A/N: I just wanted to thank everyone for the reviews. It means so very much to me and gives me the motivation I need to keep this story going. I am thrilled you love it all so much. Thanks again. Oh and Phoenix83ad, I have a little surprise for you in this chapter. Enjoy.

Chapter 3

Dawn paced back and forth in her living room as thoughts of some other sort of evil being after her raced through her mind. She couldn't get what Hellboy or Myers had told her out of her head and it was driving her insane. Sure, she's thought of this before, but they practically pounded it into her.

She sat down with a frustrated groan as she ran her hands through her hair. As an idea crossed her mind she ran to the phone, picked up the receiver and started to dial a number. She stood there tapping her foot as she waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello?" She heard someone answer and she jumped slightly with joy. Yeah, she was close to being an adult but she still had some of her kid like personalities left inside her.

"Willow! Hey, it's me." Dawn exclaimed through the receiver.

"Dawnie. Hi." Willow replied ecstatically. "What's up?" She asked.

"Well, I was sort of wondering something. But you can't tell Buffy because she'll just worry even more about me." Dawn replied as she twirled a strand of hair around her index finger.

"What is it?" Willow asked; sounding a bit worried.

"Well, I was wondering if it was at all possible that I may still work. As the key, I mean." Dawn answered; a bit frightened to hear the answer.

"Well, as far as I know you don't." Willow answered, "but there's only one way to tell for sure."

"A spell?" Dawn asked.

"You got it. Is there any way you can come here, to London? I can't do the spell without you here." Willow replied.

"I doubt it. I can't get off work for the life of me." Dawn answered as she looked around her apartment in thought.

"Well, ok. I'll come there. I'll leave for a plane in a few days. I'll need to get supplies there because I may look a little suspicious with all of my magic stuff at the airport." Willow stated.

"Okay. Uh, when will you be here?" Dawn asked so she knew when to pick her up from the airport.

"I'll give you a call when I get the most available flight." Willow answered.

"Okay. Well, I guess I'll see you then." Dawn replied.

"Okay. And lets hope for the best, huh." Willow said before they exchanged their goodbyes and hung up.


Dawn stood near the baggage claim as she awaited Willow's arrival. She was starting to become antsy with waiting. It had been, what seemed like forever, since she last saw Willow and she could hardly wait to see her now.

She saw a large group of people head her way and she jumped up and down in order to get a view of more heads. She saw a few red heads, but none who looked like Willow. She slumped her shoulders when they all passed and not one of them had been Willow. She felt a tap on her shoulder followed by a voice.

"Looking for someone?" The voice asked and Dawn turned around to come face to face with Willow.

"Ahhh!!!" Dawn screeched as she pulled Willow into a big hug.

"Miss me?" Willow asked as the air was squeezed out of her.

"You have no idea." Dawn replied as she released Willow from her death grip while jumping up and down. Willow smiled at her response, grabbed her bag and they walked out of the airport.

They were able to get a cab rather easily and Willow threw her bag in the trunk that the driver had popped for her. They crawled into the back seat and Dawn told the driver where to go.

The whole trip to Dawn's apartment they talked about what they have been doing for the past two years; and Willow had explained how she had become a teacher of The Wiccan Arts. Dawn congratulated her immensely with another huge hug.

"And you and Kennedy?" Dawn asked.

"Oh, no. We're just friends now. With her being a slayer and me a Wiccan teacher; it's been difficult for us to have a relationship of that kind." Willow explained and Dawn looked a little sad for her friend.

"Are you okay?" Dawn asked with a comforting hand on Willow's shoulder. Willow nodded her head with a big smile on her face.

"Yeah, I'll be alright, Dawnie." Willow answered as they pulled up to Dawn's apartment building.

"Well, here we are." Dawn said as she climbed out of the cab. She pulled out as much money that was needed and handed it to the driver with a thanking smile.

"Okay, fair warning," Dawn started, "my place is a disaster. And it's not because of me. It sort of came that way." Dawn finished with a grimace on her face; causing Willow to laugh a bit.

They walked the few steps to her apartment, Dawn unlocked the door and made room for Willow to enter. Willow sat her suitcase down by the door as she took her light brown leather jacket off.

"Wow. It's… it's nice." Willow said as polite as possible.

"Don't lie. I know it's a shitty place. But it's all I've got." Dawn said as she took Willow's coat and hung it in a closet.

"Dawnie. Such language." Willow stated in a shocked manner. Dawn rolled her eyes as she grabbed two sodas out of the nearly empty refrigerator.

"Oh, shut up Willow. I'm nineteen. I'm allowed to use such language. Especially now that I live on my own." Dawn retorted as she handed a can to Willow.

"So. Why did you want to know if you were still, for lack of a better word, operational?" Willow asked as she sat on the stool near the kitchen counter; while Dawn stood in the opposite direction of Willow.

Dawn took in a deep breathe before answering, "okay. Here goes. You can't tell anybody about what I'm going to tell you. A few nights ago I was heading home from work when I got attacked by some thugs." Willow opened her mouth to say something but Dawn held up her hand while shaking her head. "Wait. Let me finish before you say anything." Dawn ordered and Willow nodded her head. "Okay. Well… I was sort of rescued by a demon. A demon named Hellboy. Now, I don't know if you have ever heard stories about sightings of him, but I have. And well, apparently I fainted and he brought me back to this place called the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. And they somehow know what I am. Or have an idea anyway. They don't know how I work. They just know I'm light. A light that evil wants. I have tried explaining to them that I don't work anymore but they're not very convinced of that. And they want me to join the Bureau so they can protect me." Dawn finished with a drink of her soda.

"And… what did you tell them?" Willow asked as she tried to put everything Dawn had just told her together.

"I told them no. I wanted a normal life. But now I can't stop thinking that maybe they're right." Dawn answered with a worried look written on her face.

"And then you called me?" Willow asked.

"Yeah. I'm sorry, Willow. I didn't know who else to turn to." Dawn answered.

"It's okay. I don't mind, Dawn. I just hope they're wrong." Willow replied as she got up off the stool.

"And if they're not?" Dawn asked fearfully.

"Then you may have to go to them after all." Willow answered; knowing Dawn didn't really like the answer that was given, and frankly, neither did she.


"No luck?" Myers asked as he set a big tin bowl of pancakes down.

Hellboy growled in response as he grabbed his sander and started filing down his horns. Myers knew Hellboy wasn't going to be able to get Dawn to come with him; but Hellboy was a stubborn bastard.

"She doesn't belong out there, Myers. She belongs here with us." Hellboy responded once he was finished with his horns.

"You like this girl, don't you." Myers said with a smile.

"What? No. I just don't think she's as capable of handling herself as she thinks." Hellboy responded as he sat down on his bed; one of his many cats crawling on his lap.

"That's funny. You acted the same way when you wanted Liz to come back to the Bureau." Myers stated and Hellboy stood up quickly; the cat falling to the floor. He walked up to Myers with anger flashing through his eyes.

"Don't you ever mention her again." Hellboy spoke quietly but sternly.

"Look, Red. I'm sorry. But you act as if you don't even miss her." Myers explained and Hellboy sighed as he looked down at the floor below his feet. He looked back into Myers' eyes as his softened.

"Of course I miss her. But the thought of her being dead is just…" Hellboy started but fell silent as he thought of Liz.

"I know. But there was nothing we could do. She fell sick, Red. These things happen." Myers tried to comfort Hellboy, but it was difficult. He knew how much he loved Liz and it was painful to see him this way.

"But why her? Why did it have to be her?" Hellboy sobbed as he once again fell on his bed; his face covered by his left hand.

"I-I don't know." Myers said quietly before walking out of the room to leave Hellboy alone.


"Okay. Are we ready?" Willow asked as she sat in the circle with Dawn.

"Yeah. I think so." Dawn said as she released an uncertain and shaky sigh. She wasn't sure if she really wanted to know if she still worked or not.

Willow sat across from Dawn and held out her hands and Dawn placed hers in Willow's. Willow nodded her head once to indicate Dawn to close her eyes. As she did this Willow whispered the spell in a different language and Dawn could feel herself spinning. She gripped Willow's hands and she felt a squeeze in response. The room suddenly felt warmer as she saw light through her eyelids as the fire from the candles grew large. Her breathing grew rapid and her heart started beating faster. She could feel beads of sweat fall down her brow. Suddenly, a blurry image formed in front of her. She saw herself being hung by her hands and dangling above a black hole. A large figure moved in front of her; holding a long, sharp dagger. It was no doubt a demon; it had black skin with gray, curling horns protruding from it's head. It's eyes were reptilian, it's teeth were razor sharp and it had a forked tongue. The demon made a long shallow cut in her stomach and Dawn screamed in pain as she feel back; breaking the spell.

Willow rushed to her side and saw blood starting to soak through her shirt. She ran into the bathroom and came back with a towel. She applied pressure to the wound as she brushed the hair out of Dawn's face. Dawn slowly opened her eyes to stare back into Willow's emerald eyes.

"Are you okay?" Willow asked and Dawn slowly nodded her head in response. Dawn started to sit up but Willow protested.

"You're hurt. You need to lay down." Willow ordered but Dawn wouldn't listen.

"No. I'm okay." Dawn said as she grabbed the towel from Willow and kept pressure on the wound.

"Are you sure?" Willow asked as she kept a worried look on her face. Dawn nodded in response and then looked back up at her.

"Did you see?" Dawn asked and Willow took in a deep breathe before releasing it again.

"Yeah, I did. And I'd hate to say it, but I think you need to go to this Bureau place." Willow answered and she saw a look of fear on Dawn's face.

"I don't want to go through this again." Dawn whispered as tears fell; Willow wrapped her arms around the young girl as Dawn wept in her arms.