Chapter 17.

Buffy kept her arm around her sister's shoulders as Dawn knelt beside the unconscious Adanar. Willow knelt on the other side of the Ganaru and tried desperately to tap into the healing stored in the Berdea crystal to help him awaken. Shaking, her voice hoarse with fear,

Dawn wanted to know,
"Why doesn't he wake up? He's not going to die, is he? He can't; not now. Can't you do something to help himWillow?"

Willow looked up from Adanar and promised her,
"I'm not going to let him die Dawnie. I just need to .. "

The little witch reached deep within herself for her power and felt it respond. Dawn was startled to see Willow's red hair and green eyes turn white and glow as she laid the healing crystal over the Ganaru's heart and place her hand over it. Golden energy seeped from under the witch's hand and spread to cover Adanar's entire body. The gold power flared and faded as Adanar groaned and his eyes flickered open.

Dawn released a sobbing breath before leaning over her friend with a wavering smile,
"Hey. No fair scaring me like that, my friend. It was way mean! How do you feel?"

"Did the Kridjatori use me as some sort of ball in a kicking contest? From the way I feel, someone must have spent quite some time jumping up and down on top of me. There's no need to cry, I'm fine Dawn. Was that your magic Willow? Surely you're not going to do me out of a job by becoming a more powerful healer, are you?"

Willow gave him a tired smile,
"It was your crystal and your magic. I don't think healing is my thing somehow."

Dawn reached out to take Willow's hand, squeeze it and told her gratefully,
"Thank you, Will. I owe you big time."

Willow smiled and shook her head,
"Just take it off what I owe you, huh?"

"Quits then? By the way, the platinum blond look is way more attractive than the Goth dark thing you had going; when you're not a natural brunette black makes the face look so hard somehow."

"Quits is good; better than good. And you're right about the brunette thing, not me at all. Never gonna try that again."

Buffy and Giles were relieved to see that particular hatchet was now well and truly buried. Dawn helped Adanar to sit up and he gazed around the warehouse until he spotted Strega's body slumped against the wall.

Taking in the look of terror frozen on the Samarian's face, he shuddered and asked,
"What of his soul-stealer? Is it destroyed?"

Giles spoke up from where he and Spike stood watching the small group.

"The blade is broken but Dawn still has the pieces. The sword chose her and she used it to kill him. A nastier death than any I've ever heard of, let alone seen, no matter how well deserved."

"Yeah, man. They tore his soul apart! The souls that were freed when the blade broke just ripped it to pieces while it was still leaving his body."
Gunn shuddered at the memory. He had grabbed a couple of crossbow bolts and ended the bearcat's suffering before beginning to gather all of the weapons he could find.

Spike suggested tiredly,
"Let's get out of here, huh? Peaches' better have the first aid kit ready, it's gonna do overtime tonight. Not to mention the 'medicinal' Jack Daniels. Besides, that beast stinks just as much dead, if not worse! You feel up to moving yet, Big Guy?"

Adanar nodded and got to his feet slowly with Dawn and Willow supporting him.

"I'll be fine, thanks to Willow. How are the three of you? Do you hurt as much as you look you should?"

Dawn, Buffy and Spike were covered in cuts, scrapes and bruises and all three were moving gingerly and painfully.

Dawn told him,
"My shoulder got the worst of it again. I thought it was dislocated but I'm thinking it's just torn ligaments and muscles. And before you say 'I told you so'? I know, I know, I got myself hurt 'cause I didn't watch what I was doing."

Her sister held her arms around her own painfully tender midriff,
"I think I've cracked a rib or two and popped some cartilage. Your cheek's still bleeding, Dawnie."

"I guess that'll please you, my friend? Your fingers have been itching for years to remove my scars."

She and Adanar shared a smile, a reminder of past arguments between them.

"You do not need them anymore Dawn. They have served their purpose. And you Spike? What damage have you sustained?"

"Cuts from that bloody whip mainly. That bugger hurt like hell! Here gimme some of those Charlie, be an idea to let the Poof know we're all present and accounted for. What are we gonna do with that soul stealing gizmo Rupert? Might be a tad risky to have hanging around, don't you think?

Spike grabbed half of Gunn's load of weapons and his friend pulled out his cell phone to call Angel. Giles and Willow hovered beside Adanar while Dawn and Buffy supported each other, but mainly for the comfort of being close together.

Giles frowned at Spike's question, finally asking,
"Dawn? Perhaps I should take the pieces of that sword?"

"Huh? Oh, the sword. Um, its gone quiet now, I think it's really tired. It only stole souls because Strega had a Berdea crystal magic-ked and set in the hilt; the sword shattered that so that it could leave him during the fight."

She gave him a pleading glance,
"I'm not sure destroying it would be the right thing to do. Can't we wait till I've had a little more time with it before we make any decisions? It fought him an awfully long time you see, and it's only fair to give it a chance to defend itself or something."

Giles saw her determination and decided to give the sword the time she asked for; Dawn had the moral strength to keep the sword under control. He nodded his consent and she gave him a grateful smile.

She turned to Willow and reminding her of a recent conversation, said,
"Hey Will? I've been chatting telepathically with a sword! How normal is that?"

Willow laughed and agreed,
"Okay, you've made your point; weird is our normal! Spike? You are so gonna share the booze when we get back!"

"I'm too bloody tired to fight you, Red. But we might have to drop by a liquor store on the way, I'm pretty sure Bit's run out of bourbon. She's a shockin' hostess; never a drop in the house to offer guests."
Spike gave Dawn a weary grin over his shoulder. She was too sore and tired to do more than mutter a few obscenities at him.

Adanar shook his head and told her,
"Like I said earlier Dawn; that is just not physically possible! Although if Spike would care to try it and should he somehow find a willing partner, I'd be quite interested in observing; in a purely scientific manner of course."

Spike gave him a wary glance,
"I think your mate might have perverted tendencies, Niblet. But let's not tell Peaches, hey? Might be some interestin' developments come of it."