The Big Bad is coming to Town
Tanza nervously paced outside of the sacred room. For hours his Mistress had been locked inside working magic. He wasn't sure how much longer it would be, but he had a feeling it would be soon.
"Tanza," he heard inside his head and opened the door slightly. It was pitch black-save for a few candles and he carefully slid inside so little sunlight would enter the room.
"Did you find her?" Tanza asked breathlessly. At long last they had found a trail of the Key and his Mistress had been pinpointing her exact location.
"Yes. Powerful-green and swirly," His Mistress, Aisha, smiled lazily, "Like mother like daughter,"
"Where is she?" he asked eagerly.
"The city of angels," she replied and smoothed a hand over the map in front of her.
"Los Angeles?" Tanza repeated, confused.
"Yes. It seems the Monks gave my daughter a human form," She replied.
"I shall go pack a bag," Tanza bowed.
"Oh and Tanza,"
"Yes Mistress?" he replied, hand on the door.
Aisha licked her full lips, eyes glittering, "Hurry."
Tanza once again bowed and left the room.
Sunlight streamed through the windows and onto Dawn's eyes, which promptly woke her up. Damn, and here she'd been hoping for a good 7 hours of sleep.
Slowly she sat up and turned to see if Willow as still sleeping, but her cot was empty. Frowning she glanced at her clock, 8:00 AM. Who willingly woke up at this godforsaken hour? Grumbling, she stumbled out of her room and into the kitchen where a beautiful sight lay.
Donuts.
In every flavor and loaded with sprinkles. Yes there was a god. Eagerly she rushed towards them and scarfed down a chocolate sprinkle one.
"And here I was thinking you wouldn't notice them," Connor's voice, teasing, came from behind her. She turned around sheepishly, "Oops,"
Connor laughed, "I figured with all the drama and stuff yesterday you'd need something comforting. Like chocolate, only for breakfast,"
Dawn grinned, "You know me too well,"
She grabbed another donut, glazed this time, and chomped on it slowly.
"Where is everyone?" She asked after swallowing.
"Um…Dad and Willow went to see Lorne at Caritas and I don't know where Spike went," Connor informed her. Dawn frowned, wondering where Spike would have gone, had last night scared him off?
"He left?" she couldn't help but ask. After all it was morning, the more flammable time of day.
"Yeah, it woke me up. He slammed the door kinda hard," Connor muttered.
Dawn bit her lip, he was probably mad and tired, the couch wasn't all that comfortable. She wondered if maybe she should have said something to ease the tension (not the sexual kind! She had to remind herself) after his words, something to make a joke out of it or laugh instead of blushing. Oh god! He'd probably heard her heart racing at his words and freaked. She definitely needed to inform him that she was over that silly crush. Then she had to convince herself of that.
Spike had given up trying to sleep as the sun rose. Instead he grabbed his duster and stomped out the door, making as much noise possible. He was now wandering through the sewers, cursing himself for ever deciding coming back. He was love's bitch. Wasn't that what he'd told Buffy all those years ago? He always fell for the impossible girl and each time it just got worse. Cecily, Drusilla, Buffy and now he was feeling something for Dawn. Dawn. The young girl, big blue eyes, Slayer's cute little sister who had transformed into a powerful, gorgeous woman. Damn the bitch. If it wasn't bad enough to have loved his bleedin', fucking enemy; he had to feel for the untouchable. Her sister. The one girl who even he knew was crossing the damn line. Really, you'd think the fates wouldn't torture him so, with the fucking soul and all. He lit another cigarette and started to head back. He'd a promise to be there, hadn't he? And Spike wasn't one for backing out of promises, never suited him.
"So did you get anything?" Angel asked nervously after finishing his song. Lorne gaped at him, "Get anything? My head is still spinning,"
"What did you read?" Willow asked, almost scared to know the answer. Lorne looked at her sadly, "Nothing good. Whatever is coming is the least of your worries. Dawn is it? The Key Slayer? She's the one that's going to set everything in motion. Excuse the pun, but she's the key in this battle. What she does makes the apocalypse seem like nothing,"
Angel's face went stony and Willow couldn't help but ask out loud, "What does she do?"
Lorne looked at her straight in the eye, "Changes the world,"
"How?" Angel demanded. Lorne shrugged apologetically, "Sorry Angel Cakes, the PTB aren't exactly sharing, I can't even tell you if it's for good or evil,"
Willow frowned, "I may not have seen Dawn in a long while, but if there is one thing I know, she's not really the evil, send the world to hell type,"
"But her power could be," Angel said quietly.
"Powers aren't inherently good or evil Angel, it's the person who shapes them," Willow countered.
"Willow, when she cracked it may have changed something in her or took over her somehow,"
Willow bit her lip, "Wouldn't it have already affected her? She's been this way for five years,"
"Unless someone or thing tips her over the edge," Lorne piped up.
Willow looked at Angel, "I have to tell her,"
Dawn and Connor sat together staring at the TV. Neither of them was really paying attention to what was on. Dawn bit her lip. She was worried about Spike. In the platonic way of course, she reminded herself, but she couldn't help but feel nervous that he had left for good. He had promised to be there with her and last time she checked Spike didn't really strike her as the kind to ditch people. Except when Glory tortured him, the voice in her head sing-songed. Cursing the stupid voice, Dawn remembered that Spike had mentioned something about Buffy driving him away. Her diary. Dawn had been so caught up in everyone's arrival she had forgotten about that.
"I'll be right back," Dawn excused herself and ran to her room, fishing through her closet before finding the box of Buffy's things. Inside were all of her memorabilia. Dawn smiled as her hand grasped the fluffy pink pig, Mr. Gordo. She finally found the few diaries that Buffy had kept and flipped through them to find the one from that year. She eventually found it and started reading, skimming it till she found the part where she mentioned Spike and Glory-in the same sentence.
She slowly read it not feeling guilty that these were her sister's personal thoughts. She needed to know what had really happened. Then she found it.
(Buffy's POV-her diary)
I'm so grossed out. I can't even think straight! EWWWWW! Okay I have to write it…oh god I feel nauseous. Okay here it is: Spike made a sexbot of me! EWWWW! DISGUSTING! THE STUPID PERVERTED BLEACHED BLOODSUCKER!
Dawn couldn't help but chuckle and remember when she found out about that. Checkers indeed.
IT WAS SO FREAKY-LOOKING AT ME AND I CANNOT BELIEVE NO ONE NOTICED THAT IT WASN'T ME! FOR ONE THING WHY THE HELL WOULD I EVEN TOUCH SPIKE? AND SECOND-I'M SO NOT DITZY!
Okay moving on to the even worse.
Spike got captured by Glory and she tortured him. He said he didn't tell her about the key but how can I believe him? How do I know that he wasn't trying to get back at me for rejecting him? But what he said…about not wanting me hurt and I was pretending to be the sexbot (UGH! YICK!) Then I realized he really did it for us. For Dawn and me. I still can't believe he really did that-part of me really doesn't want to. How did I get stuck with the evil undead with a crush on me? I almost kissed him but I didn't want to lead him on. It wouldn't be fair. Instead I revealed that I was the real Buffy. He looked shocked and god he was so bloody and beat up. I told him to leave, I couldn't risk him getting captured again, exposing us. I told him to leave town and never come back, that I didn't need him. It was lame, I know but he did what I asked. I came by the next day and everything was cleared out. It was so bare. And then I remembered that look he gave me when I told him to leave that he was a liability. Crushed and so hurt. I sat there and I sobbed I couldn't help it. I realized I once again pushed another man in my life away. And he willingly left.
It's not that I loved him- I really don't- I never could even if I wanted to. But he…my god I can't believe I'm saying this…he deserves better. They all did.
Dawn had tears pouring down her face when she finished. Buffy had pushed him away because in a twisted way she wanted to protect him. In her sister's mind loving her just put them in danger. God Buffy, Dawn silently spoke to her sister, I'm sorry.
"Silver?" Connor's voice broke through her thoughts and she quickly brushed away her tears and responded, "Yeah?"
Connor opened her door and immediately noticed her slightly red eyes, "You okay?"
Dawn smiled at him, "Yeah. I'm just reading my sister's diary," she motioned to the slim book on her bed. Connor gave her sympathetic, understanding smile, "Is it weird?"
"What weird?" Dawn asked.
"Knowing you're the Slayer because she died," he asked softly, not wanting to upset her.
Dawn felt her heart stop and her head spun, "Slayer," she croaked, feeling faint, "What?"
Connor frowned at her strange reaction then his eyes widened, they hadn't told her yet.
"Oh shit, Silver I'm sorry, they didn't tell you yet…" Connor trailed off and took a step closer but Dawn shrank back.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she snarled and before he could respond the door opened and Willow's voice called, "Silver? Connor? We have some news,"
Dawn glared at the door and let out a snarl, "Did they tell you that?"
"Yeah but Silver," he was cut off by Dawn jumping off her bed and ripping the door open, murder in her eyes.
Dawn couldn't feel anything. She was so numb by the anger. How dare Willow do this to her, didn't she learn the first time? She slammed a very startled Willow into the wall.
"Why the hell is Connor saying I'm the Slayer," she growled, her voice sounding inhuman.
Oh god, Willow felt a blow to her stomach, she knew.
Dawn pushed her up against the wall again, "Why?"
Angel decided this was a good time to break them apart, "Silver, let go of Willow and she'll explain,"
Dawn reluctantly let go but her body was still tense, "Tell me then,"
"We did a tracking spell to find the Slayer who would have been called after Buffy's death to help us with the apocalypse," Willow mumbled.
Dawn felt like the wind had been knocked out of her.
"So you weren't really looking for me," she whispered.
"We were going to find you if we couldn't find the Slayer," Angel supplied.
"I didn't want to pull you away from your life and drag you back into this. I wanted you to have a normal life," Willow confessed, "That's why I didn't try to find you all these years. I could have tracked you but I didn't."
Dawn met her eyes and saw the guilt and she knew Willow was telling the truth.
"Were you ever going to tell me?" Dawn asked, her voice cracking and her eyes stung with unshed tears.
"I was going to tell you last night, but I didn't want to upset you," Willow said.
Dawn let out a bitter laugh at that, "Little too late isn't it?"
Willow glanced down, ashamed, "I didn't know how to break it to you. I was going to today, I promised Spike I-"
Dawn's anger came back at full force, "Spike knew?"
Willow nodded.
"Since when?" she demanded. Willow bit her lip, "Since you left when we first came. He figured it out when I mentioned looking for the Slayer."
Dawn could feel the tears threatening to spill, "Why didn't he say anything?"
Willow didn't know how to answer that.
"Silver, I didn't even pause to think that you'd be a Slayer. I wanted you to have the normal life you deserved, the one Buffy wanted for you. But we need your help. Not just the Slayer or the Key powers, but you," Willow told her and Dawn knew she meant it.
"I don't know…" she said shakily. Willow nodded and Dawn realized Angel and Connor had left the room sometime during their conversation.
Both women jumped as the door swung open and Spike walked in. Dawn let out a sigh of relief knowing that he came back.
"Spike, you're back," she said casually.
"Need some fresh air, so to speak," he answered and his eyes darted between Willow and Dawn.
"Something wrong?"
"Just me finding out I'm the Slayer," Dawn answered slight bitter. Spike's eyes widened but he didn't say anything.
"I'm gonna go and get a drink," Willow excused herself, "Angel and I found something important. We need to tell you as soon as possible." And then she left.
"Red finally told you," Spike said. Dawn gave him a look, "Not exactly."
Spike raised his eyebrow in a "do continue" way.
Dawn sighed, "I was reading Buffy's diary and Connor mentioned something about me being the Slayer, but he didn't know that I didn't know yet. I kinda went crazy and attacked Willow," she said sheepishly and Spike chuckled, "Wish I'd seen that,"
Dawn then remembered what she'd read in Buffy's diary, "Listen Spike, I was looking through Buffy's diary to find out what happened that night when Glory tortured you. You were right, she did force you to leave and she purposely hurt you to get you to go," she said in a rush.
Spike was silent for a moment before speaking, "Pet, I did leave. She was right, I wasn't helping,"
"How do you know?" Dawn replied and neither of them knew what to say.
"Are you gonna stay for this one?" Dawn asked, trying to keep her voice light.
"I said I would," Spike reminded her.
"So…we good?" Dawn asked with a raised brow.
Spike figured if he couldn't have her the way he wanted her, naked and screaming his name, he mind as well settle for friends.
"Always," he grinned at her and she smiled back.
"First is what Lorne told us," Willow began, pacing slightly.
Dawn was nervous. She could tell this wasn't gonna be hearts and kisses.
"What'd he say?" Connor asked and Dawn was thankful it was him asking and not her.
"Something big is coming…and not just the apocalypse," Angel stated his eyes drifting to Dawn and Dawn noticed it.
"It's about me isn't it?" she whispered. She was also wondering what else could make her day worse. Really, didn't the powers have someone else's life to screw with?
"Yeah. He said you were gonna do something big, something to change the world…but he couldn't tell us if it was for good…or evil," Willow said the last word so quietly Dawn wasn't sure she heard her.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Dawn yelped, "I'm not evil!"
God this was just too much.
"Uh Red Bit isn't exactly a demon," Spike agreed.
"But maybe the power…" Willow trailed off, feeling stupid that she even had suggested it.
Dawn was starting to feel angry again.
"Did you really think I'm evil?" Dawn asked stunned.
"NO!" Willow practically yelled then said quieter, "But we don't know if the power in you could take over you or someone changes your mind…"
"Oh," was all Dawn could say. She looked out the window and noticed that the last few rays of the sun were in the sky. Ahhh nothing like patrolling to help her forget her Slayer/I'm possibly evil issues.
She stood up abruptly, "I'm gonna patrol," she announced and went to get her weapons. When she returned Spike stood up as well, "I'll come. I could use some action,"
Dawn gave a curt nod to him and then turned to the three on the couch, "We'll be back soon," she promised and then she left, Spike in tow.
"You alright pet?" Spike couldn't help asking once they were a few blocks away from her house.
Dawn nodded absently, "Yeah," and then turned to him, "Really wishing some things would show up. The one time I wanna fight, they aren't here,"
"Know the feeling, Bit," He agreed with a grin.
They walked around and finally found a few vamps to stake before entering the small cemetery and encounter another few vampires.
Suddenly Dawn felt strange, a tingle worked its way from her fingertips and toes.
"What?" she managed to breathe before the tingle made her lose her voice.
Spike was now nervous as Dawn slowly sank to the ground, barely moving.
"Uh…pet?" he questioned reaching down to help her up, but she was like a dead weight and he couldn't pull her up. It was like she was attached to the ground.
Dawn's eyes were stinging now, her body was thrumming, every nerve on fire. And not in the good way. "Something's…happening…" she panted.
Spike was now really starting to worry. He couldn't get her off the ground and she was bent over, panting and then he heard her mumble something, "She's here,"
Spike frowned, who was here? Then he smelt it, the smell of something powerful and suspiciously like Dawn. He looked up to see a tall woman with long ebony hair standing a few feet away.
"Hello Key," and Spike's jaw dropped.
Oh Shit.
The fiery tingle Dawn had been feeling suddenly stopped and she noticed that someone was standing in front her. Not Spike. She slowly stood up, testing her muscles.
Then she heard it, "Hello Key,"
All she could think was: Not again.
It took her a moment to vocalize her words, "Key?" she managed. And the woman gave her a cold smile.
"That is what you are," she stated more than asked.
Dawn now got a good look at the lady and gasped: other than being older looking, more unearthly and black haired-she looked exactly like the face she saw in the mirror everyday. Her.
Spike was also marveling at the resemblance between the lady and Dawn. It was a little unnerving and he could feel the power rolling off her.
"I'm Aisha," the woman announced.
Dawn was still in shock, but managed to croak, "What the hell are you?"
The woman, Aisha, smiled again, "I have all of your answers, Key. Come here tomorrow," she paused to hand Dawn a slip of paper with an address, "And I'll tell you everything you desire to know," Aisha's eyes flickered to Spike, "You may bring your vampire as well," she added before walking away.
Spike's eyes narrowed at her remark, but he didn't say anything. He could here Dawn's heartbeat going a mile a minute.
"Come on," he mumbled, "Let's head back," and Dawn willingly went.
"I'm gonna go," Dawn suddenly broke the silence. Spike knew exactly what she meant.
"Not bloody likely," he retorted.
Dawn glared at him, "Not your choice,"
Spike paused when he realized she had him there.
"Why?" he asked, not wanting her to think he'd given in.
"She has the answers I've been searching for," she replied simply.
"How do you know she not bloody lying?" he asked.
"Don't know till I go," she once again answered simplistically.
Spike growled, but didn't push, seeing how they were nearing her house.
When they slipped into her apartment, they noticed everyone had fallen to sleep.
"Bugger," Spike muttered. He wanted to alert them right away and help him convince her not to go to crazy lady's house. Especially one who called her Key.
"Guess everyone got knocked out," Dawn whispered and Spike nodded.
She started to her room and then turned, "Spike," she called.
Spike faced her, "Yeah?"
She took a breath, "I'm going tomorrow, whether you're coming or not," she told him and then closed her door.
Spike stood there as her words sunk in and he let a small grin play on his lips.
Oh I'm coming all right.