Author's Notes: Set four years after 'Becoming' part two. Buffy ran away, and didn't come back. Now, four years later, she's about to be reminded of who and what she really is.

Rating: PG-13. Language and strong themes. Sorry, kiddies.

Disclaimer: Nothing you recognise is mine. Don't sue, please.

Feedback: Very welcome. Constructive criticism is welcome; flames will be used to help me toast marshmallows.

Chapter Notes: Sorry, once again, for the delay. It's all the fault of 'Doctor Who', I swear. I'm really really close to being finished now, though, so updates should possibly be getting a bit quicker.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Worrying
"There's nothing here, this is useless!" Jake exclaimed, slamming the book shut. The others barely spared him a glance. "Uh, hello? Anyone listening?"

"No," Max said curtly to his son. "Keep reading."

"Dad, there's nothing here."

"So look in another book," Sarah snapped. "Stop bothering your father."

Jake scowled. "Like you even care," he muttered.

"Stop it," Giles snapped, finally looking up from his own text. "Either shut up or get out. This is serious."

Jake sighed. "Sorry. I just…my sister's been kidnapped by the Beast, my mother's catatonic…I'm not exactly on top form, here."

"Auntie Annie's going to be alright, isn't she?" Toni asked in a small voice, looking between her parents. "Mom?"

Sarah ran a hand through her hair. "She's going to be fine, Toni."

"Liar."

"Don't you talk to your mother like that," Max snapped.

"Stop arguing!" Faith cried out, exasperation colouring her voice. "God! Can't you all get along for five minutes at a time? Don't you get that this is major stuff here?" She looked around at all the people gathered here. "Look, just – go home. Go to sleep. There's nothing more you can do here now."

"Are you sure?" Xander asked her quietly.

"Yes. Go." Faith turned to Dawn, ignoring the rest of the group as the clan members slowly packed up and started to leave. "Dawnie, you're alright with sharing a bed with me for tonight, right?"

"Sure," Dawn nodded. She lifted one eyebrow provocatively. "As long as you don't mind that I sleep naked these days." She smirked at Faith's expression and disappeared up the stairs.

"That…was kinda weird," Willow commented. "Is Dawn joining the gay pride parade?"

Sarah pulled her coat on. "Not in the way you mean. Everything gets changed in Phtygiktha. Gender is meaningless to us. And Dawn is one of us now." She looked at Max. "Family. Clan."

Max nodded gravely. "Family, clan," he repeated. "Come on, Sarah, we'd better go." He shepherded his children out of the front door. Sarah closed it behind them, leaving the Scooby gang to say their own goodnights.

"You'll call if you have any news about Annie?" Ethan wanted to know, leaning wearily against Giles.

"We'll call when she wakes up," Willow promised. "But Faith's right, we really need to get some rest."

"Right." Giles dislodged Ethan and pulled his coat on. "Xander, we'll pick you up in the morning – eight thirty. We'll do more research then."

"Fine," Anya said impatiently. "Let's go, before Xander gets too tired to give me orgasms."

"And we all ignore that," Angel commented dryly. "I'm heading downstairs. Faith, you okay to lock up?"

"Five by five," Faith nodded, ushering Xander and Anya to the door. "C'mon, G, skedaddle."

"Call if Annie wakes up," Ethan threw over his shoulder as he and the Watcher left. Faith nodded and closed the door behind them with a sigh.

"We're gonna head up," Tara yawned. "A-are you alright?"

"Fine," Faith told her shortly. "Just going to grab a snack. Sleep tight, yeah?" The blonde witch smiled at her friend, nodded, and disappeared up the stairs, following her redhead lover.

Faith went into the kitchen and locked the back door before opening a cupboard. She was in the mood for something sickeningly fattening, but there was little of that in the house. Money was tight. Although she could have sworn there were still some chocolate biscuits around here somewhere…

"Faith?"

Faith whirled around, arms snapping up defensively, before she realised who it was. "Geez, Dawn. When did you get so quiet?" She pulled the half-empty packet of biscuits from the cupboard.

"Lots of practice hiding from the guards." Dawn moved past her to the fridge, taking out one of the bottles of Rakeshia blood that now half-filled the fridge. She poured some into a mug and put it into the microwave to warm up. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

"S'fine," Faith muttered. "Just, uh…be careful. I have a tendency to attack things that sneak up on me."

Dawn hid a smile. "Yeah, well I'm all blood-dependant now. Got some extra strength. I could probably take you."

"You and what army?" Faith teased, hopping onto a stool, facing Dawn. "You hear anything up there?"

Dawn shook her head, pulled her mug from the microwave, and took a sip of the blood. "Nope, not a thing. Which is probably good; no screams, no sex sounds." She frowned. "Although I guess that means Buffy is still comatose."

Faith shrugged. "S'just shock, probably. She'll be fine. Five by five."

Dawn tilted her head to one side. "Five by five," she echoed. She finished her mug and wiped her mouth carelessly with the back of her hand. "You sure you're okay with sharing the bed?" she asked quietly. "I can take the couch…"

"Shit, Dawn, this is your house," Faith rolled her eyes. "If anyone sleeps on the couch, it'll be me. But no, it's cool." A corner of her mouth wanted to twitch into a smirk. "You really sleep naked now?"

Colour rose in Dawn's cheeks. "Uh, no. I was just…letting off some steam."

Making a quick decision, Faith rose and sauntered to the door before turning to look back at Dawn. "Pity."

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Coming next chapter:

Death, daughter and love.