A/N – Sorry this update took so long, my computer decided to die. Sorry for the inconvenience. POE1911

THROUGH AN ANGEL'S EYES – CHAPTER 11

I looked at the other two, "we're with the Vatican. We were sent here as an advanced team to stabilize the situation. Where's your watcher"?

Amanda looked a bit sheepish "we've been having Brittney work as the watcher because she's such a whiz with the research."

'And so you wont have her death on your conscience' I thought. "Well you've got re-enforcements coming", I went on to explain that the chosen two and a group of trainees were on the way.

Amanda and the others looked relieved. But then Brittney got a sharp look on her face, "you guys aren't human are you?"

"What makes you think that" Janice asked.

"Well you guys are faster than anything I've ever seen; I mean you make vamps look like they're movin' through molasses, and you're strong and you just popped up out of nowhere." She gave Janice a hard glare, "want a few more?"

Janice just looked at me and Dawn, we shared a thought and she turned back to the girl. "You're right Brit, were not completely human. In your research, did you ever come across a reference to 'The Key'?"

Brittney scrunched her eyes for a second, "a portal between infinite dimensions that was given human form, right".

Dawn just raised her hand "present".

All three of the slayers looked at her with varying degrees of disbelief. Dawn just shrugged at me and said "let me show you my true nature". Suddenly instead of Dawn, there was a swirling, twisting globe of energy in the narthex. Dawn's voice came out of that maelstrom of energy. "This is the form I wore for thousands of years, until I was made human; now I am simply Dawn Summers". The energy faded, and then it was just Dawn, sitting there with a little grin on her face.

All three slayers eyes boggled, then Amanda spoke up, "what about you two" indicating Janice and me.

I decided to do it the quick way, so I removed my shirt and grew my wings; "we're the good guys" was all Janice said.

There was a lot of silence in the church right then. This always surprised me, I mean slayers deal with demons every day, why do Angels throw them for such a loop. Maybe they think that they're the only forces for order around, or maybe they're just too sure that anything powerful; must be evil. Well, for what ever reason, we do.

Finally the third girl spoke up, "so, what now?"

"We wait here until the cavalry arrives and then we clean house" I said.

Brittney spoke up "I need to get home, or call my parents or something; I mean I don't want them calling the cops."

"Can you tell them that you're spending the night with Amanda" I asked.

She nodded and pulled out her cell phone. While she was doing that, Dawn suddenly asked "why didn't they try to hurt her. I mean they knocked her out, but no blood, not even a scrape. Why?"

I thought for a bit "do you know of any rituals that involve using a slayer to open the Hellmouth?"

Dawn just gaped at me, "they wouldn't try that."

"What" four voices asked?

"You can open the Hellmouth using a slayer. You have to do a spell to keep her alive, rip out her heart and then if it goes through the Hellmouth while it's still beating, then the doorway opens. Two problems, you have no control about what comes through and the slayer has to be a . . ." Her voice trailed off and she started blushing.

Everyone but Janice picked up on what you had to be immediately and she wasn't that far behind. When Brittney walked back in, there were five pairs of eyes looking at her. "Well, it's cool with my folks" then she noticed the stares "what" she asked, looking to see if her fly was undone or something.

No one knew how to gracefully broach the subject, so Janice jumped right in. "Brittney, are you a virgin?"

She just looked at us all, nonplussed. "What the hell did you ask me?"

"Please" Janice said, touching her hand lightly, "it's important".

The color was rising high in her face, but she clearly said "yeah, I am".

I looked at the other two, "I assume that neither of you are." I got two assurances that they were not virgins.

Dawn spoke up, "what about the ones coming with Buffy?"

Janice's eyes glazed over for a minute. "No" she said finally "Brittney is the only one that fits the criteria."

I looked at Dawn, the outlines of an idea playing at the edge of my mind. "Can you give Willow a call and see if she can put the re-enforcements in stealth mode before they get here, so the local Big Bad doesn't realize that they're in his back yard?"

She thought for a second "should be doable, I'll ask." She went to make her call and a rather awkward silence fell over the group.

Finally Brittney broke the silence; "what's it like" she asked "being an Angel."

I motioned for Janice to field this question. "I suspect much like being a slayer; except you go to where you are needed, rather than working in one place. You pretty much are on the move all the time, one assignment to the next. There's not much in the way of appreciation from the people that you help, but I have never regretted my choice."

"Choice?"

"Of course it was a choice; at one time I was a human girl, then something happened and I was dying. That's when the true Seraphim came and asked if I wished to become what I am now. I said yes."

"What was your life like, before"; she waved her hands like wings.

"I don't remember. Some of my powers have prices, and in a desperate situation I traded my memories to ward off forty or so demons. All I remember are flashes and fragments of visions. Most of these are not pleasant, so I do not feel a lot or remorse at loosing them. I have found friends and family, because when you have no family, you find it as you go."

Dawn wandered back in and sat on my lap "well, according to Will, on one will be able to sense that they are here. Oh; and there's a time limit on this ritual thingy. If it's not done in the next thirty six hours, he's got to wait another ten years. The others will be here in a few hours, and they know where we are". I think she managed to say it all without taking a breath.

I looked at the slayers "you all get some sleep; we'll keep watch, just in case." I knew it was a lot easier for me to tell them to get some sleep, than it would be for them to fall asleep, but I knew that they had been injured and that their bodies needed rest.

The three slayers wandered out, looking for a place to crash. Janice came over to me and asked if she could go with them. I realized that she was becoming friends with the youngest slayer, and wanted to make that more substantial. I told her to go ahead. Our lives are short and intense enough, having a good friend or two makes it a lot more bearable. Besides that, it gave me some alone time with Dawn, and that's always a good thing.

Dawn and I just sat there guarding the slayers as they slept. I am often reminded of how much I love her; how I feel that it was this insane stroke of luck that led me to her. We didn't do much, a little kissing; we didn't say much because we didn't need to say anything. We just sat there and embraced each other in our thoughts. It was one of the most amazing nights of my life. I wish I could express in words how I felt, but I'm not that clever. We just sat and held each other tight, and saw with perfect clarity the depth of our love. I never wanted it to end.