"Dawn…look I know we ended badly…" Spike attempted to apologize after everyone else had entered the Hyperion, only to be cut off as the brunette punched him in the gut. He doubled over, clutching thepained area. A few minutes later he was able to stand again, his eyes not watching Dawn but rather the floor. She tilted his chin so his eyes were looking down at her. Though her tall-ness, she was still an inchshorter thanhim.

"Now we're even," She whispered, hugging him tightly like she had wished to do so many times since he returned from Africa. But she felt it was her duty to her sister to hate him, her loyalty to make him feel like scum. Scum he never was.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Spike asked as they began walking through the doors.

"I'd stake my life on it," She breathed, knowing very well that she was. He smiled at her, a smile she hadn't seen since the summer Buffy died. The others were on the couch, waiting patiently as she dusted the room in magic to keep the demons from sensing them. "Alright, this spell is complex and painful and completely weird. It's much like the spell that brought Buffy back," Her eyes flickered to Spike, knowing he well remembered the detailed explanation Tara and Willow gave them the week after the Slayer returned.

"You see, Willow evoked the God's power to return Buffy from Heaven. Only we didn't know she was in Heaven then. She was tested, and I probably will be too. However, none of you can come to my aid. You hear me," They nodded, though Angel and Spike did so hesitantly. Illyria watched with a steady gaze and Gunn was clutching his healed stomach, as though expecting is wounds to open again.

"I need a bit from each of you. For one, I need a little bit of each of your blood. Spike, I need the most important thing from you," He perked up, moving to stand in front of her. "I need your mom's ring…I know you don't want anyone else to have it," Her voice had dropped lower now, as though the topic was to sensitive and personal for anyone else to hear. "This way if I need someone's help I can turn to you and you can know I'm not lying about the future," He nodded, slipping the silver chain from around his pale neck. On it hung an antique ring, the diamond was blue-ish white, surrounded by intricate silver designs. "I promise you'll get it back,"

"I planned on giving it to you on your sixteenth birthday anyway," His voice was soft and she thought back to her sixteenth birthday. That was when he was in Africa. He slipped it over her own neck and she tucked it into her shirt.

"Okay, I need circle-age." Gunn, Spike, and Angel quickly complied but Illyria hung back. "It'll get him back," She nodded, taking her own place. She took a handful of purple crystals from her backpack, placing them in between each person. Using an old bowl from the kitchen as an urn, she carefully reopened the old scar on her arm, her mind flashing with memories of the key. Spike moved to speak, but quickly stopped as her blood turned green and slipped into the bowl. She handed the bowl and the knife to Spike, who repeated the process. His own blood mixed with hers. He was careful not to allow her blood to overcome his senses. He needed to be strong for this. When he looked up again, the bowl and knife had already returned to Dawn. She knelt on the ground, placing the mixed blood bath in front of her. She drew war symbols upon her face with the red mixture. She was chanting something, the words sent chills down his spine. He was scared. Scared for Dawn, for himself, for the world.

Dawn screamed the words as her skin sliced itself open. She felt as though her body was on fire, and a wild beast was tearing at her. Bite marks formed on her arms, and blood further gushed. The guys wanted to move, to help her, but her stern command earlier had them cautious. The ceiling opened and a bolt of lightning smashed into her. She was thrown out of the circle and into the wall.

"See you soon," She whispered to them, before slowly disappearing.

Dawn cracked her eyes open, leaning against the wall of the hallway. Lawyers walked past her and she stumbled her way towards the Science lab.

"So, what's the prognosis?" Angel's voice sternly rung threw the abandoned area. Dawn knew they were staring at a fallen Illyria. Dawn looked around the corner, careful not to be seen.

"She won't be stopping time... or walking through dimensions. And I suspect her physical strength has decreased somewhat." Wesley replied, though his voice was somewhat distant. The brunette smiled sympathetically though knowing he couldn't see her.

"That's what I wanted to hear." He glanced at Wes, "You're gonna stay with her, aren't you?"
"Yes," Wes whispered, his eyes locked on the God-king.

"Wes... I don't like where this is going. I don't like where this has been." Dawn mentally cheered Angel for catching onto the signs he had clearly missed.

"I'm not in love with this thing, Angel. But... for some reason, I need it right now." She understood, thinking back to how needed the Buffy-bot though she didn't love it.

"Yeah. That's just weird." Idiot, she thought.

"I know. She could still prove to be problematic for us. Much of what she was is still intact. I doubt she'll ever stop trying to conquer... everything." Too true, she agreed.

""Serve no master but your ambition."" Angel quoted. Before moving to walk away.

"What's that?" Wes questioned, watching Angel turn back to him.

"I think you may have been right before... about Illyria being a resource. She just might make the team yet." He was ready to leave, and seeing this as an opputune moment, Dawn stepped from the shadows.

"If there's and opening how bout a thousand year old key and wicca with a bit of slayer thrown in?" Angel gaped at her, before quickly hugging her. She had always been close to Angel back when he was in Sunnydale.

"Dawn, did Buffy send you?"

"Angel! I'll be eighteen this summer, no need for permission anymore. Plus she's to busy back in Rome," Dawn was trying to play the girl she was before she found out about the god-ness and thought she was doing a pretty good job of it. Spike's ring seemed to weigh a ton under her shirt. "How are you?"

"Great. I thought you thought I was back to evil?"

"Pshaw, that was all psycho Buffy's doing. I'm all for this "belly of the beast" plan." She looked up at him, her blue eyes wide. "I trust you, Angel." She whipped around as Wes coughed, and held out her hand. "I'm Dawn, Buffy's sister. I don't know if you remember me. We only met a few times,"

"It's very nice to see you again, Dawn," She was intrigued by the man she was going to save.

"So, where's everyone else?"

"Yeah, right, I'll take you to see them," The two talked as they walked down the hall, Dawn turning around one last time to look at Wesley. He was staring down at the shell of his love again, and she wished she could turn back time and get her back too.

A/n: So, it was nothing special but canon is going to go a bit off here. The Girl in Question is going to be different, and I'm going to extend it a little farther. I want the gang to get used to Dawn being around. What pairings do you all want to see? Please review.

p.d.