Disclaimers: Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment
Reviews: Welcomed and appreciated
The walk back to the mansion was just as quiet as the walk to Revello Drive had been. Angelus was not a happy man. He glanced over at Buffy, she was nibbling at the inside of her cheek, a sign that her mind was working double time.
"Just let it go Buff. You are done there. We are done there. Am I making myself clear?" There was a dangerous edge to her mates' voice that Buffy recognized and she turned to him.
"Angelus, please. Let me solve this mystery. I have to know why this girl is. It's not for them, it's for me. It'll drive me crazy for all time if I don't figure out what's going on." There was a pleading in her voice.
"For fuck's sake Buff, these are not people I want you involved with again." He clenched his fists at his sides. She had become more than his lover, his mate. She was his obsession, his life and he feared this little 'scoobie gang' would win her back. As if reading his mind, she chuckled and pulled him into an alley way.
Bracing herself against a wall she pulled him to her. "Oh baby, you are everything. No one, nothing can ever come between us. Not in this life or the next." She unzipped her pants and pulled them down as she turned her back to him. "Do what you will my love."
A low growl emanated from deep within his chest as he quickly freed himself and slammed Buffy into the wall as he roughly took her, biting into her shoulder. She came quickly screaming his name as Angelus spilled into her. He rubbed his lips against her ear. "You are mine, only mine. Never forget. Take care of this Buff, but when it's done they are out of your life forever."
Turning to face him, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself up to nip at his neck. "Whatever you say." She loved him with her whole being, but she had to smile at how easy he was to manipulate sometimes.
Dawn was not a happy girl today. Not that she was very often these days. But being lied to by everyone she ever trusted, ever loved. It was almost too much to deal with. She remembered Giles soothing voice as she cried on his shoulder.
"Little one, it is only because we wanted to protect you. What good would it have done? You couldn't have gone to her. You couldn't have changed her mind. It was done and we did what we thought was best at the time." He smoothed her hair and glared at Buffy.
Buffy snorted. "Best intentions? Right Watcher. Aren't you the one who told me the road to hell was paved with them? You wanted her to keep believing there was a chance Angelus and I would move in here and make a little cozy home for her? She's knows about life on the Hellmouth, it makes you grow up fast. At least give her a little credit." Buffy turned to Angelus. "Let's go."
He stood to his full six foot one, looking more like a ten foot god to Dawn. "Do you have to go?" She sniffled. "I mean, I know you may not be them, but you did come…"
Angelus smirked. "It was all an act kid. An act that these wonderful paragons of virtue here," he waved his hand over the assembled group, "perpetrated to protect the little princess. Said princess being you. But it's over now." He put his arm around Buffy.
Dawn stood and went to the two of them. "Buffy, you told mom you'd come back. Will you?"
She studied the young girl for a moment, she almost had a memory of her. "Yes, I promised and I will."
"When?" Dawn was almost begging.
"Whining is a very unappealing trait Dawn. Lose it." She picked up her coat. "Joyce knows I'll be back."
Mulling over the events of the past week, Dawn walked with her head down, a million thoughts buzzing in her brain. When she woke up this morning she knew she had to get away from everyone or go crazy. Everyone was watching her, waiting for her reactions to everything. So, she snuck out while her mother was at the hospital for tests and just walked. She felt a cold breeze and looked up. Oh shit, she thought, the sun's starting to go down. She looked around and realized she had walked to the business district of Sunnydale. It would take her at least 45 minutes to get home and it would be totally dark in less than 15. Pulling her cell phone out of her pocket she realized she hadn't charged it in a couple of days. Damn. She pulled the collar of her coat up to her chin and started the walk back home. Her mom had undoubtedly called Giles and he was probably driving around looking for her. If she stuck to the streets they usually haunted she was bound to run into someone. She hoped.
Buffy had seen the girl the on her way to Revello Drive. She had stopped by Willie's for a little pick-me-up and upon leaving saw the little twit making her way down the street. Head down, shoulders hunched, all set to be a tasty morsel for a fledgling. She had shrugged her shoulders and started the car, deciding that if the girl had a death wish, far be it from her to deny it. Her promise to Joyce would be moot and she could start making things better with Angelus. However, after a moment she stopped the cars' engine and opened the door. She thought she might as well see who was going to end up eating the little thing. Couldn't hurt. She followed her on foot for a few minutes, staying in the shadows, she had a good view of all the creepies and crawlies that were coming out to lay claim to the tender bit.
The large vampire had come out of nowhere. Hmmm Buffy thought to herself, does Angelus know about him? No matter. He obviously wasn't an inch of her sire if he had to pick off a small fry like Dawn. Buffy rolled her eyes as she saw the Summers girl attempt to fight him off. She actually was making a good show of herself even if she couldn't win.
Buffy leaned against a garbage bin and coughed to get the big guys attention. He looked up, not really giving her much notice. "I'll deal with you in a moment cupcake. Gonna have this little appetizer. I'll save you for later."
"It's true what they say you know?"
"And what would that be girlie?" She had piqued his interest.
"The bigger they are the harder they fall and the stupider, well the quicker." Buffy rammed her fist through the vampires' chest and pulled out his unbeating heart before he had time to make a single move. She quickly fanned away the dust and shook her head at Dawn. "Guess smarts doesn't run in the family, huh?" Buffy turned and started to make her way down the street. Without looking at the girl she asked, "Are you coming?"
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Dawn picked herself up and followed. "Yeah, but you know I so had the whole thing under control. I was lulling him into a false sense of…"
"A false sense of 'I'm gonna eat you in 10 seconds instead of 2?'. I'm going to see your mom, so if you want to make it back to your house let's go. Now!"
"Jeez, you're even bossy as a vampire." Dawn fell into step next to Buffy, casting a sideways glance at her. She didn't seem upset or angry. She actually looked a little bored. "I didn't mean to go this far away from home, not this late. I just lost track of time."
Without breaking her stride she shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Just want to get this visit over and get home to Angelus. He's a little peeved at me and I need to make it up to him tonight." She retrieved the keys from her pocket and opened the doors. "Just get in."
"Buffy, thank you so much for bringing Dawn home." She gave her errant daughter a stern look. "We had no idea where she had gone."
"She's a bit of trouble. Might want to think of nailing her windows shut and locking her in. She obviously has no idea of what self-preservation is." Buffy stood next to the window in Joyce's room.
"Umm hello? 'Bit of trouble' standing right here." Dawn crossed her arms, a petulant expression on her face. "I so had the whole situation under control…"
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah right. Let's do a reality check." She snorted. "A little thing like you could so over take a 275 pound vampire. He was stupid, but not that stupid." She walked up to the younger girl, facing her eye to eye. "You are not the slayer."
Narrowing her eyes, Dawn replied. "Neither are you."
"No, I'm not. I'm better. Stronger. Smarter." Buffy smirked at her 'sister'.
"Girls, please. No arguing." Joyce swung her legs out of bed and reached for her sweater. "Buffy, thank you again for rescuing Dawn." She cast another glance at her younger 'daughter'. "Dawn, thank Buffy and then go to your room. I know you have Spanish and History tests tomorrow. Study."
"Yeah, okay." She sullenly thanked Buffy and left.
"Sorry about that Buffy. Please, come downstairs." Joyce turned, leaving Buffy to follow. "Why don't you sit down while I make us some tea?" Joyce went to the kitchen and Buffy followed her.
Sitting on a stool she looked at the woman who used to be her mother and tried to sort out the emotions simmering just below the surface. Angelus would be so angry at her. "Don't get sucked in Buff. If I see that you are, I will end it. If it means killing the lot of them I'll do it without a second's hesitation." She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.
"Actually, I just stopped by for a moment. I wanted to let you know that I did come up with a few things but I wanted to run them past Giles. That's where I'm off to."
Joyce turned to look at the young woman who used to be her daughter and stared for a moment.
"What?" The look on the older woman's face made Buffy squirm a bit. She wasn't accustomed to the feeling.
"Oh, sorry. It's just for a moment you sounded so much like her. I'm sorry." Joyce turned back towards the sink, running her hand over her eyes.
"I'm not her Joyce. I won't lie to you. There are traces. Traces I didn't even realize. You…you make me face up to them. But, I'm not her." She rose to leave. "Once I've seen Giles one of us will let you know what's what."
"Buffy. Will I see you again?" There was a tinge of hope in her voice.
"I don't know." Buffy took a last look at the woman who had been her mother. "I just don't know."
Buffy entered Giles apartment and looked around. "You really haven't changed a thing have you Watcher?"
"No, I suppose not." He watched his former slayer make a circle around his living room, her walk cat-like. A predatory gleam in her eye. She stopped in front of him, inches from his face. She lifted her hand to his face and ran it down his jaw.
"You have aged well. It's really so unfair that certain men become so attractive and distinguished with age while most woman just give in to gravity." She smiled at him wickedly. "Did you ever think of her in that way Giles? Buffy was young, innocent, but she was very hot. In the middle of the night, right before you nodded off, were there ever any thoughts of fucking her?"
"Baby, now is that any way to talk to your ex-paternal figure?" Angelus walked in from the kitchen.
She smiled at her lover, not surprised by his presence. She had felt him the moment she had parked her car and wanted to make him pay for following her. "Well, I was just curious." She gave her attention back to the watcher. "Well, are you going to answer me?"
Choosing to ignore the question, Giles pressed on. "There was something you needed to discuss with me?"
Buffy laughed. "Ever the proper English prig. But yes, I have…" she looked over at her lover. "I suppose I should say we have something very interesting to discuss with you…"
Giles read over the notes and passages Buffy and Angelus had marked and shook his head. "We all thought the memory lapse was because of Joyce's tumor. We had no idea the tumor would cause her to see reality."
Angelus sat back on the couch, seemingly bored by the whole encounter. "Oh watcher, what's reality anyway?"
"Angelus, please, no existential sermons today. This may involve all of us." She turned her attention back to Giles. "Dawn may seem real to you and the rest of the world, but from what I can tell she came into existence a mere few months ago." Buffy say next to Angelus and picked up one of the books she had brought. "Just what do you know of hell gods and keys?"
