Let's commence with step two... Xander, this is your show."

"I read you," Xander said, standing beside Giles at the library, where Dawn was sitting in a chair very near them, her motionless gaze staring over the table toward nothing in the distance. As soon as the line was cut, he turned toward the door, where Cho was standing. "Bring him in."

She opened the door as the six from England quickly shuffled in. "Draco?" Xander said, offering him the chair across from Dawn as the rest sat around the table. "Tara?"

Tara stepped forward with a large box of magic supplies. "Thank you for agreeing to do this, Draco," she said in a low voice as she handed Xander a large jar of blue-colored sand.

Together, she, Xander and Giles arranged the table top. Tara finally pulled out a picture of Dawn and set it on top of a small clay figurine while Giles lit the candles around the few who were gathered.

"Just close your eyes and concentrate," Tara advised Draco as she pulled the empty box back. "The others will merely observe."

Draco nodded and closed his eyes, the scent of incense suddenly filling his mind with foggy thoughts. Slowly the sound of the flames flickering and the sounds of doors opening faded from his mind. He smiled.

The only thing was, someone was standing in front of him, smiling too.

"Dawn?"

"I've been waiting for you," she said, tears shining in her eyes as she took him into her arms, sniffling loudly. "I've been so afraid... so scared..."

"There's no reason to be scared anymore," he said, gently detaching himself from her. "I've come to take you home."

"I don't belong there," she said, her voice suddenly showing hesitance.

"Why not?" Draco asked, glancing around and pulling Dawn's hand as they walked toward a garden-like area across the path where they'd been standing.

"They told me that they'd beat me down," Dawn said softly.

"Who was going to beat you down?" Draco asked. He suddenly saw that she was in tears. "Dawnie, what is it?"

"The American Ministry," Dawn replied. "They were the ones who met me at the airport, not my sister and not my friends. They told me that they needed to keep me and my child safe because others might come. I asked them why, because my sister was a Slayer..."

"Dawn, slow down," he said, sitting down and offering her a seat on the other side of a fountain. "There's time enough for everything."

"No," she said in a tiny voice. "That isn't it. We don't have any more time. Do you know what they'll be doing to our daughter?"

Draco stopped for a moment and stared at her. "We... we have a daughter?"

"I named her Joy Darina. Joy is after my mother, Darina I believe you said was your grandmother's name."

"It was," Draco said, trying to push the feeling of being rushed in his head. "Dawn... what happened to you?"

"They said they had to do what they did to protect my baby," Dawn said, her voice becoming more and more soft and sad. "They said they needed her for the final phase..."

"What?" Draco asked, suddenly aware that his surroundings were beginning to fade. Dawn's face glowed pale and he knew that the spell was wearing off. They only had a few minutes left. "Dawn, tell me what is happening? Why did they trap you in your mind?"

"For her," Dawn said, her voice sounding farther and farther away. "All of it... all of this... was for her."

"Why did they want our daughter?" he asked, and then realized Dawn was nearly intangible now. "Dawn... please... don't leave me."

She let out a small, strangled cry and he reached out, feeling the shadow of a touch as she faded from his memory. "I'm coming back for you," he promised, his eyes shining with determination. "I'm getting you the hell out of here."

Draco blinked, suddenly finding himself across the table from Ginny Weasley, who looked as puzzled as he. "What the hell was that?" he muttered, turning toward Tara for an explanation.

"A new start," Tara said, crossing her arms. "Now all we need to do is let Willow make her magic."

They all turned silently to Dawn, who was still staring forward, seemingly not hearing, not knowing, not feeling anything.

- - - - -

"Joy," Buffy said softly as she cradled the maternity book in her arms. "Dawn named her little girl Joy..."

"Seems kind of surreal, doesn't it?" Willow asked, hugging her knees thoughtfully. "I'm so glad that Malfoy was able to make contact with her."

"It just leaves us with an even bigger question mark," Xander sighed, dropping down on the sofa on the other side of Buffy, his arms full of books. "This is everything in that huge library we have about any sort of Ministry of Magic... and most of these are on loan from England."

"Remind me to thank Fudge," Buffy moaned as she picked up the top book and began scanning the index. "How are we progressing toward step three?"

"We're sitting at a nice subtle number two and three quarters," Xander replied, handing a small stack of books to Willow.

"Wil..." Buffy said suddenly, glancing up. "Do you remember when I went catatonic when Glory--"

"-- when Glory took Dawn at that old, busted up convenience store?" Xander asked excitedly as they both turned to look at Willow.

"Yes," Willow said slowly, hiding her face behind one of the books.

"Dawn may be under some spell," Buffy said, her voice just as slow, but underlined with hope. "Willow, you need to do what you did to help me. Tara was able to figure out that Dawn is under some magical mind control. Maybe you can get in there and pull her out..."

"I-I don't know..." Willow said, glancing from one to the other. "This is really Giles' decision..."

"Hello," Xander said, sticking his hand in the air, "also a Watcher here... Giles was in full support when you were helping Buffy."

"I know," Willow said, keeping her face carefully hidden, "but we'll be messing with magical forces I don't even understand. Maybe if I can figure out what--"

The door to the small lounge opened and Tara burst in, out of breath. "Buffy... the spell... it was... it was..."

Willow slowly let down the book as they all turned toward Tara, who seemed perfectly intent on catching her breath.

"He-Her mind was... tr-transfigured into an in-infinite loop..." Tara gasped, one hand on her side. "Probably the effect of a per-permanent ch-charm."

"Bloody hell," Xander said under his breath.

Buffy seemed frozen in thought as she turned to Willow. "Willow, please... I'm going to beg you to help Dawn..."

"Buffy, you know I'll do everything I can for her," Willow said, her face etched with concern. "The only problem is... what happens when Dawn comes out of it? The American Ministry will know that she's out of whatever state they put her in... it'll put all of our lives in danger. We can't risk it, not with so many..."

"Slayers?" Buffy asked, standing up. "They've just been looking for an excuse to kick some major demon ass. And I think Angel's squad is a bit tired of them always hanging around and taking out their big bad. It's time we faced one of our own."

She took a deep breath.

"Willow, you will help Dawn. You'll do whatever magical mind meld thingy you can to get her out of her state. If it becomes a liability, then we'll move her to L.A. and Angel. Xander, Tara... you two go to Giles and tell him of my decision."

"And then what?" Xander asked in an undertone.

"I talk," Buffy said, placing her hands on her hips. "And then... we mobilize."

- - - - -

To be continued...

Chapter 14 -- Dawn wakes up; major wedding planning begins!

Look for Chapter 20/21 or 21/22 for the wedding chapter! And everyone gets much needed R&R 16/17.