Part 13
"What do you suppose their talking about in there?" asked Xander to the room in general.
"I don't know," answered Willow. But I wish they'd come out, the suspense is killing me."
"Don't be surprised if the others don't share what they've discussed right away," said Giles as he stocked the shelves with the latest arrival of books. "Meg hasn't even told me much of what she intends to discuss with each of you. She only told me enough to reassure me that it was for the best."
"What did she say Giles, come on, you can tell us," begged both Xander and Willow.
"I'm sorry," said Giles as he removed his glasses and began to polish rapidly. "I cannot betray the confidences Meg shared with me."
"Well, this is a place of business, not a public meeting hall," said Anya. "I don't think it's right that your friend is using this shop to hold her meetings. It may disturb the customers."
The others looked around the customer free room.
"And what customers would that be Anya?" asked Xander. "The invisible ones?"
"Shut up Xander," snapped Anya. "I simply mean that all this secrecy and clandestine meetings could be disturbing to the customers."
"I know An, I'm just teasing you," said Xander as he walked across the room to put an arm around his girlfriend. "You know I love it when you go all capitalist on me."
"Ah, Xander…did you want to help me with the shipment that's down in the basement?"
"I thought I brought all the boxes up earlier," began Xander
"No, the special shipment," said Anya as she gave him a slight nudge and nodded towards the basement.
"Oh, that shipment," said Xander as he grabbed her hand.
"We're going downstairs to check the shipment," said Anya to the room in general as the two started down the stairs.
Giles, Tara, Willow and Spike watched the couple as they raced down the stairs. Giles again began to polish his glasses furiously. Willow and Tara burst out laughing.
Spike just leaned back in a chair. "Checking a shipment? First time I ever heard it called That before," he said.
Meanwhile, in the training room, Meg, Dawn and Buffy sat down on the various mats and began to talk.
"Dawn, you know of course your origins are rather mystical," began Meg "but that doesn't make you any less human than me, your sister or any of the others out in the other room. However, your mystical origins do not give you the right to any special behavior or privileges." She gave Dawn a stern look, and Dawn began to squirm. "Being the Key is really no different for you than being the slayer is for your sister."
"How can you say that? I mean, at least she's normal and was born, not made," shouted Dawn.
"Dawn, let me ask you a question, and I want you to think about this before you answer. When two humans reproduce, it is a very mystical and magical occurrence. The fact that two microscopic cells meet up and form life is amazing. Now then, there are also parents who cannot conceive naturally, and through the wonders of medical science, they too, are able to create life, though not in the traditional way. Does that make their children any different that those who were created in a more traditional way?"
"No, I guess not," muttered Dawn in a sulky voice.
"Well, you are no different than any other child that was born, and I can guarantee you, that the memories that the monks made for you are now as real as the memories I have of growing up. It's time to stop falling back on the I'm not real crap you've been laying on everybody and grow up!" said Meg in the loudest, sternest voice Buffy had heard from her since they met.
"Both you and your sister have great and wonderful things to do in this lifetime. Buffy is the Slayer. She has a job to do. And you, Dawn, can either work with her and help her, or you can constantly throw up roadblocks and get in her way."
Buffy liked the turn the conversation was taking and gave Dawn and Meg a smile.
"And you, Buffy, can allow your sister to grow up and help you, or you can continue to push her aside and let her flounder on her own."
At this, Dawn sat up straighter while Buffy looked amazed at the new turn the conversation had taken.
"The point I'm trying to make is that you have to work together," said Meg
"You're right Meg. Dawn, I owe you an apology," said Buffy. "I've been so caught up in trying to take care of everything, that I forgot about you."
"I guess I haven't made it easy on you with my behavior either," said Dawn.
"Ok girls, I think this is a conversation the two of you need to have without me," began Meg. "What I'd like to talk about now, are Dawn's powers."
"Powers, I don't have any powers," said Dawn. "At least I don't think I do."
"Of course you do, and it is up to us to find them and help you to develop them."
"Buffy, one thing I will insist upon is having all the members of your Scooby gang learn some form of defense, be it physical, or magical, Dawn included."
"That makes sense," said Buffy slowly. "I could help with that."
As Buffy was speaking, Meg got up and walked across the room to where Giles had hung some lethal looking knives. Without a word, she picked one up, turned and threw it with unerring accuracy at Dawn.
Acting instinctively, Dawn threw up a hand as she dove out of the way. The instant her hand went up, the knife stopped dead and fell to the ground.
"Well I think we've made a good start with Dawn," said Meg.
"Are you nuts?!" shouted Buffy, "You just threw a knife at my sister!"
"Yes, and she stopped it Buffy," answered Meg. "I was in control of that knife at all times, I could have stopped it with witchcraft if Dawn was in any danger. But the point is, Dawn stopped it on her own."
Buffy walked over and helped her sister up off the ground. "Dawny, are you alright?"
"Did you see me Buffy, did you see what I did? I made that knife stop dead and fall to the ground, I did it," the young girl said in amazement.
"Dawn, I don't know about this. I don't know that it's safe for you to work with her," Buffy said nodding to Meg.
"Buffy, we have to. Please? I trust her, I really do," begged Dawn.
"I really don't like it Dawn, but I trust you. If you think this is right for you, I'll back you up."
Dawn threw her arms around her sister and hugged her tight. "Thank you, Buffy. Thank you."
"Dawn, can you please leave Meg and me alone? I need to speak with her," said Buffy.